English Comp & Rhetoric

Barbara Myers

Stewart

English 1101

16 July 2016

The End: A Classification of Movie Endings

The time has come, the end is near. It has now been almost two hours of watching the movie. Waiting, through the convoluted story, to the climax that has been building, for what is hoped to be a good ending. Of course, what classifies it as good is open to debate. There are several common types of movie endings, each one good in its own way. One can be explicit or implicit, there could be a twist, a cliffhanger, or even nothing at all. Whatever the type of ending that is preferred, it is what is personally taken away from it as to what determines if it is good or bad. Until you get to the end, it is still unknown as to whether the time spent was worth the ticket price or not.

An explicit ending is one that wraps up everything in a neat little bow, complete with a pretty wrapping paper. It will answer all the questions, even some unasked ones, telling a viewer what happens to each of the main characters from throughout the movie. Usually, this type of ending satisfies the audiences needs with being so complete. Many dramatists use explicit endings, as they tell a healthy end to a fulfilling story, that makes sure the audience got the underlying message in an easily understood manner. On the flipside of that, is an implicit ending. This ending is based on interpretation, meaning that was taken away from it is up to the viewer. Many suspense movies, such as crime thrillers, will use this type of ending. While some may see the ending as a happy one, others will not.

Another ending is the twist. As it is implied, this type of ending is unexpected. Everything that has led up to this moment of the movie, is out the window. Instead, the ending reveals something new, possibly not known throughout the entire movie. Sometimes, movies are trying to go for this type of ending and leave their viewers highly unsatisfied. When it is done correctly though, a sense of awe occurs....