Ambiguous endings are like cliffhangers, except without the thrill of potential—everything the audience needs to know has already been delivered through the movie. It is up to each individual viewer to analyze the conclusion and come up with an interpretation (that is often in conflict with others).
However, this clash of opinion keeps the story moving forward because there is no limit to the number of ways in which the narrative can be extrapolated. In some cases, movie endings are eventually clarified, but there are several whose charm lies in the fact that they are, and will always remain, open-ended. That said, there is a difference between plot and thematic ambiguities.
10 Pan's Labyrinth (2006) — Ofelia May Have Imagined Everything About Princess Moanna
Ofelia encounters a wide range of mysteries, from fairies and fauns to bizarre creatures that have no place in the real world. She believes and is told by her "imaginary" friends, that she is Princess Moanna of the underworld and must fulfill three tasks in order to regain eternal life.
In the end, the faun asks her for her brother's blood to open the portal, a request she rejects. Although Ofelia dies, the concluding scene shows her as Princess Moanna, but there is no clear proof that the entire thing isn't in her head the whole time. That said, Pan's Labyrinth doesn't draw any distinctions between the two versions.
9 Donnie Darko (2001) — Donnie Journeys Through A Convoluted Network Of Timelines
Donnie Darko experiences strange visions of a rabbit monster known as Frank, who declares that the end of the world will arrive in less than a month. Several accidents and murders later, Donnie is happy to discover that the 28+ days have passed with no disaster, only to be killed by a plane engine crashing into his home.
This suggests that everything he thought had been a dream may be a part of an admittedly bizarre reality. The ending is made more convoluted by different timelines interacting with each other.
8 Birdman (2014) — Riggan Thomson Leaps Out Of The Hospital Window (But Not To His Death)
Riggan Thomson is haunted by a specter from his famous past, which insists that he attempt movies rather than try his luck on Broadway. An absurd series of events follows, from Riggan's almost-nude Times Square escapade to his attempt at suicide in front of a live audience (that somehow obtains applause and cheers).
Riggan finds himself in a hospital bed a few days later, discovering that his play received rave reviews while he was unconscious. He unexpectedly proceeds to walk onto the window ledge—but audiences only see his daughter Sam's excitement when she looks out of the window and up at the sky. Riggan's fate remains unknown.
7 Total Recall (1990) — The Whole Movie Could Be Part Of Douglas Quaid's "Vacation"
Douglas Quaid accidentally discovers his secret agent identity during the "vacation implantation" process at Rekall, only to have his entire life collapse in front of him. He manages to reach Mars, where Dr. Edgemar claims that his current experiences are also imaginary.
Quaid believes otherwise and eventually manages to activate the alien reactor, providing Mars with enough oxygen for all its inhabitants. He still has nagging doubts about the reality of his experiences, though, as he asks Melina "if this is a dream." Perhaps that's what Total Recall means.
6 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) — Bowman Is Transformed Into A Fetal Star Child
2001: A Space Odyssey contains several confusing sequences, no doubt, but there is enough clarity to convey information to audiences. A group of astronauts travels to Jupiter aboard Discovery One but are faced with an unexpected antagonist: the devious A.I. known as HAL 9000.
The only survivor, Bowman, reaches his destination and finds an enormous monolith, which then pulls him into a celestial acid trip and throws him into a fluorescent white hotel room. He rapidly turns into an old man but is then reborn as a fetal "Star Child"—an entity about which nothing is known.
5 No Country For Old Men (2007) — Anton Chigurh Is Neither Redeemed Nor Punished For His Crimes
No Country for Old Men consists of people who ramble through life without pause, pared-down interactions that reveal more than most conversations, and the Texan backdrop that is a character by itself.
The fascinating personality of Anton Chigurh forms the bulk of the movie's emotional strength—his motivations are as unreadable as his actions are unpredictable. Whether the story offers its viewers closure is hotly debated, because Chigurh is neither redeemed nor punished for his crimes. Then again, that's probably the point.
4 The Shining (1980) — Jack Torrance Might Well Be A Time-Traveling Ghost
The Shining drags the Torrance family through its version of hell, sending Wendy and Danny back although Jack is trapped in Overlook Hotel's incomprehensible bowels forever. After a whole lot of screaming and murder attempts, Jack presumably freezes to death after being unable to escape from the maze.
However, a black-and-white photo in the hotel's Gold Room reveals that Jack Torrance was present for the July 4th Ball in 1921, approximately fifty years ago. Time-traveling ghosts are a vague concept, for sure.
3 Blade Runner (1982) — The Story Ends On An Ineffably Spiritual Note
As the progenitor of the cyberpunk genre, Blade Runner touches on topics ranging from philosophy to politics with equal gusto, revealing the infinite array of possibilities that arise when human consciousness can be effectively (and indistinguishably) replicated.
The movie concludes with an inscrutable monologue from Roy Batty, the so-called antagonist, in which he talks about "moments... lost in time like tears in rain." This leads Deckard to wonder about his own origins and journey, exiting the story on an ineffably spiritual note.
2 The Thing (1983) Doesn't Confirm If The Titular Antagonist Survives The Ending
The Thing is a visceral horror movie on the surface, but its undercurrents paint a very different picture. None of the Antarctic crew are capable of trusting each other after discovering how the alien predator reproduces, leading to a breakdown of hierarchy in the camp, and eventually, its destruction.
Once the base explodes, the only survivors are Childs and MacReady, but they themselves only have a few minutes before hypothermia sets in. Neither of them can confirm if the other has been assimilated, and by extension, nor can the audience.
1 Fight Club (1999) Has Secrets Spilling Out Of Every Frame
The ending of Fight Club is arguably one of the biggest plot twists in cinematic history, revealing that The Narrator and Tyler Durden are both halves of the same person. While the alter ego intends to destroy credit card debt by blowing up the relevant buildings, the original refuses to be a part of the scheme and literally shoots Tyler out through his face.
However, this doesn't stop the credit buildings from exploding, leaving the aftermath up to viewer discretion. There's also the theory that Marla Singer is a figment of The Narrator's imagination: Fight Club has secrets spilling out of every frame that are never explained.
0 Comments