The 90s were an unprecedented time for thrillers. With winners like The Usual Suspects, Seven, and Primal Fear (to name just a few), it was a great era for electrifying, twisty cinema. And then, there were those films that were thrilling for the most part…but then simply fell to pieces with their forced, muddied, and sometimes all-out baffling final reveals.
Nope, that’s not something rotten in the fridge; it’s all the spoilers about to be unveiled. Indeed, here is a list of the absolute worst final revelations, turns, and twists ever committed to 90s celluloid. Be they annoying head-scratchers, like Never Talk to Strangers, or mysteries riddled with truly confounding plot elements, as in Color of Night, here are the stinkiest endings that were sadly intended to instill shock and awe…
10
‘Jade’ (1995)
The 90s were rife with erotic thrillers. