11 Great Films Ruined By Terrible Plot Twists

1) Remember Me (2010)

The Story: After his brother Michael commits suicide, and his family fractures in the aftermath, Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson) isolates himself entirely, rebelling against his businessman father (Pierce Brosnan) and wandering through his life without a purpose. When he connects with Ally (Emilie de Ravin), the beautiful but traumatized daughter of an overprotective cop who has it out for Tyler, his life takes on new meaning. As their romance blossoms, the two damaged souls set out on a path to mutual healing, though family strife threatens to disrupt their idyll.

The Twist: After he wins Ally back following a heated argument, Tyler goes to his father’s workplace, seemingly also on the verge of reconnecting with him. Meanwhile, his little sister’s schoolteacher writes the date on the board: September 11, 2001. Waiting in his father’s office, Tyler looks out over New York, as the camera zooms out to reveal that Tyler is in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The 9/11 attacks occur off-screen, with the audience seeing only the other characters’ stunned and horrified expressions as they learn that Tyler was killed.

Why It Sucks: Show me a lazier, more exploitative twist in a Hollywood movie than the ending of Remember Me. Up until that abusive sucker-punch of an ending, the film is a quiet romantic drama. While not particularly compelling, its characters are at least believable, and their interactions are organic. All in all, it’s not without its merits. Suddenly, without warning, arrives an ending both unwarranted and insensitive, which completely nullifies the film’s message and plot. Using a national tragedy as an unnecessary plot device to hastily conclude a clearly rudderless plot isn’t just plain stupid (though it is). Remember Me‘s ending is also indubitably offensive. Screenwriter Will Fetters evidently saw his ending as a tasteful, dramatic ending to Tyler’s story; instead, it’s horribly misguided at best. Remember Me is a film that selfishly and disrespectfully repurposes the tragic events of 9/11 for no discernible reason other than crafting a quick ending. The film deserves to be condemned, then swiftly forgotten.