Best Plot Twist Movies
In order to make an excellent film, you must begin with a great story. The majority of films follow a 3-act structure which sets up the story and then sends the characters on a mission and then concludes with the resolution. This format has been in use for many years and is the foundation for the majority of the films that you see in the present.
However, the best screenwriters can use their own methods to create their own stories for their audience. The goal of the film is to keep the viewer interested from beginning to end. One way to accomplish this is to introduce in the story a series of unanswered questions so that the viewers are interested until the end. The twist ending can be an effective way to surprise viewers by flipping the tables and showing them something they didn’t expect. Filmmakers have been using this technique in their films since the beginning of cinematic time, and it could create or destroy a great film.
Certain directors such as M. Night Shyamalan are well-known for their best plot twist movies. The endings of Shyamalan have delighted his fans, while others, like The Village, have enraged their viewers. The final decision is based on the context surrounding the twist, and if it is logical to the remainder of the story. As a technique for storytelling, it should be handled with care. Certain twist endings, like Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects, define the film and make them memorable for the rest of time. However the movie’s ending, the audience must remain engaged in order for the film to be memorable. Using a twist ending is a method to accomplish this.
Top 10 Best Plot Twist Movies
What are some movies with the best plot twists? Here are the 10 best plot twist movies with surprises, twists and turns that will definitely shock you. Of course, it’s impossible to review movies with plot twists, without giving an important spoiler warning So, take this as a spoiler warning.
10- Psycho (1960)
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz719b9QUqY
You will find many movies with twist endings but this masterpiece by Alfred Hitchcock is so well-crafted that it has a couple of major twists which have had a life that is their own. It is also noteworthy that the alleged lead character in the film is killed midway through the film and has become so famous that there’s no way that it would be shocking to anyone today.
The film has a good ending with a great twist, however, it has also become popular information. Although it is believed that Norman Bates’s mother, who is not seen, is the culprit It turns out that she’s long dead in the past and Norman has been dressed like her to execute the murders. However, Norman Bates now has a name as one of cinema’s most memorable villains, and the image of him in his mother’s wig is legendary.
9- The Usual Suspects (1995)
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiXdPolca5w
Keyzer Soze is a character whose popularity extends beyond one film and has grown into something of a legend. Soze’s appearance is featured in his role in the thriller The Usual Suspects as the main criminals in the film encounter the notorious and mysterious criminal.
However, while the mystery of the identity of who Soze truly is is the main focus of the film, it’s no longer an obscure secret anymore. In fact, the actual persona of Soze has been discussed in a way that was never a mystery in the first place in the sense that The Unusual Suspects has become one of the most recognizable and best plot twist movies with a marvelous ending ever created.
8- Memento (2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDWylEQSwFo
If there ever was a film that was designed to be a saga of surprises, it’s Christopher Nolan’s Memento. The film is not only reversed, but the principal protagonist Leonard Shelby (played by Guy Pearce) is a reliable but unreliable narration. Leonard suffers from a disorder that is a sign that his memory is functioning, however, the fact is that he doesn’t recall anything that happened to him outside of a 15-minute period. To stay focussed, Leonard writes notes, makes Polaroids and observes the tattooed clues that are inked throughout his body.
The goal of his mission is to track down “John G,” the person who is believed to be responsible for the murder of his wife. However, his condition can mean that he’s susceptible to manipulation by those close to him.
7- Unbreakable (2000)
IMDb Rating: 7.3
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNeCB2ALNoA
It’s impossible to imagine having a best plot twist movies list without one by The Sixth Sense director M. Night Shyamalan in there and fortunately, this one was released in the year 2000.
The first film in the trilogy that bears the same name, Unbreakable tells the tale of comic book trader Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) in his search to discover a superhero from the real world. When he meets former footballer David Dunn (Bruce Willis) the sole survivor from the devastating train accident, he believes that he’s accomplished his mission.
6- The Prestige (2006)
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLtaA9fFNXU
The Prestige has not one, but two plot twists that are perfect for the theme in the movie. The way Michael Caine explains magic tricks, there are three parts: the pledge, twist, and then the prestige. In the film, the pledge serves as the premise of the story in motion. The turn is the first plot turn: the Teleportation technique is executed in secret through the creation of clones, which then need to be destroyed. Finally, the fame comes from the fact that the opposing magician is actually two brothers who share a life.
5- Arrival (2016)
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g
The assistance of Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is called upon as aliens come to Earth. When she is experiencing images of her daughter who was diagnosed with breast cancer during her teenage years, Louise will attempt to contact the aliens to discover the motive behind their presence.
4- The Sixth Sense (1999)
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ZP95NF_Wk
This twist may be all-the-rage in pop culture but it was when M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense came out in 1999, it totally blew the minds of viewers. The film dominated the charts for a few weeks, perhaps because people wanted to instantly go back and watch it to discover all the clues to prove that Bruce Willis’ child psychologist Malcolm Crowe is one of the “dead people” his young patient Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) claims that he is able to talk and see to.
3- Shutter Island (2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iaYLCiq5RM
Martin Scorsese’s adaptation in 2010 of the noir-ish novel by Dennis Lehane features Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo as two U.S. marshals assigned to an isolated hospital for the insane criminal to investigate the disappearance of a patient. It’s the way the character of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Daniels believes. In the end, his doctors are honest with him. The man is Andrew Laeddis, a dangerously violent patient. The “investigation” was all an extreme procedure designed to break the illusion. The effects are only temporary however they are not lasting, and Laeddis is escorted off to be lobotomized during the last scene of the film. Shutter island is among the best plot twist movies because of its amazing ending.
2- Seven (1995)
IMDb Rating: 8.6
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmZoVkCjpI
Seven isn’t only one of those movies with a twist ending, however, the entire film from beginning to finish is full of tension and suspense. The detectives David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) are investigating a murder spree that is influenced by Seven Deadly Sins. They catch and capture the suspect, John Doe (Kevin Spacey) but not fast enough to stop the seven murders. Doe promises to lead them to the two remaining victims and to plead guilty. Somerset and Mills comply with his advice and are led to an unmarked container that contains the head that was severed by Mills’ wife, who is pregnant, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) which signifies jealousy. An angry Mills shoots Doe in a show of anger, which completes the cycle.
1- Predestination (2014)
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Trailer LInk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FcK_UiVV40
Predestination is one of my personal favorite best plot twist movies. Predestination follows the story of a Temporal Agent who is sent on a series of intricate travels through time designed to ensure longevity in his career as a law enforcer for eternity. As he completes his final task, the Agent must track down the only criminal that has not been found by him in the past. This is one of those films that has so many shocking twists, turns and alterations that even the tiniest details of the plot can lead to the realm of spoilers.
Conclusion
There are many movies with good plot twists but these are some of the best plot twist movies that you should watch right now. Start your watch list with Predestination because the ending of this movie is going to blow your mind. Do tell us about your best plot twist movies in the comments below.
