5 Movies of the 21st Century With the Most Unexpected Plot Twists

Unexpected plot twists can completely change the impression of a movie, for better or for worse. Nevertheless, absolutely all viewers agree that films with such scenarios are at least exciting to watch, regardless of whether they agree with the author's position or not.

1. Memento, 2000

The movie that made Christopher Nolan one of the most inventive and talented filmmakers of our time.

The protagonist of Memento is Leonard, who suffers from a rare memory disorder. In order to have at least some idea of himself and his life, the protagonist uses a complex system of Polaroid photographs and tattoos.

When the two scales of the movie finally come together, Leonard is confronted with a terrifying truth that he has long hidden in the back of his mind.

2. Arrival, 2016

The main character, linguistics professor Louise, attempts to make contact with a group of aliens who have arrived on Earth. At the same time, her personal tragedy unfolds on screen as her daughter dies of an unknown disease.

At first, it seems that Louise's life is overshadowed by a tragic loss, but in the end it becomes clear that her present, past and future are intertwined when the main character is finally able to master the mysterious language of the guests from another planet.

The alien communication, unlike ours, exists outside of time and space, somewhere on a completely different level of knowledge that they have decided to share with humanity.

3. The Prestige, 2006

The events revolve around the confrontation between two famous magicians living in Victorian London. For most of the time, The Prestige successfully mimics a twisted costume drama about the power of ambition and dedication to one's profession.

It is noteworthy that the movie has two major twists – one quasi-twist involving Christian Bale's character, and the other – a real, stunning twist that suddenly gives The Prestige a sci-fi context that was not apparent throughout the movie.

4. Gone Baby Gone, 2007

The plot of Ben Affleck's directorial debut revolves around Boston detective Patrick, who is trying to find a missing girl named Amanda. As events unfold, the protagonist realizes that the girl's mother leads a rather marginal lifestyle.

In the end, he still manages to find Amanda – it turns out that the girl has been kidnapped by drug dealers to whom her mother is connected. But at the crucial moment, something terrible happens: during a gunfight, Amanda falls into the river and is swept away by the current.

It seems that this is the end, but everything is not so simple. In the finale, Gone Baby Gone makes it clear that this climax was just a staging and that the most important things are still to come.

5. Parasite, 2019

Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning Parasite juggles genres throughout the movie, turning into a satirical comedy, a detective story, and a genuine social drama.

Perhaps the most unexpected twist in the movie was the fact that the husband of the Park family's housekeeper had been living in the basement of their house for many years, but only came out at night to steal food from the refrigerator.

The core of Parasite is the theme of social inequality in South Korea. However, only the story of Geun-se, a ghostly husband forced to spend his life in a dark basement, is truly shocking and even frightening.