10 Most WTF Horror Movie Endings

It's not unusual for a horror movie ending to leave a lasting impact.

While some filmmakers opt to conclude their films on one final scare to leave audiences shaken like in Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, others took a different approach by ending their films on beats that were as unforgettable as they were bizarre.

Whether these final moments acted as a never-shredding culmination to the slow-burn terror that’s been gradually building throughout, offered a surprise revelation that came out of nowhere, or simply went all-out on their wild nature, there are plenty of fantastic horror endings that can leave you lost for words.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Inspired by David Pinner’s novel Ritual, the bulk of the original Wicker Man plays out more like a police procedural than a conventional horror film as it follows police sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) investigate the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island after receiving an anonymous letter.

Upon arrival, the sergeant discovers that the islanders are pagan worshipers preparing for their harvest festival. And when they begin to deny the youngster existed, he begins to suspect that the small community is covering up a murder after using the child as part of one of their rituals.

It’s only in the final ten minutes of the film where the real horror kicks in, however.

It turns out that Howie was set-up from the start to be the real sacrifice. Imprisoned in the eponymous wooden effigy, the police officer is burned alive as the revellers sing joyously over the man’s dying screams.

This haunting imagery serves as an unexpected and shocking conclusion to an iconic horror classic.