Don’t you just hate it when a fantastic movie ends badly? I suppose it’s even worse when a terrible movie just keeps on sinking new depths. These are some of the worst movie endings ever seen that completely ruined what went before for many viewers.
Most Awful Movie Endings Ever
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
This is a classic movie but what the hell happened at the end? At the time it was made this was presumably going to be the end of the entire Star Wars series of films. So they did what any sane filmmakers with cuddly ewok toys to sell would do; they turned it into a cringeworthy hugging and dancing session.
I am Legend
This film famously had an alternate ending that would actually have been miles better than the real one. In the ending that wasn’t used the vampires turn out to be thinking, caring dudes who are only trying to rescue another vampire. This was the plot of the book the film was based on and there are hints along the way in the movie that the vampires aren’t just senseless, bloodthirsty fiends. Indeed, the alternate ending was the original, real ending for I am Legend. Yet, test audiences didn’t like it so it got changed into Will Smith just blowing up the stupid old vampires instead. So it figured into the list of worst movie endings.
War of the Worlds
Tom Cruise is our hero in this movie based on H.G Wells’ sci-fi classic. As you might have guessed early on, he doesn’t die but makes sure that those darned pesky aliens do. Hooray! Hang on though; is that one of the few houses in the country that has survived the alien attack? I wonder who could be in it. Ah, it’s only Tom Cruise’s entire healthy and happy family. What a lovely and entirely realistic ending.
No Country for Old Men
Sure, it’s a great film and many of us loved it. However, the controversial ending was a bit weird and there were even reports of cinema audiences booing at the end. Some people opine that it should have ended when the killer walked away from the car crash, while others were simply left scratching their heads and wondering what happened next. Others loved it. Go figure.
Superman
Good Lord, it’s another cracking move with a bad ending. When Superman failed to protect Lois Lane she died and he felt kind of bad. Since the patented Bobby Ewing “it was only a dream” plot hadn’t yet been invented something more cunning was needed to save the day. In a weird twist, it turned out that if Soops (it’s ok, I can call him that) flies around the world against its rotation really fast he could, err, turn back time. Really?
The Lady in the Water
This is the bad movie ending that everyone loves to make fun of. So, there’s like this giant eagle. Uh huh? Then it kind of swoops in and…ah, forget it already. Really one of worst movie endings.
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
There have been relatively few times I have wished to lose consciousness in a movie theatre but the end of this movie was one of them. It gets to the important bit where the good guys win but it doesn’t end there. Instead, it just kind of grinds on and on and on. And on a bit more. It still doesn’t finish there, though. I actually was pretty close to losing consciousness by the time it really all ended.
Perfect Stranger
I love a movie with a twist that I should have guessed earlier on. It is great to go home kicking myself for not picking up on the subtle clues. Yeah, but how could Halle Berry be the killer when she showed absolutely no signs and gave literally no clues during the entire movie? That’s like suddenly declaring that Bruce Willis was really dead all along in The Sixth Sense. Wait, what?
