Great Film Or Great Ending?

 

Oddly enough when listening to a sports talk show they began talking about two films the host considered great endings but not necessarily great movies. Those two movies were The Usual Suspects and The Sixth Sense, and it got me thinking is this true? Let's look at the first of the two because it was more recently that I watched it last. When thinking about the Bryan Singer film it's hard to remember much besides that incredible ending. A twist for the ages that you never saw coming, yet worked so well with the film. Not to mention ending with one of the best lines in film history, only to be surpassed by the ending of Silence Of The Lambs. The rest of the movie is a run of the mill gangster flick in line with The Untouchables and maybe to some extent Rock n Rolla (which I will agree is worse than both of the films I just named). It does have some impressive writing and the story is revealed really well but I can't for the life of me remember anything that happened besides the twist. As for The Sixth Sense the twist was revealed to me far before I got the chance to actually see it. Which ruined my viewing experienced and led to a film that I never cared for. As for the movie itself it may be one of M. Night Shyamalans best movies but it won't exceed most other Directors top films. It's a good movie with a great ending, but the twist is more telegraphed than The Usual Suspects. I believe it's possible to predict it early in the film, but that doesn't mean it is a bad twist. Once again, Great ending, not that great of a film. There are plenty of great films with great twist endings. The Departed blew my mind and added depth to an enticing story. When I realize whose head is in the box in Se7en and both envy and rage came center circle in one incredibly emotional climax, I forgot to blink. It's the path leading up to twist that makes them that much more rewarding. Weather it be Memento or Planet of The Apes even the less winding Shawshank Redemption had an extremely satisfying ending that enhanced the already spectacular story. I am not here to bash on The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense, because they are many more films that fit this category. They were just the most popular options, and would be the cause of most debates. Many may disagree and I would love to hear what you guys think, so leave a comment below!