These plot twists still make our heads spin. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most significant plot twists that immediately changed the tone of a movie and raised the stakes considerably.
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00:00You must be Peter. Yeah. I'm Liz's dad. Put her there.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most significant plot
00:10twists that immediately changed the tone of a movie and raised the stakes considerably.
00:14It should go without saying, but there are spoilers ahead.
00:17Who cares if there's a few little details you'd rather not remember?
00:22Number 10. The characters are personalities. Identity. If you recall this 2000s thriller,
00:27you probably remember its all-star cast. The movie puts them all at a motel where
00:31a sinister mystery unravels. The plot really flies off a cliff when it's revealed that they're all
00:47personalities within a convict's brain. From that point on, this insane story spirals as the guests
00:52keep dying off. The film's unpredictable narrative gives viewers a strange twist
00:56that alters reality. It might be outrageous, but it's also an ambitious idea that pushes
01:08the boundaries of storytelling. The tale of Malcolm River's mind continues to surprise the
01:13audience as his violent personality takes over. Number 9. Flashback. Jacob's Ladder.
01:31After returning from Vietnam, Jacob Singer suffers through visions that make him question reality.
01:36He later learns that he was exposed to an experimental drug that had horrific consequences.
01:44If that isn't enough, this horror film takes one more terrifying trip to the past. Singer
01:53finds himself heading towards a light and taken back to 1971. The hero becomes a soldier once
01:59more, appearing to have died from his combat wounds years ago. It's an incredible way to play
02:18with space, time, and viewer expectations. This examination of PTSD doesn't hold back,
02:23culminating in a heartbreaking climax. Number 8. Circle of Time. Arrival. This sci-fi film
02:38seeks to answer existential questions as linguist Louise Banks communicates with extraterrestrials.
02:43She comes to learn about the future, but it's not all that she hoped it would be.
02:54It turns out that Banks will have a daughter who will fall terminally ill.
02:59We also learn that Jeremy Renner's character is the father, but he won't be sticking around.
03:04It's a surprising development in a movie that doesn't have easy answers to life's
03:07most important questions. Ultimately, the entire concept of time comes into question
03:23as the film reaches its dramatic conclusion. With a new understanding of the past and the future,
03:28the movie leaves you with a mind-bending concept to ponder.
03:46Number 7. Who is Tyler Durden? Fight Club. Starting from somewhat humble beginnings,
03:51the narrator and Tyler Durden grow their club into a dangerous organization.
03:55The main character then comes to realize that he's been working overtime.
04:10It turns out that Durden is actually his alter-ego, meaning that he's been doing
04:14everything by himself. This revelation puts the entire plot into a new context.
04:31Not only do you have to watch the film again, but it also leaves you with questions about identity
04:35that will have your head spinning. It's fair to say that this twist only makes the explosive
04:40finale more disturbing and unexpected. Number 6. Occult is Behind Everything. Hereditary.
05:03Throughout this horror film, the Graham family are plagued by endless tragedy and bad luck.
05:07The eeriness of it all is because of a demonic cult that's been influencing everyone. Ari Aster's
05:12horror masterwork doesn't shy away from this disturbing revelation, making viewers consider
05:17the full weight of this dark twist. It also doesn't make the beheadings or fires any less
05:31horrifying. Peter later becomes king in a creepy ceremony that changes his future,
05:36calling into question how much farther the coven will go. Aster's tale of family ties and grief
05:41keeps you wondering and worrying until the very last second. Number 5. Sister and Daughter. Chinatown.
05:56Evelyn Mulray plays a key and tragic role in the plot of Chinatown. Detective Jake Giddes
06:08comes to understand the bitter truth. Mulray's sister, Catherine, is also her daughter. Giddes
06:13learns the truth in a scene that's as heartbreaking as it is surprising.
06:26Only after we learn this information do we fully understand the depth of Noah Cross
06:30and his evil. Mulray and her daughter try to escape with help from the hero, but this isn't
06:34a fairy tale. The ending is even more tragic because of this twist, adding to the bitter
06:39reality of the plot. Number 4. The Basement Dweller. Parasite. Oscar winner Parasite is
06:47a fun thriller that intensifies until it subverts your expectations. Director Bong Joon-Ho
07:05finds a way to make you laugh and terrify you with his sudden surprise, letting the truth come
07:09out in a rainstorm. It turns out that the rich family's house has a secret lurking beneath the
07:13main floor. The former maid's husband is staying in the bunker, giving a new meaning to the film's
07:18title. Not only do the Kims have to deal with their ongoing operation, they also have to consider
07:36how this news will affect their future. It's easy to see why the writers earned an Academy Award for
07:40such brilliant screenwriting. Number 3. Darth Vader's Identity. Star Wars Episode V,
08:00The Empire Strikes Back. Darth Vader remains one of the most imposing,
08:11feared characters in the first Star Wars universe. By the end of the sequel,
08:14The Empire Strikes Back, he finally corners the hero Luke Skywalker in dramatic fashion.
08:18The Jedi then learns the truth in an earth-shattering moment. Not only that,
08:27Vader's incredible voice, courtesy of James Earl Jones, really sells the intense scene.
08:31It's among the most memorable, shocking, and iconic twists in any film. The news set a course
08:37for the climactic return of the Jedi, while also inspiring a prequel series to explain the
08:41antagonist's troubled origins. Number 2. Leonard Killed His Wife, Memento.
09:07Throughout the course of Christopher Nolan's inventive thriller,
09:12Leonard Shelby tries to solve a mystery despite his condition. All sorts of people take advantage
09:17of his amnesia until he realizes the truth. While someone did attack his wife, she survived,
09:22and it was Shelby who accidentally killed her. He also realizes that he has been searching for
09:26a man that he's already found. Nolan finds a way to play with your expectations while
09:30also delivering an emotional gut wrench. In the end, the main character comes out of it a morally
09:49conflicted person. Things only get worse as he decides to keep going, ensuring that he can keep
09:54hunting people for as long as he wants to. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
10:07and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for
10:12occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
10:17and switch on notifications. Number 1. Marion's Abrupt End, Psycho. Marion Crane skips town with
10:25some stolen cash, but she stops off at the Bates Motel. This initiates one of the wildest twists
10:30in film history. Alfred Hitchcock puts Crane in a shower, letting Norman Bates take her out in
10:34brutal fashion. It completely changes the course of the narrative by getting rid of the main
10:42heroine. Once we realize that even the lead character can die, we're on the edge of our seats
10:47until the dramatic finale. The surprises don't end there, as we later discover Bates' split
11:01personality and his mother's influence from beyond the grave. Many movies have tried to be as bold,
11:06but nothing beats the rapid shift of this groundbreaking change.
11:19Did we forget another plot twist that completely altered a film? Let us know in the comments below.
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