Enjoy the movie, skip the ending

Noah Raaum, Staff Writer|March 3, 2017

Enjoy+the+movie%2C+skip+the+ending

An average action movie usually consists of an excessive use of pyrotechnics, a detestable supervillain, innocent citizens in harm’s way, and a regular person that discovers a superpower just in the midst of crisis. We never get tired of the age-old formula used over and over again that keeps us on the edge of our seats. But what happens when they’ve saved all of the innocent citizens and put the villain behind bars? This is the anticlimactic resolution witnessed just about every time we watch a movie. The “happily ever after” needs a makeover.

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The ‘happily ever after’ needs a makeover.

The largest issue with the “happily ever after” is that it’s completely predictable. Even if the majority of the movie is jam-packed with twists and turns, it’s obvious that the antagonist will be punished, and the protagonist will be praised and rewarded. It works well in children and family movies, but occurs far too often in other cinematic productions. There are plenty of movies that have put the “happy ending” to use in a good way, but a lot of the time, it’s incredibly monotonous, and a substandard way to quickly wrap up a movie.

The answer to this issue isn’t to have more “sad” movie endings. Sad endings give you a much worse impression of the movie, even if they are unpredictable. A happy ending always adds to a story, and gives a sense of contentedness. So what’s the solution?

The best way to avoid the problem completely, is to skip the ending of the movie. Pause it right when you feel a “happily ever after” approaching. Even if you already know how it concludes, skipping the ending of the movie allows you to avoid the anticlimactic resolution, and leave on a note of suspense. It may seem like you’re cutting the story short, but in reality, if the ending is completely predictable, you’re not missing out on very much. If you don’t know the ending, you can theorize what you think might happen, so it stays a mystery. What better way to avoid a bad ending than skipping it completely?

Watching a movie isn’t like reading a book. With a book, you take your time, contemplate the story, and the endings are almost always enjoyable. But since movies are so fast-paced, they’re supposed to be suspenseful for their entire duration. The best movies are the ones that leave you feeling excited and curious. A creative plot has the ability to evoke contrasting emotions, and pull the viewer into the story. Because of this, excellent movies usually include “plot twist” endings, unresolved/mystery endings, or endings that lead to a sequel. The next time you feel a “happily ever after” approaching, stop the movie, turn of your television, and relish the unresolved plot.