20 Greatest Final Shots In Movies Ever

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

And finally, we have the most superbly transfixing, beautiful and unexpected final image from any movie. Ever. Kubrick's monumental sci-fi masterpiece remains as staggeringly, face-meltingly ambitious and impressive as it was 50 years ago, and it all leads up to that one final provocation: the Star Child.

The film concludes with protagonist Dr. David Bowman (Keir Dullea) travelling across the universe, before landing in a bedroom where he rapidly ages, and is then greeted by one of the film's ambiguous, towering monoliths.

As Bowman reaches out to the monolith, he's again transformed, this time into a celestial fetus known as the Star Child. Encased in a womb-like sac, the entity floats above the Earth, observing it before staring intently at the audience.

It's absurd, it's gorgeous and it's loaded with so much (potential) meaning. Did Bowman just ascend into a higher form of life thanks to the monolith, or what? The interpretations are endless, but the intoxicating final image is an oddly soothing paean to human potential, be it Bowman's transformation or the mere feat of filmmaking we've just witnessed.

The movie may not be for everyone, but to deny the majesty of that final shot would be total madness.

What are your favourite final shots from movies? Shout them out in the comments!