Fantastic movies like the next ones Pinocchio transport the public to magical places and allow them to believe in the impossible. But that doesn’t mean such movies can get away with an unsatisfying ending. And a really bad ending can derail even the most fantastical adventures.
Redditors have highlighted some of the most notable movies in the genre that might have looked promising only to have it all go wrong in the final moments. Lazy conclusions, undeserved twists and confusing choices caused these fantastic films to end on a low note.
10/10 The Woman in Black (2012)
Stepping away from his most iconic role in the fantasy genre, Daniel Radcliffe stars in supernatural horror film The woman in black. He plays a young lawyer in the early 1900s who is drawn into a small-town curse with a vengeful spirit targeting young children.
In the end, Radcliffe appears to stop the curse only for the spirit to remain vengeful, leading to him and his son being claimed as its final victim. However, the final moments add a confusing happy ending with Radcliffe and his son appearing to reunite with his dead wife in the afterlife. Redditor CrashCoplee found it “better if the movie ended about 90 seconds earlier.”
9/10 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Shang-Chi became one of the best new Phase 4 MCU characters with his introduction in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The original film explores Shang-Chi coming to terms with his past and confronting his evil father Wenwu.
But while many fans were captivated by the thrilling and personal story of father and son, the film delivers the typical MCU third-act battle. With monsters and dragons replacing thrilling martial arts combat, Redditor Naychaboy lamented the “hot ugly CGI mess in the final showdown.”
8/10 Elf (2003)
The comedy Elf is a Christmas classic that many fans will revisit for the holiday season. Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human who was raised by Santa’s elves and ventures into the real world to find his biological father.
Redditor Saricorn agrees that the majority of the film is filled with hilarity and Christmas cheer “but the last 20 minutes suck”. As Santa crashed in Central Park and Buddy rallied the public to save the day, they just didn’t buy into the festive spirit.
7/10 The Shape of Water (2017)
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Guillermo Del Toro combined his love of horror and spooky elements with a touching love story in the Best Picture winning film. The shape of water. The film follows a deaf and mute janitor at a research facility who forms a bond with an amphibious creature being held captive.
The film relies on the woman and fisherman escaping only for the villain to corner them and shoot him. However, it is revealed at this time that the Fishman has healing powers and saves her. Redditor Underwater_Karma thought it was “so lazy”.
6/10 The Green Knight (2021)
Although the film is set in the Middle Ages, The green knight features many fantasy elements, from giants to the titular knight. Dev Patel stars as an inexperienced young knight who takes on the challenge of a mysterious stranger who puts him on a deadly path.
The film leads Patel to confront the Green Knight. While Redditor Thomas_Lannister enjoyed the majority of the film, he was annoyed by the “elaborate 20-minute ending that was just an impermissible dream sequence at the end” in which Patel imagines his life if he had chosen not to face the green knight.
5/10 Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
The coming-of-age story combines fantastic elements in the story of a young friendship. Bridge to Terabithia follows two young neighbors who help each other escape the harsh realities of the real world by creating their own magical kingdom filled with fantastical creatures.
However, given the heartwarming story of these young friends, the ending in which one of them suddenly dies may be too heartbreaking for some viewers. Redditor RomaAngel didn’t appreciate the sudden change in tone, saying the ending “made it so that I would never see him again.”
4/10 Glass (2019)
Years after M. Night Shyamalan’s understatement Unbreakablethe film had a surprise sequel with Divide. Shyamalan then sought to collect the whole story into a third film titled Glass who teased the showdown between David Dunn, Elijah Price and Kevin Wendell Crumb.
The film builds at a time when these characters ultimately clash only for the climax to be cut short as all three characters are killed off in a rather anticlimactic fashion. Although some consider Glass one of the best legacy sequels, Redditor uberduger feels the movie “was definitely ruined by a bad ending.”
3/10 Sucker Punch (2011)
by Zack Snyder Sucker Punch is a crazy fantasy adventure about a group of young women trying to escape from a corrupt asylum. The main character Babydoll imagines fantasy worlds in which she and the other girls must fight on their way to freedom.
However, with the audience invested in Babydoll’s victory, the film throws them a curveball in the final moments as she insists it was never her story and turns around to allow another girl to get away. escape. Redditor msigur87 was mad enough with the ending to state that they “never wanted to throw a TV this bad”.
2/10 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
With The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the Peter Jackson movies ended with what some fans are calling the best movie trilogy of all time. The third film delivered some unforgettable moments with battle sequences, character moments, and hero victory.
However, the film is also infamous for dragging out its conclusion far longer than most viewers thought necessary. While the story certainly came a long way and had a lot to wrap up, Redditor TT454 claimed that “multiple endings were such a dumb idea.”
1/10 Wonder Woman (2017)
Although the DCEU has struggled so far, wonder woman became a massive critically acclaimed hit. Bringing the iconic Amazonian warrior to the big screen for the first time, it delivered what many fans considered a perfect superhero movie – right to the climax.
Although it gave audiences great character moments and incredible action sequences, the film turned into a typical superhero finale with a CGI battle. Considering what happened before, this predictable and lackluster ending disappointed fans, including Redditor Ariemnu, who described it as “not even a good video game battle.”
