10 Most Ridiculously Unearned Movie Twists Of All Time

7. The Bat Lives - The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises Ending
Warner Bros. Pictures

Following up The Dark Knight was never going to be a breeze for director Christopher Nolan, but he just about pulled off something special with this bruising trilogy closer. With a midair 'wow' moment kicking off proceedings, over to Bane breaking the bat, all the way to a frantic finale that saw Gotham on lockdown, the film more than delivered. This is a mature, brooding adventure that feels ripped from the pages of a Frank Miller graphic novel.

What's perhaps not quite as awesome is the film's twist - not the Miranda Tate is Talia Al Ghul one, mind - where Bruce Wayne, looking content and chipper in a Florence pub garden, raises a glass to Alfred very much alive and well.

While it's a neat and tidy close, the real ending should have been Batman Batwinging his way into infamy, after making the ultimate sacrifice for Gotham, thus ending the film on a fittingly sombre note. Instead, all loose ends are tied up and we're all left feeling much more hopeful than we should be. The trilogy was bold, sure, but not bold enough to kill the hero it seems. A missed opportunity.

 
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Contributor

Shaun is a former contributor for a number of Future Publishing titles and more recently worked as a staffer at Imagine Publishing. He can now be found banking in the daytime and writing a variety of articles for What Culture, namely around his favourite topics of film, retro gaming, music, TV and, when he's feeling clever, literature.