There’s nothing quite like a mind-bending conclusion to a movie that leaves audiences scratching their heads long after the credits roll, here’s just 20 of those films with the most confusing endings.
Inception (2010)
When it comes to films with confusing endings or just confusing films in general then look no further than Christopher Nolan!
Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece explores layers of reality within dreams, culminating in a spinning top that leaves viewers questioning whether the protagonist is still dreaming or has returned to reality.
It’s quite an unusual ending which is the case for many of Nolan’s films as Inception has multiple layers of Dreamstate and it’s quite hard to follow which one is which throughout the movie.
The spinning top is an audience indicator of what state our characters find themselves in but it’s never fully explained and as a result left most of its audience pondering the ending after the film’s release and many, many years later!
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch’s surreal thriller ends with a mind-bending twist as audiences try to decipher the film’s intricate symbolism.
Mulholland Drive (unlike Inception) is a film that I’ve only seen once as I don’t think my brain could physically handle another rewatching.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick’s epic journey through space ends with a surreal sequence that defies traditional narrative.
The film has prompted endless interpretations and still has fans talking all these years later diving into topics about the nature of humanity and evolution.
I have to be entirely honest here, this movie just isn’t my cup of tea, the pacing for me lulls me into a cryo-sleep but whilst it struggles to grip me I can fully appreciate its acclaim despite an ending that gives me a headache.
Donnie Darko (2001)
I’m sure this is a film that could make a worst movie list as Donnie Darko seems to have a so bad it’s good ethos about it when in my opinion, it’s just bad.
Despite my personal opinions, there’s no arguing that Richard Kelly’s movie is a cult classic that concludes with a time-travel twist that challenges viewers to piece together the film’s complex narrative and explore its philosophical themes.
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Any of the Matrix movies could be included in this list and I’m sure people would understand as this franchise wants nothing more than to amaze and confuse you in equal measure.
The final instalment of the trilogy (we don’t talk about the recent one) offers a mind-bending conclusion that blurs the lines between reality and simulation.
Another head-scratching moment that has you questioning the nature of existence.
American Psycho (2000)
The film follows New York City dweller, Patrick Bateman as he spirals down a path of indulging in his dark hedonistic fantasies.
The film brutally satirises the rich and powerful, demonstrating the lack of accountability the wealthy have for their behaviour, evident when Bateman’s inner circle doesn’t entertain his confessions and when the police fall flat with evidence of his crimes.
The ending, however, has many confused and suggests that his actions were all a dream – though this theory has firmly been debunked.
Shutter Island (2010)
The film’s ending still sparks confusion and debate 14 years later.
The plot follows US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo Dicaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a psychiatric patient on the isolated and eerie island.
The film takes us down the winding road of his investigation until all is unravelled at the end, leaving viewers questioning everything they have just seen or thought they knew.
Memento (2000)
Surprise, surprise it’s another Christopher Nolan film!
Nolan’s thriller concludes with a mind-bending revelation that forces audiences to reevaluate everything they’ve seen, mirroring the protagonist’s own struggle with memory loss.
TENET (2020)
Whilst we’re here dropping Christopher Nolan movies we may as well throw this one into the mix too.
TENET is a film that is just so ridiculously confusing that you almost lose your will to live before the end credits.
I’m pretty sure the only person who truly understands a Christopher Nolan movie is Christopher Nolan himself.
The Prestige (2006)
Last but not least Christopher Nolan’s confusing slate of movies is The Prestige.
A tale of rival magicians ends with a twist that raises profound questions about sacrifice, identity, and obsession.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
M. Night Shyamalan’s supernatural thriller was one that I debated adding to the list because it’s by no means a confusing movie.
The reason I have added it is because it concludes with a shocking twist that recontextualizes the entire film and that’s where the confusion lies.
The whole film that you’ve seen up until that end reveals has been interpreted wrong encouraging you to go back and rewatch it with a newfound understanding.
The Sixth Sense is a genius movie!
The Shining (1980)
When Jack Nicholson’s character is revealed in a picture at the end of The Shining you almost wonder what on earth you’ve just watched from start to finish.
We’re not quite sure what the film’s haunted imagery represents as this cryptic ending really does leave you scratching your head!
The Others (2001)
Alejandro Amenábar’s supernatural thriller concludes with a twist that forces viewers to reassess everything they’ve seen, blurring the lines between the living and the dead.
So out of these headache-inducing films when it comes to that final reveal which films with confusing endings are your favourite?
With every film mentioned above, debates have raged online for many years about their own interpretations of each title and for me, these are the films that stand out the most.
Films that stay relevant and withstand the test of time with various fan theories and angles.
All of the titles above push the boundaries of storytelling with clever endings, mindblowing endings or simply endings that leave that door open for your own perspective to fill in those last lines of the script page
Whilst the majority of films listed in this article are of my preference the table above comprises of films that Britains found to be the most confusing in a recent survey.
The methodology undertaken by BonusFinder (not a sponsored post) for the rankings image above comprised of the following:
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A seed list of notoriously confusing films was compiled using CBR, Collider and The Wrap, in addition to new releases of the last couple of years using ScreenRant.
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The following keywords were inputted into the keyword analysis tool Ahrefs and searched in the UK, with X being replaced with the film title ‘x explained’, ‘x ending meaning’, ‘x ending explained’ and ‘x ending’.
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The total search volumes for these terms were then combined to demonstrate which films are causing Brits the most confusion.
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This was then multiplied by 12 to retrieve annual figures.
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Data was collected on 19/02/24 and is correct as of then.
