10 Greatest Plot Twists In The History Of Cinema

Is there anything in cinema as exciting as the plot twist, that narrative device directors and screenwriters use to contort a film and send it sprawling off in another direction? Probably not, and now, more than ever, the plot twist has become an integral part of film culture. There are many reasons for using a plot twist, from wanting to totally throw the viewer off course and distort their experience of the film, to maybe just wanting to add a huge talking point so that the film will gain more notoriety than it ever should (see: The Usual Suspects).

Either way, the plot twist is a tried and tested way of getting a film noticed. Mediocre films are elevated to good ones if the plot twist is right, and great films can become classics in the same manner. Hell, most of the films on this list are classics in their own right, and two are certified masterpieces.

In the age of the internet and its world of never-ending debate, however, plot twists don't stay a secret for very long, and with that in mind it's worth noting that the best twists are the ones you want to experience again and again, whether you know they're coming or not (though hopefully you don't).

With that said, let€™s round up The Usual Suspects* (ahem) to present the 10 Greatest Plot Twists Ever. There will be spoilers.

*Note: The Usual Suspects doesn't feature despite already being mentioned twice. How's that for a plot twist?