Everyone loves a good plot twist, especially in the case of Horror movies where a good twist can mean the difference between a mediocracy and greatness. Playing the game of whodunit is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the horror genre, especially when your prediction plays out on the screen almost as if you knew it was going to happen and your name was on the writing credits.
However, there is no greater twist than the one they didn’t see coming. Like that movie where the loving grandma who spent the movie trying to protect the Grandchildren turns out to be a reincarnated witch from the Middle Ages and was burned at the stake for praying to the vampire gods, who actually turned out to be aliens all along.
You remember that one right? No, you don’t, because I haven’t made it yet. But while this might be a good example of a terrible plot twist, there are some horror movies with plot twists so good that the film is more remembered for the twist than the story itself.
So sit back and prepare to read about 10 horror movies, of which some are bad and some are good but rest assured that all of them have a cracker of a plot twist.
Spoiler Warning, please read with caution.
10. The Sixth Sense
A child psychologist – played by Bruce Willis – takes on a case of a troubled nine-year-old boy who reveals that he has the ability to ‘see dead people’. While at first dismissing the boy’s claims as mere delusions, the psychologist soon uncovers evidence that could prove the boy’s claims to be true.
The Twist: After watching his wife asking ‘why he left her’, in her sleep, the psychologist realises that he actually died a year earlier when an ex-patient of his, broke into his home and shot him.
At this point the audience is made aware that Willis’ character has been dead for the majority of the movie and except for the initial scene in which he is shot, the only person the psychologist interacts with is the boy – As he is the only one who can see him. There are some who will try and tell you that they saw this twist coming – Those people are called liars!
9. The Orphanage
The Orphanage or El Orfanato is a 2007 Spanish horror film about a woman who – along with her Husband and adopted Son – returns to her childhood home (an Orphanage) with the intention of turning the house into a home for disabled children – what could possibly go wrong?
Well the usual in fact, once her family has moved in, the son claims he has befriended a young boy named Tomás and it soon becomes apparent that the ex-orphanage is haunted by the souls of many children who were murdered there. And to top it off, the son vanishes following a heated argument with the mother – Typical!
The Twist: Suspecting the ghosts might be behind the disappearance of her son, the woman enlists the assistance of a medium to contact the ghosts who go on to lead the woman to the door of a hidden underground room.
Once Inside, she finds her son’s corpse, making it apparent that on the night he disappeared, her son must have found and hidden in the secret room. The woman also soon realises that her son had fallen and critically injured himself and that she had accidentally blocked the entrance whilst looking for him, meaning he could not be found despite his cries for help.
8. Sleepaway Camp
Following a tragic boating accident eight years earlier which resulted in the death of her brother Peter, an introverted teenage girl named Angela and her cousin are sent away to Camp Arawak for the summer. After a number of camp residents attempt to abuse and ridicule Angela, an unknown killer precedes to murder many of the community members.
The Twist: As the police arrive to search for the killer, two of the camp counselors find a naked Angela on the beach. As they get closer, Angela turns to face them, knife in hand and reveals the severed head of one camp member at her feet. But that’s not all; the biggest shock of all is the sight of Angela’s flaccid penis gently swaying in the wind – Revealing that she is not Angela at all, in fact, she is actually her brother Peter and the real Angela died in the accident eight years earlier.
7. April Fool’s Day
In this cheesy mid-80’s romp, a group of college friends travel to a secluded island mansion – which is owned by the sister of one group members – to celebrate spring break. Once on the island, it becomes apparent that the owner of the house has set up a number of pranks around the house. But the fun soon ends as one by one, the members of the group either disappear or their bodies are found around the mansion.
The Twist: It is revealed to the audience that the whole film was never a slasher film from the start, but rather pretending to be one. The mansion’s owner – hoping to turn the mansion into a resort offering a weekend of staged horror – persuaded her friends to take part in a dress rehearsal. So it turns out it was all just a good old thigh slapping joke in the end but to be fair the clue is in the bloody name.
6. The Ring
Following the death of her niece, a reporter begins to investigate a video tape which allegedly causes anyone who watches it to receive a prank phone call and then die seven days later. The reporter’s investigation leads her to uncover the history behind a mysterious girl named Samara, who heavily tormented people by burning images onto into their minds.
The Twist: After tracking down the well in which Samara was held before she died – to prevent her from hurting anyone – Rachel retrieves and buries Samara’s remains in order to lift the curse and free the spirit from haunting people. However, despite initially believing that Samara was a victim of abuse, it turns out that Samara is just a plain evil sod after all and by giving her remains a proper burial, Rachel has succeeded in freeing Samara’s spirit to kill at will – well done!