5 Films Where the Last Scene Turns the Tables

Many films save a twist for the final moments, leaving viewers in shock and awe. Classics like "Shutter Island," "The Sixth Sense," and "The Usual Suspects" have mastered this art, weaving narratives that build up to a last-minute revelation that feels both surprising and inevitable. When executed perfectly, it leaves the audience spellbound.

Even more challenging is delivering a twist in the final frame of a film. The movies we're about to discuss all share a common thread: their concluding images hold a crucial visual clue that reshapes, modifies, or deepens our comprehension of the story. 

And as you're contemplating these cinematic finales, ESPN Plus in UK subtly ensures you have access to all these memorable movies, enhancing your viewing experience with ease. So, let’s explore the movies in which the final scene changed everything. 

Warning: There are many spoilers ahead so read at your own risk. 

1. Planet of the Apes (1968)

A team of astronauts led by George Taylor wakes up from a long sleep in space, only to crash-land on a strange planet. They find a world where apes are in charge and humans are not free. It's a total flip from everything they know. The apes have even built their own complex society.

By the end, Taylor breaks free from the apes. He and Nova, a woman who can't speak, escape on horseback. They come to the beach and are shocked to see the Statue of Liberty half-buried in the sand. This means they're actually on Earth, which has changed so much that apes are now the rulers. They never left their planet; they just came back to a very different home. Taylor kneels down by the statue, overwhelmed by the truth that his old world is gone.

2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

In the 1978 film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," Donald Sutherland plays Matthew Bennell, a health department scientist in San Francisco. He and his workmate, Elizabeth Driscoll, find out that tiny aliens with pink flowers are invading Earth. These aliens take over people's bodies and make copies that look like them but act mean and emotionless.

The movie ends with a shock: Matthew sees Nancy Bellicec, a friend, and instead of saying hello, he lets out a scary scream. It turns out he's become one of the copies, too. This leaves us wondering when he changed and if the rest of humanity can still be saved. If you want to know where to watch it, head over to How to Watch In. 

3. The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

In the 1961 film "The Pit and the Pendulum," Vincent Price plays Nicholas Medina, whose wife, Elizabeth, has vanished without a trace. Her brother, Francis, arrives looking for the truth, but Nicholas says he knows nothing. Francis doesn't trust him and decides to dig deeper. 

In the movie's climax, Nicholas attempts to use the pendulum to kill Francis but ends up falling into the pit himself. After this, Catherine, Nicholas's sister, decides to seal the dungeon forever. But as the door shuts, the camera reveals Elizabeth, alive and silenced, peering out from the iron maiden, having been there the whole time.

4. The Shining

Jack Nicholson stars as Jack Torrance, a writer who's struggling with his work and decides to become the winter caretaker of a hotel in Colorado. He moves there with his wife Wendy and son Danny. As the winter progresses, Jack starts losing his mind and becomes a danger to his family, chasing them with an axe.

In the movie's intense final moments, Jack chases his son through a snowy maze, trying to hurt him. Danny manages to get away, and Jack is left to freeze in the cold. When Danny and Wendy escape, the last image we see is an old photo in the hotel showing a party from 1921, with Jack right in the middle. It's a mysterious ending that suggests Jack might have been connected to the hotel long before, possibly in a past life.

5. Basic Instinct

Sharon Stone plays Catherine Tramell, a crime writer who becomes the main suspect in a murder case that mirrors a scene from her book. Michael Douglas is Detective Nick Curran, the officer on the case who gets drawn into a steamy relationship with Catherine. He's torn between believing she's innocent and fearing he might be her next victim.

The plot thickens as Nick finds clues pointing to Dr. Beth Garner, his police psychologist, as the murderer. In a tense finale, Nick shoots Beth, convinced she's the culprit. But the story takes a final twist when we see Catherine reach for something during an intimate moment with Nick. The presence of that object lets us know Catherine was indeed the killer, and that she framed Beth to get away with it.