Content Warning: The following article contains discussions of rape, suicide and graphic violence.For decades, audiences have been continuously entertained by the wondrous attraction of cinema, albeit with a few tweaks and twists in formula over time, to keep things fresh. As most audiences got accustomed to the traditional, chronological order of events played out, unorthodox cinematic stratagems are devised to counteract boredom and passivity. Genre-mashups, multi-perspective narratives, just to name a few.

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Many films have adopted the following storytelling technique, yet only a handful take advantage of its "wow" factor effectively. That is films that begin with telling audiences the dénouement of the film, be it a sneaky foreshadowing or a salient dispatch.

Updated on January 17th, 2023, by Hannah Saab:

With 2022 movies like Bullet Train and Prey, it's clear that the trend of giving ominous hints about the characters' inevitable fates is still a prominent technique used by filmmakers. There's no shortage of movies that reveal their endings during the first few moments, which – when done right – often makes the actual endings even more exhilarating for viewers who make the connection.

'Memento' (2000)

Available to stream on HBO Max.

Receiving a standing ovation at the 2000 Venice Film Festival, Memento is undeniably one of director Christopher Nolan's greatest works to date. Nolan's penchant for non-linear storytelling shines exceedingly in this neo-noir, taking advantage of contrasting color palettes and a unique narrative structure that shifts between past and present, challenging audiences to piece together the complete picture.

The film follows a mysterious man named Leonard Shelby with anterograde amnesia. Unable to form new memories, he can only rely on his peculiar system of Polaroid pictures and body tattoos carrying clues that will lead him to the murderer of his wife, albeit the dirty truth about Shelby can be quite a shocker to audiences.

'Pan's Labyrinth' (2006)

Available to rent on Apple iTunes, Amazon Video and Google Play Movies.

Before winning the Oscar for The Shape of Water, director Guillermo del Toro amazed both Hollywood and worldwide audiences with his Spanish dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth. Especially its opening sequence of the lead character and princess Ofelia lying on the ground near death, which raises questions about the actual identity of the 10-year-old girl.

Taking place in 1944 Spain, Ofelia is believed by a faun to be the reincarnation of the princess of the underworld. For her to return to her kingdom, she is assigned three tasks to complete to achieve immortality, yet her emotional attachment to the mortal world brings uncertainties to her decisions which results in daunting circumstances.

'Irreversible' (2000)

Ironically, Irreversible is a film where its series of events are told in reverse-chronological order. However, many viewers' initial reaction to the ultraviolent and upsetting film is indeed irreversible, as most would agree that it's a disturbing movie best seen only once.

It may be confusing at the start, but audiences will eventually realize how a man who had bludgeoned another to death with a fire extinguisher and a woman who had been brutally raped were once a blissful couple expecting a baby. But by the end, time really does destroy everything in this ruthless demonstration of cause and effect.

'Citizen Kane' (1941)

Available to stream on HBO Max.

Frequently cited by critics and fans as the greatest film of all time, many did not know that Citizen Kane was a box office flop before it became a cult classic. Definitely ahead of its time, the quasi-biographical drama is an innovative examination of newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane, where his rise and fall in both his professional and personal lives can be linked back to a tragic childhood event that ultimately determined his fate.

To many who have not seen but heard of the revolutionary film, most are perhaps most familiar with the infamous "Rosebud" line uttered seconds before the publishing mogul's puzzling death. Told through the multiple perspectives of Kane's associates, Kane's accomplishments and struggles slowly unfold as audiences slowly realize the significance of "Rosebud."

'Peppermint Candy' (1999)

Available to stream on KoreaOnDemand.

Another film that employs reverse chronology is acclaimed South Korean director Lee Chang-dong's Peppermint Candy, stupefying audiences moments after the movie has started when a wild middle-aged man stands in front of an oncoming train as a suicide attempt.

