10 Lame Movie Twists That Ruined Great Endings
2. It Was A Simulation - Repo Men
Repo Men should have been a picture perfect example of science fiction making relevant social commentary, albeit with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Set in a world where most people have to resort to using artificial organs that can be violently repossessed by the collection department of a central corporation if users fall behind on their payments.
When one of the best of these collectors, Remy, becomes injured on the job and requires a heart transplant, he is suddenly on the other end of the spectrum and finds he can no longer repossess organs and goes on the run when he can't make his payment. Joining up with a nest of others in similar situations, Remy executes a sabotage mission against the corporation to wipe the debt of everyone with an artificial organ, turns his old partner to the side of good, and writes a book about his experiences as a repo man.
It has a good ending with himself, his lover, and his partner relaxing on a beach while the corporation is undone by its malevolent practices. But then reality flickers for a moment and it's shown that Remy is actually in a coma. The beach and happy ending are being fed to him by a new neural implant that the corporation immediately begins marketing. Not only does this negate the previously satisfying conclusion, but the "it was all a dream" trope erases any interest in the entire previous film.