4. The Planet Of The Apes
The Plot: Tim Burton's loose remake of the original 1968 version follows astronaut Mark Walhberg who, after passing through a vortex in space, crash lands on a planet inhabited by intelligent apes who rule over human slaves. With the help of a sympathetic ape and a band of humans he leads a rebellion against Tim Roth's General Thade.
The Twist: Mark Walhberg gets another space craft (from a chimpanzee from the past...don't ask) and sets off back into space and crash lands in Washington DC...only to find a statue of General Thade where Honest Abe once sat and is then surrounded by police, fire crews and news reporters who are all apes. I could give you reasons why this is so ridiculous - time lines, quantum physic's etc - but I'll just leave you with a quote from General Thade himself, Tim Roth '...I cannot explain that ending. I have seen it twice and i don't understand anything'
3. Psycho
The Plot: In Alfred Hitchcock's classic suspense horror Psycho, secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) hides out in a secluded motel after embezzling money from her boss. The motel is run by Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who also looks after his mentally unwell mother. After she is brutally murdered by a shadowy figure her sister hires an investigator to look into her disappearance and discovers what really happened at the Bates Motel.
The Twist: Hitch gets his first twist out of the way early when he murders false protagonist Janet Leigh in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history but the twist yet to come is arguably more shocking. Due to Psycho's longevity everyone now knows that Anthony Perkins murdered Janet Leigh and had a few mummy issues to contend with (putting it mildly) but this twist helped make Psycho one of the greatest films of all time.
2. The Crying Game
The Plot: Neil Jordan's film starts out as a psychological thriller as Stephen Rea's low level IRA foot soldier Fergus guards Forest Whitaker's Jody, a captured British soldier. The two form an unlikely bond despite the clock counting down till Jody's execution. Fergus is persuaded by Jody to visit his girlfriend in London to tell her that he loved her. After Jody's death Fergus locates his girlfriend Dil (an Oscar nominated Jaye Davidson) and eventually falls in love with her while trying to stay one step ahead of his former IRA unit who he abandoned to find Dil.
The Twist: I'm desperately trying to not sound like Austin Powers but that's a man baby. After finally wooing her, Fergus takes Dil to bed where he sensuously undresses her...only to be left staring at 'her' cock and which point Fergus proceeds to vomit. (Fergus has obviously never been to Thailand) Time can lessen the impact of a twist but this is one the most ridiculous and successful twists of all time, of which Roger Ebert commented '...it involves us deeply in the story and then it reveals the story is really about something else altogether'. Which is exactly what a great twist should do.