Starting off the film in 1999 and ending in 1979, the psychological drama film gradually reveals the identity of the man as the lead character Young-ho, who after years of torment by major Korean events such as the Gwangju Massacre and the Asian financial crisis in the late 90s, has lost his initial innocence and passion for life. Audiences will be astounded to see the drastic transformation of a man who had simple dreams due to the traumatic historical events that had pulverized his humanity and will to live.

'Sunset Boulevard' (1950)

Available to stream on Kanopy.

Named after the street that saw countless Hollywood film productions since 1911, Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard is just as spellbinding even after being informed of its ending right off the bat. And who can forget the movie's infamous closing line?

When the body of struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis is found in a swimming pool at a mansion, which begs the question: How did he get there, and who killed him? Joe acts as the film's narrator and starts recounting his story in flashbacks, ranging from his rocky career to his tumultuous relationship with forgotten silent film star Norma Desmond that led to his imminent doom. The brilliant combination of black comedy and film noir makes for an entertaining watch aside from offering a compelling insight into the destructive power of fame.

'Pulp Fiction' (1994)

Available to stream on Showtime.

Brimming with wisecracking dialogues revealing each character's personality and quirks, Pulp Fiction can be seen as the epitome of how to make dialogues that are not boring Not only does it utilize individual vignettes of various characters connect to a bigger picture, but this black comedy crime film also begins and ends with essentially the same characters.

Whilst the couple "Pumpkin" and "Honey Bunny" are introduced as robbers seemingly taking control over a diner in the prologue, the finale tells a different story. Unlike "Pumpkin" and "Honey Bunny," audiences are fully aware of the badassery Marsellus Wallace is well-equipped with when the robbers confront the hitman.

'Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)

Available to rent on Apple iTunes.

Based on the semi-autobiographical story by Akiyuki Nosaka, Grave of the Fireflies follows two siblings' struggles to survive when faced with the horrors of World War II in Japan. Effectively illustrating the devastating effects of war, the renowned Studio Ghibli film portrays how the younger generation grew up in a period where destitution, famine and apathy were the norms.

Although the animated film sees lighthearted interludes of the siblings finding simple pleasures in the littlest of things, the start of the film has already disclosed a bittersweet reunion. As the younger sister Setsuko is shown to have passed away from malnutrition in the story's coda, viewers can finally connect the dots, understanding that older brother Seita, who died of starvation, at last joins his deceased sister in spirit whilst surrounded by fireflies at the film's beginning.

'Phantom Thread' (2017)

Available to stream on Netflix.

The American historical drama film starts off with an enigma, where a woman talks about how she had given "every piece of herself" to a man named Reynolds, who in turn had made her dreams come true. The woman is Alma, a young waiter-turned-muse to renowned fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock with an inclination towards dominance and eccentricity.

Phantom Thread revisits their tempestuous romance that led to career milestones and precarious circumstances where tendencies to demonstrate dysfunctional proclamations of love are unrelenting. Alma's cryptic chat in the film's inception turns out to be Reynolds finally accepting the importance of compromising in a relationship, where he succumbs to being poisoned by Alma so that he will be in a vulnerable position for her to love him.

'Terrifier' (2016)

Available to stream on Tubi.

Art the Clown makes Pennywise look like a discounted Ronald McDonald. Terrifier is undoubtedly a must-watch for any horror movie fans, as it is a riveting ode to the 80s slasher.

The horror film starts with a TV interview with the sole survivor of a Halloween massacre masterminded by Art the Clown. Art the Clown's abhorrent displays of murder continues to haunt audiences as on Halloween Night, he starts terrorizing two girls and a few other oblivious victims in an abandoned apartment building. After an hour of violent imagery ranging from mutilations to decapitations, the survivor is surprisingly revealed in the end to be one of the girl's sisters, and her horribly disfigured face was a result of Art the Clown's cannibalism.

'Fight Club' (1999)

Available to rent on Apple iTunes, Amazon Video and Google Play Movies.

