20 Most Intense Movie Endings Of All Time

18. The Wrestler (2008)

Darren Aronofsky's heartbreaking character study of an on-the-skids wrestler attempting to turn his life around is a devastatingly grounded drama all the way to its ambiguous, haunting conclusion.

Despite being diagnosed with a grave heart condition, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) decides to return to his wrestling career at the end of the film. The final sequence has Randy wrestling his latest match, during which he begins to suffer chest pains.

His opponent urges him to cut the match short, but driven by his love for wrestling and the adulation of the fans (the only people left who seemingly care about him), he climbs to the top rope to perform his finishing move and leaps off. Cut to black.

The one-two punch of Mickey Rourke's stunningly emotional performance and Clint Mansell's ethereal musical score make this one of the most nerve-wracking endings to a drama film ever. You care about Randy, and his ultimate decision to tackle life on his own terms is at once sad and exhilarating.