The final scene in a movie is always very important as it is the last thing the audiences are left thinking about. There are few things more frustrating than a good movie dropping the ball in the finale. But then there are those movies that, even if they are great up until then, still save the best for last.
These endings left audiences thrilled, shocked, and thoroughly satisfied. In some cases, it was an unexpected twist to end on. For others, it was a thrilling action moment. Or perhaps it just wrapped the story up in the perfect way.
10 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
The list of good horror remakes is a short one, but Invasion of the Body Snatchers is right at the top of that list. It is an intense story of aliens invading Earth and replacing humans with doppelgangers. Though the whole movie builds incredible tension, it is the harrowing final scene that cements it as a classic.
As the invasion spreads, the main hero, Matthew, is shown blending in with the human-looking aliens. Another survivor Nancy spots him and she smiles, happy to see him still alive. But Matthew points her out to the others and lets out an inhuman scream, revealing he is one of them.
9 The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Usual Suspects is a solid crime story for much of its runtime as it follows a group of career criminals who team up for a big score. However, they soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous and mysterious criminal named Keyser Soze.
The whole movie is told by the one remaining criminal, Verbal Kint. But in the final scene, it is revealed that Verbal's story was a complete fabrication and the timid man is really Keyser Soze. It makes the audience question everything they just saw and is a twist more famous than the movie itself.
8 There Will Be Blood (2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood is a masterpiece featuring a towering performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as the oilman, Daniel Plainview. Much of the movie centers on the conflict between Daniel and a pastor named Eli, with both men representing different aspects of power in 20th century America.
The final scene has these men meeting again as Eli comes to Daniel for help. However, Daniel forces Eli to admit he is a false prophet then dashes his hopes of fortune and finally beats Eli to death. It is a shocking and intense scene that brilliantly speaks to the change of capitalism in America.
7 Before Sunset (2004)
In the sequel to Before Sunrise, Before Sunset picks up nearly a decade later as Jesse and Celine meet up in Paris while Jesse is on a book tour. The whole movie is like one long conversation as these two revisit their one day together years ago before they must say goodbye again.
The final scene has Jesse visiting Celine's apartment as one last stop before he leaves. As they laugh and dance, she once again warns him that he'll miss his plane. But Jesse responds, "I know," showing no signs of leaving and ready to start his new life with her.
6 The Wicker Man (1973)
While the Nicholas Cage remake is interesting for very different reasons, the original The Wicker Man is a very creepy and effective thriller worth checking out. It follows an investigator who visits a remote pagan community to search for a missing girl.
The movie is a surreal mystery filled with a surprising number of musical moments. But all the weirdness is worth it for the final sequence when it is revealed there is no missing girl, and the investigator was lured there to be used as a sacrifice. The final moment of him being burned alive as the village people watch is chilling.
5 Scarface (1983)
Though it was not received warmly upon its release, Scarface is now considered Brian De Palma's masterpiece by many fans. It also features one of Al Pacino's most popular performances as Tony Montana who rises through Miami's drug world.
The movie is filled with iconic moments, but De Palma knew to end things with a literal bang. As Tony begins to unravel, his compound is attacked by a rival gang. It is amazing that the movie makes the audience cheer for Tony as he fights off his attackers single-handedly in an epic shootout.
4 Sunset Boulevard (1950)
From legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder, Sunset Boulevard is a ground-breaking and brilliant movie about the dark side of Hollywood. It follows a struggling screenwriter who develops a relationship with a forgotten star of the silent film era named Norma Desmond.
By the end of the movie, Norma has lost grasp of reality and kills the writer. In the final scene, as she is being arrested for murder, her delusion is even more apparent as she believes this is all part of her big comeback movie.
3 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
As the first Star Wars spinoff movie, Rogue One introduced an interesting band of new characters on an exciting mission. But as the final scene leads into A New Hope, it is an iconic Star Wars character who steals the show.
Once the Death Star plans are transferred to the Rebels, Darth Vader boards the ship and attempts to retrieve them. Though Vader was always a great villain, this sequence makes him more intimidating than ever before and shows the full extent of Vader's powers.
2 Casablanca (1942)
The classic movie Casablanca likely has more iconic lines than any movie ever made. It is also a wonderful love story that seemed to be ahead of its time in its willingness to deliver an ending that fans might not have been expecting.
In the love triangle between Rick Blaine, Ilsa Lund and Victor Laszlo, it seemed obvious Rick and Ilsa would end up together while Victor would go off to do more good in the world. However, the final scene has Rick admitting to himself and Ilsa that she will regret it if she doesn't go with Victor.
1 The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
Considered the greatest Spaghetti Western of all time, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly follows three outlaws who each seek a buried treasure in the midst of the American Civil War. While the adventure along the way is thrilling, the movie perfectly builds to the final iconic sequence as the three men converge.
The moment is one of the best in filmmaking history as it is a brilliant display of music, editing, and directing as the men have their standoff. It delivers the exciting finale the entire movie had been promising.
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