Perfect Stranger (2007)
The Ending: Halle Berry’s mild-mannered character turns out to be the killer, having not disclosed any motivation for being so at any point in the film. Not so much illogical as plain cheating!
If It Had Made More Sense: We might have been given some inkling that Berry’s character was even the slightest bit dubious. As it is, it comes completely out of nowhere.
Batman (1989)
The Ending: Bats accuses Joker of killing his parents, to which Joker replies “I was just a kid”.
Presumably then, given the Waynes’ public profile, he would have later found out who they were, and ipso facto, who Batman is…
If It Had Made More Sense: They would have cut that part of the story altogether and left the shooter as Joe Chill.
Friday The Thirteenth Part VII (1988)
The Ending: Telekinetic Tina takes on Jason in a final showdown that is inexplicably won by Tina reanimating her dad’s corpse to drag Jason to a watery grave.
If It Had Made More Sense: Given that Tina is telekinetic, could she not have sent Jason packing herself? Why bring her old man’s body into it?
Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade (1989)
The Ending: More a final act quibble than a problem with the ending per se, but on the Name of God challenge, it is prophesised that certain death will befall anyone who steps on the wrong letter. Indy steps on a dud, but manages to save himself by grabbing hold of the two adjacent tiles… both of which are also wrong.
If It Had Made Sense: Those tiles would have fallen too! Although technically, the legend is talking about “footsteps” so maybe Indy has found a loophole!
The Number 23 (2007)
The Ending: Jim Carrey becomes obsessed with a book that contains weird parallels with his life. But then he remembers he wrote it himself during a stay in a mental facility. The end!
If It Had Made Sense: That book would have been taken off him years ago when he left the facility. You wouldn’t have a story then of course, but would we be missing much?
No Country For Old Men (2007)
The Ending: Josh Brolin’s protagonist meets his end off-screen, the killer gets off scot free and the movie ends with a broken Tommy Lee Jones talking about his dreams. Illogical in that it comes out of nowhere and seemingly leaves the narrative hanging, but strangely beautiful nonetheless.
If It Had Made Sense: If we were following cinematic convention, we’d at least see Brolin meet his maker. But we’re very glad the Coens stayed true to the source material, and Tommy Lee Jones is wonderful at the end.
The Shining (1980)
The Ending: Having been “claimed” by the Overlook, we see Jack Torrance in that creepy old photograph of the hotel guests at an ancient fourth of July party. So how did he get there? Who cares when it’s this unnerving…
If It Had Made Sense: The scene was an addition from Kubrick, and while creepy, doesn’t appear to make a huge amount of sense. Although as a metaphor for how Jack has bent to the hotel’s will, it works well enough.
Fight Club (1999)
The Ending: The Narrator realises that Tyler is just a facet of his personality and shoots himself in the mouth, “killing” Tyler for good. All well and good, until he manages to get to his feet and stroll over to the window. Wuh?!
If It Had Made Sense: The Narrator would have killed Tyler and himself simultaneously. Or maybe one could just walk off a bullet through the cheek? We don’t fancy trying it to find out…
Hotel (2001)
The Ending: Out of nowhere, a posse of vampire / cannibal creatures pitch up and eat everybody. Bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you?
If It Had Made Sense: There’s not really an obvious way to write them in in a logical fashion!
The Mist (2007)
The Ending: Don’t get us wrong, we love the bleak brutality of The Mist ’s ending.
However, our only problem with it is the seemingly short space of time in which Tom Jane’s character decides that all is lost and it’s time to get trigger happy…
If It Had Made Sense: We’d have a little more debate and a little more soul-searching before old Tom reaches for his gun.
