You are Here
10 Disappointing Cliffhangers To Movies That Never Got Sequels
সহিত্য ও সংস্কৃতি

10 Disappointing Cliffhangers To Movies That Never Got Sequels


There are fewer more disappointing feelings than those one has when watching a movie with an unsatisfying ending. While being able to come to one’s own conclusions has its benefits, the lack of finality can be frustrating. Cliffhangers are intended to be these optimistic nuggets for viewers, signaling a potential sequel or just that there’s more to the story than meets the eye. If the sequel never materializes, or the end is too vague, there’s a possibility of having a large portion of the audience feeling short-changed after movie cliffhangers that never offer answers.

Many films have finished on a vague note, leaving viewers wanting more. That can be a good thing, especially if more is definitely coming; some of the best movies have had cliffhanger endings. But sometimes, banking on a sequel that never happens can be a frustrating issue for those watching. letting the viewer decide may also seem like a kindness, so those who are more positive choose the happier scenario and those who are cynical will opt for doom, but again, those discussions often don’t have any form of closure. It could also be perceived as arrogance when filmmakers choose to end their movie with an unresolved cliffhanger, open-ended scene, or just cut in the middle.

10 Batman Returns (1992)

Directed by Tim Burton

There’s so much greatness going on in Batman Returns as well as its predecessor, it was no wonder that Tim Burton and Michael Keaton had more to give. The villains were fantastic and camp, and the fact that audiences didn’t get to see more of Michelle Pfeiffer’s version of Catwoman is a crime. The moody and slightly whimsical interpretation of Gotham City was a great way to bring this iconic fictional city to the big screen, and the dialogue didn’t take itself too seriously which is a great asset to comic book adaptations.

Danny DeVito as The Penguin in Batman Returns and the Batmobile in 1989 Batman

Related

Batman 1989’s Next 2025 Sequel Has The Perfect Opportunity To Solve One Of Batman Returns’ Biggest Mysteries After 32 Years

The next sequel to 1989’s Batman is in the ideal position to clarify one of the most confusing plot points in 1992’s Batman Returns.

The end of the film was a satisfying one. Max Schreck was killed, the Penguin met his end in a very touching way, and Catwoman was on her last life. Or so viewers thought. As the music swells and the credits are about to roll, Michelle Pfeiffer’s silhouette appears as she gazes upon the Bat Signal. While it may seem like a great way of confirming that the character is still alive and well, the fact that there has still not been a conclusion to their story is a tough pill to swallow.

9 Allegiant (2016)

Directed by Robert Schwentke

Riding high on the wave of YA novel adaptations, the Divergent saga felt confident in setting up its story. Veronica Roth’s source material consisted of three novels that told the full story, and an additional book from Four’s perspective. As with many film franchises, the focus was on getting as much money out of the franchise as possible, and just like Twilight and The Hunger Games before it, the last book was set to be split into two films. The problem was, the interest in this particular franchise wasn’t quite as high as some of the other big book movies of the time.

The actors were definitely not the issue, Shailene Woodley and Theo James led the cast, with support from Kate Winslet and Asley Judd among others. There was a good mix of future stars and legacy talent, that was very exciting to watch. The stories themselves were entertaining, if not terribly original. Both Divergent and Insurgent made similar numbers at the box office so the fact that the third film underperformed must have come as a shock. This could have been due to audience fatigue, they had already been forced to power through multiple movies that lengthened the original literature they were based of. Either way, the flop of Allegiant, which finishes about midway through the novel it’s based off, left audiences with no on-screen resolution to Triss and Four’s story.

8 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Directed by Mark Webb

It could be argued that the new outing for the beloved webslinger came too soon after the original trilogy, but Andrew Garfield wasn’t a carbon copy of Toby Maguire, and was a able to show a different side of Peter Parker. Slightly cooler and edgier, he wasn;t quite as shy and awkward as his predecessor, and he didn’t keep his secret from his love interest, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) for too long. This was able to add more layers to their relationship, which was a nice contrast to all the secrecy of the the previous trilogy.

Both installments performed well at the box office, and with critics and fans alike, so when part two turned out to be the end, viewers were understandably disappointed. Peter wasn’t able to grieve and process the loss of Gwen, he wasn’t able to grow and find strength from this tragedy, and audiences didn’t get to see what happened with Paul Giamatti’s character. The reunion in Spider-Man: No Way Home, did alleviate that pain a little bit, but it’s unfortunate that Andrew Garfield wasn’t able to give more to his dream role, even though it’s clear he would have done a great job with it.

7 The Wrestler (2008)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

A comeback for Mickey Rourke, who was beaten to an arguably well-deserved Oscar by Sean Penn. Randy Robinson is washed-up in his career and a joke on the circuit. But, the tide seems to turn both in his professional and personal life, and the audience joins him on this upward trajectory. The role was made for Rourke as he traverses this uncertain terrain with trepidation and hope, and viewers find themselves rooting for this underdog.

As it often happens in films about slightly older sportspeople, there are health concerns that affect the main character’s ability to do his job, and that inevitably happens to Randy. But, with pride and hubris at play, and also a need to feel appreciated and validated, everything rests on that final match pf the film. Will he win? Will he survive? That was left up to the audience, thanks to Darren Aronofsky’s fade to black at the very end.

6 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Directed by George Roy Hill

Paul Newman and Robert Redford teamed up to bring to life this iconic double act of outlaws. Made during a time when Westerns were still a hugely popular genre, this particular picture introduced more heart and nuance to an often showy category, one of the many reasons that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid still holds up today. In addition to the action, there’s a focus on friendship, camaraderie, and loyalty. As the two anti-heroes navigate their complicated lives of crime, they have to rely on each other in life-or-death situations.

