Most of us love surprises. Psychologists attribute this to the unquenchable thirst of mankind to discover and explore the new. For this reason, thrillers and detectives are one of the most popular movie genres. Indeed, almost all mysterious films with an unpredictable denouement seem to turn viewers into detectives conducting investigations. Which of the modern films with puzzles and unexpected plot twists can be attributed to the best? Let's look at the eighteen most interesting films of this kind, shot over the past thirty years.
1. "Heart of an Angel" (1987)
If we consider mysterious films with an unpredictable denouement, it is worth starting with the picture of Alan Perker Angel Heart.
Its plot takes viewers to the mid-1950s. It was at this time that a private detective from New York named Harry Angel received the task of finding the famous musician Johnny Favorite. Having got down to business, Angel realizes that he is embroiled in a strange story with murders and mysticism. And his freedom and life are in jeopardy.
2. The Sixth Sense (1999)
The next project that you should pay attention to is the tape of M. Night Shyamalan The Sixth Sense.
In the center of her story is a child psychiatrist, Malcolm Crowe, who treats the young Cole Sear, who is suffering from a mental disorder. The child claims to see ghosts.
Trying to help the boy, Dr. Crow soon finds evidence that his young patient is telling the truth.
3. âFight Clubâ (1999)
David Fincherâs tape Fight Club is not like a detective story, like the previous two. Its main character is a thirty-year-old wealthy American who has lost his taste for life. A chance acquaintance with the nonconformist Tyler Durden and the joint organization of the underground Fight Club make a man reconsider his priorities and start living differently.
This tape, based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, became a cult and is still loved by many viewers around the world.
4. âRememberâ (2000)
But the movie of Christopher Nolan Memento is again a detective story. The main character named Leonard Shelby happened to survive the death of his wife. Now he lives for one thing - to find and punish her killer. That's just because of his illness, the hero can not remember the new information for more than 15 minutes.
But Shelby is determined, he leaves himself clues. But can he carry out his plan, because the hero does not even know who to trust in this difficult situation?
5. âOtherâ (2001)
Studying the most mysterious films with an unpredictable denouement, you should pay attention to the picture of Alejandro Amenabar The Others. She is a very unusual version of a traditional movie about ghosts.
The film tells about the Stuart family living in a remote estate on one of the Channel Islands. The devout mistress of the house begins to suspect that ghosts have appeared in their home. However, why they appeared in this house and how to get rid of them remains to be seen.
6. âThe Life of David Galeâ (2003)
Alan Parker, who directed Angel Heart, is the director of another mysterious movie. It's about the crime detective The Life of David Gale.
This is the story of an investigation conducted by Betsy Bloom. A woman interviews a convict for the murder of her friend David Gale. The man claims to be innocent, and the journalist believes him.
However, she only has 3 days to save the life of David Gale. Will she be able to find out the truth about the real killer in such a short time, or will an innocent person be executed?
7. âDeja Vuâ (2006)
The intricate detective story of DĂŠjĂ Vu, made by Tony Scott, is difficult to unambiguously refer to any genre. There is a love story, an investigation, and elements of an action movie.
In the center of events is special agent Dag Karlin, who is involved in the search for the organizer of the attack on the ferry. The investigation leads him to a certain Claire Kuchever, who may have witnessed the preparation of the explosion. Carlin falls in love with Claire, but the girl is killed. Now, to find the killer and the terrorist, Doug is ready for anything, even to accomplish the impossible.
8. âShaitanâ (2006)
Quite dissimilar to all of the above is the French film âSheitanâ by Kim Chapiron.
Its plot is very similar to a traditional horror movie: a group of young people leaves for a weekend to rest in a remote village and there it joins a maniac who exterminates uninvited guests. However, Chapiron manages to add a tape of French charm, which is rarely seen in Hollywood thrillers. Therefore, the film "Shaitan" will be more interesting to true connoisseurs of European cinema.
In addition, few of the female audience will be indifferent to the charismatic protagonist of the picture performed by Vincent Cassel.
9. The Triangle (2009)
The film "Triangle" (Triangle) by Christopher Smith will appeal to lovers of mystical puzzles and time travel. After all, all this is in sufficient quantity in this tape.
The main character is a single mother, Jess, who went with her friends to ride a yacht. They crash and are forced to transfer to the ship that they encounter on the way.
This floating liner seems to be empty for a long time. But this is not so. Somewhere in one of the many cabins, a killer maniac hid, who is preparing to "punish" uninvited guests. Will at least one of the friends survive in this hell or are they doomed?
It is paradoxical that although the film "Triangle" failed miserably at the box office, those who watched it left excellent reviews about this picture. That is why the Rotten Tomatoes tape has a rating of 82%.
10. The Exam (2009)
Among the majority of mysterious films with an unpredictable denouement, the psychological drama-rebus of Exam Stuart Hazeldin stands out.
She talks about an interview for an important position. All applicants are locked in one room, they were handed out leaflets with the task. But the trouble is that nothing is written on the leaflets. How to pass the exam without knowing its conditions? Trying to figure it out, each of the subjects begins to show their true face. Who will win this contest?
11. Buried (2010)
Buried's Rodrigo Cortez film is a prime example of how you can make an intriguing movie even with a small budget.
