50 Worst Movie Endings

Alien Resurrection (1997)

The Ending: Everything goes to pot pretty much as soon as the Alien Queen gives birth to the hybrid, which eventually comes to a sticky end in monumentally daft fashion.

Why It’s So Bad: Brad Dourif’s character might think the hybrid is “a beautiful, beautiful butterfly”… we just think it’s naff.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

The Ending: While Kristen Bell ends up alone and unhappy, Jason Segel winds up as a great professional success with Mila Kunis on his arm.

Why It’s So Bad: Segel’s character is demonstrably a loser who makes little to no effort in his relationship, with the inevitable result that his girlfriend leaves him.

As a result, she’s painted as a total bitch.

Is it just us, or is there something a little queasy about how this one turns out?

Swimming Pool (2003)

The Ending: All that sexual tension and violence is revealed to have been the product of the protagonist’s imagination, as she had actually spent the weekend writing her latest book.

Why It’s So Bad: The final scene is the cinematic equivalent of giving the audience the finger. “It was all in her head, you mugs!”

Scream 2 (1997)

The Ending: Mickey is revealed to be the killer, who in turn reveals his accomplice to be Mrs. Loomis. She betrays Mickey, shooting him, before being shot by Cotton.

Then Mickey pops up again, only to be shot by Gale and Sidney. Then Sidney shoots Mrs. Loomis once more for luck. Phew.

Why It’s So Bad: It’s all way too hysterical for its own good, with more attention lavished on horror movie tropes (killer’s mother; villain coming back to life) than on creating a thrilling finale.

Argo (2012)

The Ending: Having saved the day by delivering the Americans back to home soil, Tony Mendez returns home to a reunion with his wife and child.

Why It’s So Bad: It’s a totally unnecessary dose of schmaltz, particularly after the adrenaline rush and emotional punch of the airport escape.

By no means enough to spoil a fantastic film, but a bum note all the same.

Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)

The Ending: Having finally tracked down Bill, the Bride sits down and shares a brief catch-up before offing him with the five-point-palm technique.

Why It’s So Bad: A controversial choice perhaps, but after the slow-burning build-up of the second film, the final confrontation strikes us as a little anticlimactic.

They could at least stand up…

What Dreams May Come (1998)

The Ending: Having haunted his wife into killing herself, Robin Williams has to rescue her from hell, before finally getting his entire family back together in heaven.

Hooray?

Why It’s So Bad: So, just to clarify, Robin Williams is lonely in heaven, so he persuades his wife to kill herself and join him.

And that’s the happy ending?

(500) Days Of Summer (2010)

The Ending: Joe Gordon-Levitt meets a girl he takes a liking to, and it seems as though he might finally be getting over Summer.

The new girl’s name?

Autumn. Autumn!

Why It’s So Bad: It couldn’t be more stomach-churningly twee if it tried.

Castaway (2000)

The Ending: Having finally escaped his island nightmare, Tom Hanks returns home to find his girlfriend shacked up with their dentist.

Bummer.

Why It’s So Bad: Talk about an anticlimax.

All that’s missing is a sad trombone noise.

Superman (1978)

The Ending: With Superman in a bit of a bind, he has a Eureka moment, and decides to turn back time by flying around the globe really, really fast.

Good thinking, Supes.

Why It’s So Bad: Even allowing for the suspension of disbelief required to accept a flying, super-powered man, this still makes no sense.

Why would spinning the world back on its axis result in turning back time?

Odd.