A focus on anti-establishment factors is quite prevalent in this film, as the two characters represent lawlessness with a purpose. As the audience watches their story for nearly two hours, they become close to them and root for them to succeed. But, alas, the long arm of the law finally finds Butch and the Kid, and a shootout ensues. It ensues but it does not conclude, because that is where the film ends. As the film is based on real people, it’s possible that viewers can do their own research, but as many film fans know, changes in stories happen all the time. So, it’s left up to the audience to decide what happened to the outlaws, and whether or not they get a happy ending.

5 The Birds (1963)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding the plot of this classic film and many, many questions that it poses. Why did the birds start attacking? Was it all Melanie Daniels’ fault? Will they strike again? None of these queries are addressed, at least not in ant concrete way, and the audience is left to fill in the blanks themselves. An air of intrigue is necessary, especially in a thriller, and a lot of the fear and trepidation comes from how random this all seems. However, having at least a bit of context could have been useful.

It’s one of those films that could have warranted a sequel, despite Hitchcock not being known to revisit his stories. As the car drives away after the horrors of the past few hours, it’s up to the viewer to decide if the danger has officially passed. Will the birds follow them to another place? Will they continue terrorizing this small coastal town? Or, is it all actually over? Audiences will never know.

4 Hellboy (2019)

Directed by Neil Marshall

There have been many unsuccessful comic book adaptations over the years, but with Marvel mostly immune to this curse, and DC on a new high, superhero projects were mostly doing well. There had been the occasional misstep, sometimes due to bad marketing, oversaturation, or complicated protagonists, but in 2019, this should have been a surefire hit. However, this became the only outing for that iteration of Hellboy. David Harbour fully committed to his role, enduring hours of makeup and prosthetics, and fully immersing himself in the universe.

The film was clearly set up as the beginning of a franchise, but, unfortunately, poor box office performance meant that there were no more stories to be told. $55 million worldwide was beyond disappointing and, despite the set-up of Koshchei the Deathless, and some rather commendable casting, those who did see this version will have to deal with its standalone status. Luckily, Hellboy: The Crooked Man hit VOD this year.

3 Planet Of The Apes (2001)

Directed by Tim Burton

Despite there having been a more successful reboot of the franchise, this particular attempt at relaunching this universe didn’t get a sequel. It wasn’t a huge flop, having earned nearly $200 million in the US alone, but, by the same metrics, it wasn’t a huge success either. The vision was there, Burton created a murky world with interesting characters, and the CGI was definitely an improvement to the films from the 1960s and 1970s. The casting was good too, with Helena Bonham Carter giving her usual powerful performance in a role that wasn’t normally in her wheelhouse.

The caliber of cliffhanger is also quite a big one to deal with. As Leo (Mark Wahlberg) returns to Earth, finding it’s now run by apes, the audience is left with so many questions. Unfortunately, these particular questions are never answered as the subsequent sequels were not part of this storyline. So any viewers who really want to know the story of how the Lincoln Memorial is now a statue of one of the apes, will have to use their imagination.

2 Inception (2010)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan has always been a fan of subverting expectations and bending reality. He was able to do so on a very grand scale in this high-octane thriller, which requires a lot of attention from the audience. With so many levels to the story, and characters and viewers being pulled deeper into the dream world, it’s easy to get lost. While Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon Levitt et al. do their best to explain the concept, it’s still quite hard to follow at times.

Inception Cobb the spinning top and Mal

Related

Is Cobb Dreaming At The End Of Inception? All Clues, Evidence, Comments & Theories

Christopher Nolan’s Inception has an ambiguous ending that doesn’t fully reveal if Cobb is still dreaming or not, and there’s evidence for both.

Having the spinning top as an anchor to the real world is what lets the audience know what’s a dream and what isn’t, so the last shot in Inception‘s infamously frustrating cliffhanger ending can be interpreted in many different ways. The fact that it never falls, makes it unclear whether Cobb decided to stay with his wife or made it back to his children. To add another layer, it’s unclear if he had any choice in the matter, as he could just have gotten lost in the madness. Either way, there are still ongoing discussions about whether or not the spinner falls or not, and viewers will never know what’s real and what isn’t.

1 Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Directed by Ruben Östlund

This incredibly quirky and subversive film had audiences scratching their heads since its first Cannes standing ovation. There’s a lot to unpack, and a lot to try and understand. It’s shot in a way that immerses the viewers into every situation. With each sound of a windshield wiper, and buzz of a fly, they’re feeling what the characters are feeling. The seasickness scene is so visceral that it’s almost possible to feel the smell in the air. But, after spending so much time on scenes of people being violently ill, Ruben Östlund completely skips over something that could be the subject of a whole other film all on its own.

As the viewer rejoins the survivors of the pirate attack, they are as clueless as the castaways themselves. It’s up to them to fill in the gaps, and paint a broader picture. Then, after adapting to this whole new reality and societal structure, it turns out they’re living on an inhabited island after all. However, as the camera cuts away before Abigail (Dolly De Leon) is shown killing (or not killing) Yaya (Charbli Dean). With so many potential scenarios of what’s to follow, the questions are endless. Top of the list, however, could be: how did nobody find them for all this time?



Source link

Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin

Related Posts

মন্তব্য করুন

আপনার ই-মেইল এ্যাড্রেস প্রকাশিত হবে না। * চিহ্নিত বিষয়গুলো আবশ্যক।