Director David Fincher's Fight Club is a film that needs no introduction. Starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, the film follows a nameless Narrator (Norton), who becomes deeply involved in an underground fight club with a soap salesman (Pitt) that becomes increasingly violent. The beloved classic delves into hard-hitting topics like masculinity, consumerism and mental health.

In the opening scene, the narrator describes how people are always asking him if he knows Tyler Durden, who happens to have a gun to his mouth. He's also describing explosives that viewers will see in the film's legendary ending. The moment emphasizes the narrator's helplessness and the impression that he has reached the end of his journey. Ultimately, the narrator's discovery that Tyler Durden is his alter-ego and that he has always been in charge of his own actions acts as a strong reversal of the first scene.

'Gone Girl' (2014)

Available to stream on HBO Max.

Gone Girl is a psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher based on Gillian Flynn's 2012 best-selling book of the same name. The story centers on Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), whose wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. As the police investigation progresses, Nick emerges as the prime suspect in Amy's mysterious disappearance, and the story takes a dramatic turn as secrets from the couple's past are brought to light.

In the first scene, viewers see Nick stroking Amy's hair while she sleeps. This moment is filmed in a warm and gentle light, with romantic and serene music - it's clearly intended to portray the couple's intimacy and love. It's a beautiful moment that shows affection and provides the audience a sense of Nick and Amy's previous happy and loving relationship. In contrast, the similar scene towards the conclusion is shot in a chilly and impersonal light, with menacing music. The camera lingers on Nick's face, which appears distant, detached and emotionless. This stark change in context makes for an unforgettable ending that leaves viewers with a sense of uncertainty and unease.

'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)

Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an extraordinary blend of science fiction, romance, comedy, and drama. The plot revolves around Joel (Jim Carrey), who receives a medical procedure to erase all memories of his previous partner, Clementine (Kate Winslet), only to realize that he still loves her.

In the first scene, Joel rushes to board a train to Montauk in what seems to be a spur-of-the-moment decision. Joel, shown as being in a disoriented rush, appears to be chasing something or someone (or his past). This scene foreshadows the film's ending in a unique way, as Joel doesn't know he's the one who told Clem to meet in Montauk as a last ditch attempt to re-connect with her before the procedure is over.

'Interstellar' (2014)

Available to stream on Paramount+.

Nolan's Interstellar is an award-winning sci-fi film that follows a crew of astronauts who go through a wormhole in search of a new home for humankind, as Earth is on the verge of extinction due to environmental collapse. They soon face a number of problems and learn that the mission is about more than simply preserving mankind.

The first scene is a prologue set in the near future on a planet devastated by environmental collapse. It depicts a farmer, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), laboring in his fields with his daughter and discussing gravity with her. The scene transitions to an adult Murph (Jessica Chastain) being interviewed with a group of scientists, in which she explains her childhood experiences with her father and how they led to the discovery of a wormhole that may save life as they knew it. This foreshadows the film's ending, in which Cooper and Murph are reunited aboard a spacecraft made possible by the astronauts, demonstrating that the expedition and sacrifices made by Coop and his crew have saved humankind.

'Triangle' (2009)

Available to stream on Peacock and Shudder.

Triangle is a criminally underrated horror-thriller film directed by Christopher Smith. Melissa George plays Jess, a young lady who joins a yachting trip with a group of friends only to become stuck onboard a strange derelict ocean liner that appears to exist outside of time. The very first scene introduces Jess as a young woman dealing with her mental health and the unsettling sense of being stuck in a loop. This is mostly due to her shortcomings as a mother.

This opening sequence foreshadows the film's conclusion, in which it is revealed that Jess is caught in a time loop and that the events of the film are repeating themselves. The spine-chilling ending sees Jess discovering she is the source of the loop and has been experiencing the same day over and over. She tries to control the situation and ends up killing her son in a car crash, realizing that the only way to save him is to start the loop all over again.

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