The most confusing film endings

Research has found the movies UK audiences find baffling…

Some films are easy to watch, quick to the point and give a complete resolution. And then others are so incredibly complex, fast-paced and confusing that they leave us scratching our heads. So, which films are the worst offenders?  Intrigued to find out, BonusFinder decided to delve into the search history of those looking for an explanation to determine the films that leave Brits confused and looking for answers.

In first place with the most confusing ending is Shutter Island, with 22,800 annual searches from Brits left in a state of utter confusion – the film’s ending still sparks confusion and debate 14 years later. The plot follows US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo Dicaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a psychiatric patient on the isolated and eerie island. The film takes us down the winding road of his investigation until all is unravelled at the end, leaving viewers questioning everything they have just seen or thought they knew.

The modern classic No Country for Old Men lands in second place with 15,000 searches made trying to understand the ending of the beloved neo-western. Like any good crime/thriller film drugs, danger and dirty money are at the plot’s core, leaving everyone craving a big showdown. Instead of the predicted ending, the creators went against the grain, causing confusion, debate and uproar.

Totalling 14,760 annual searches in the UK, American Psycho has the third most confusing ending. The film follows New York City dweller, Patrick Bateman as he spirals down a path of indulging in his dark hedonistic fantasies. The film brutally satirises the rich and powerful, demonstrating the lack of accountability the wealthy have for their behaviour, evident when Bateman’s inner circle doesn’t entertain his confessions and when the police fall flat with evidence of his crimes. The ending, however, has many confused and suggests that his actions were all a dream – though this theory has firmly been debunked.

Rounding off the top five, Leonardo Dicaprio’s renownedly complex and confusing by-design hit, Inception, garners 13,440 yearly searches putting it in fourth place. Meanwhile, in fifth is Oppenheimer with 10,920 searches.

Big-name films also appear in the top 10, such as Barbie, Fight Club and The Shining, proving that a big budget doesn’t stop storyline confusion.

The film endings confusing Brits the most

Research by BonusFinder