As the name implies (âBuried Aliveâ), the picture tells of a man who was buried alive in a coffin. This unfortunate driver is a self-employed driver in Iraq. After recovering from an attack by militants, a man finds a mobile phone near him. Now this is his only connection with the outside world and a chance to get out of this deadly trap. Will he succeed?
It is worth noting that the idea of ââa person buried alive is not new. Prior to this, 2 films were made, telling about people who were buried alive. At the same time, âBuried Aliveâ differs from them in that the whole picture takes place in a coffin.
12. Hodejegerne (2012)
The Mortene Tildumâs film âBounty Huntersâ is a blood-producing sight that can keep the viewer in suspense throughout the viewing.
The plot is quite simple: a businessman by the name of Roger Brown seems to be an ordinary business man. He works in a reputable company, specializing in finding suitable specialists for important and complex projects. Like many professional hodejegerne (bounty hunters), he is very smart, quick-witted and able to find innovative solutions to many problems. At the same time, few people realize that in fact Brown uses these talents for other, âafter-schoolâ work. After all, he is a very experienced kidnapper of works of art.
Once having decided to retire, Brown wants to crank out the last thing that can ensure his family a comfortable old age. However, he does not even imagine what kind of dangerous enemy he will face this time.
13. The Woman in Black (2012)
James Watkins's film âWoman in Blackâ is a remake of the 1989 film of the same name. At the same time, Watkins approached the project very creatively.
As in the classic motion picture, the protagonist of the story is the young lawyer Arthur Kipps. In connection with his work, he comes to a provincial town. Soon, the man finds out about a mysterious woman in black who (according to local residents) kills all the children in the district. Unable to escape, Kipps is forced to investigate to find out how to stop this horror.
By the way, this tape also has a sequel - "Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death" - with an original interpretation of the plot. However, this picture was not as successful as the first part.
14. âExtractionâ (2012)
The movie Extracted tells the story of inventor Thomas Jacobs. Being enthusiastic about his work, he does not find time for family and friends. Fate bitterly punishes him for this: after an unsuccessful experiment to introduce his own consciousness into someone else's, Thomas is âlocked upâ in someone else's consciousness.
For more than 4 years he has to huddle in someone else's brain, until he has the hope of gaining freedom. But will Jacobs succeed, because he is locked not in the brain of an ordinary person, but in a killer?
15. The Error of Time (2015)
In the center of the Bradley King movie are three friends who accidentally found a camera in the neighborâs empty apartment, the photographs of which depict tomorrowâs events. Having realized that one can make good money this way, friends begin to leave messages for themselves. However, because of a couple of unreasonable actions, the guys are held hostage by a terrible person. Now every day they are horrifiedly waiting for a new photo, fearing the next to see their own lifeless bodies.
The film âTime Lapseâ is a non-standard attempt to take a fresh look at the eternal dream of mankind to know its future. Although its implementation is not perfect in everything, it is very entertaining and will please with a new interpretation of the classic development of the plot.
16. The Ninth Life of Louis Drax (2016)
The movie âThe Ninth Life of Louis Draxâ is a rather bizarre mixture of psychological drama and mystical thriller.
The protagonist (although itâs difficult to call him âactingâ because of his presence in a coma) is a nine-year-old kid named Louis. This cute boy constantly attracts various misfortunes. The apogee of all of them is that on his 9th birthday he falls from a cliff. Rescuers manage to find and save Louis, but the child falls into a coma, from which, perhaps, he will never come out.
Meanwhile, the police begin an investigation into the mysterious incident, believing that the boy did not fall himself, but someone pushed him. Two under suspicion: mother and father. Which of them is guilty of the tragedy of Louis? This is exactly what the charming attending physician of the boy, Allan Pascal, is trying to find out. But is he really ready to know the truth?
Although the film âThe Ninth Life of Louis Draxâ was negatively received by most critics and collected not so many reviews from the audience, the picture is a very interesting sight and can hurt many skeptics for life. In addition, it gives viewers another reason to admire the game of two incredibly beautiful artists: Sarah Gadon and Jamie Dornan.
17. Contract to Kill (2016)
Kioni Waxmanâs âContract for the Killâ tape at first glance looks like an ordinary action movie. However, like all the paintings in this collection, a certain mystery lies in its plot.
The protagonist is CIA Special Agent John Harmon. Being an experienced operative, he receives information that 2 large criminal organizations plan to conclude a cooperation agreement. The result could be a terrorist attack on several US cities.
To save hundreds of innocent lives, Harmon will have to use all his abilities, knowledge, experience and connections. But is this enough to stop the criminals?
18. The Doll (2016)
The last in this list of the best paintings with unpredictable plot twists is William Brent Bell's The Boy. Despite her modest budget, she is a very successful implementation of the haunted house theme.
The main character is a young American named Greta. Running away from problems in her homeland, she is hired to work as a nanny for the eight-year-old son of the owners of an old Victorian mansion.
However, having arrived in England, the girl, to her surprise, discovers that the son of her employers died many years ago, and she will have to babysit with a large porcelain doll fashioned in his image.
After the mysterious disappearance of the owners and a series of unusual incidents in the house, Greta begins to believe that this doll is alive ...