A cliffhanger can be an incredible tool in filmmaking. When used effectively it entices audiences, sparks conversation, and fuels debate for sometimes years on end.
But as incredible as they can be, sometimes cliffhangers are just too much to bear.
See what I mean and check out these 10+ wild movie cliffhangers fans can’t get over.
*Back To The Future Part II*.
Watching Doc Brown shoot off across time after the Delorean is struck by lightning is intense. Immediately we’re filled with this crushing realization that Marty is alone and the Doc is lost.
Thankfully Back to the Future Part III came along shortly after.
*Inception*.
Did the top keep on spinning? Was it all a dream? Who knows. That’s what makes this ambiguous conclusion to Inception all the greater: both sides of the argument are equally valid.
Also, please never ever make a sequel.
*Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back*.
Four simple words that rocked the world. I’m just grateful I was born almost a decade later.
Waiting three whole years for Return of the Jedi must have been pure agony.
*The Dark Knight*.
“Because he’s not our hero. He’s a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight.”
This scene gave me goosebumps. The Dark Knight is the superhero film we both need and deserve.
*The Wrestler*.
The Wrestler reminds me of that old Neil Young lyric “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”
Watching Randy Robinson dive off the top turnbuckle as the scene fades to black is both ambiguous and symbolic.
*Before Sunset*.
The conclusion of Before Sunset is torture enough.
But the fact that Richard Linklater made us wait a full nine years before giving audiences the big reveal was borderline sadistic.
*Kill Bill: Volume 1*.
Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a masterpiece of filmmaking. Finding out at the end that The Bride’s daughter is still alive had me totally thrown.
Just when you thought everything was all wrapped up – BOOM!
*Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels*.
You simply can’t call yourself a Guy Ritchie fan if you haven’t seen Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels .
Your heart will sink faster than two priceless shotguns when you see how this film wraps up.
*The Birds*.
Wes Craven once remarked that it’s a lot scarier when there’s no motive. Which is what makes the conclusion of The Birds all the more frightening.
They simply stop attacking. No reason is offered as to how or why and no assurances are given that it won’t happen again.
*Bladerunner*.
Is Deckard a replicant? That’s the question that has plagued generations of moviegoers since the release of Bladerunner .
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While it’s true Ridley Scott has pretty much cemented the fact that he was, I still prefer not knowing.
*The Silence Of The Lambs*.
“I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner…”
A chilling end to a deeply disturbing and unforgettable film. What’s worse is that Hannibal didn’t come around for another ten years!
*The Shining*.
What does it all mean? Was Jack a hotel employee all along? Did the hotel’s evil spirit ‘take’ his soul?
There are so many ways to interpret this massive cliffhanger.
*Vanilla Sky*.
This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I actually know the true story/meaning behind the end of Vanilla Sky , but I can’t tell you now. “I’ll tell you in another life when we’re both cats.”
Sound fair?
*Avengers: Infinity War*.
The snap heard around the world absolutely decimated theatre audiences.
Millions were forced to watch helplessly as our favorite superheroes disappeared from existence before our very eyes. This was a bold move on Marvel’s part and it paid dividends.
*The Matrix Reloaded*.
Thank goodness for the fact that the Wachowski brothers filmed the second and third Matrix films back-to-back .
It was torture enough as it was waiting to find out how things would shake out between Neo and Agent Smith.
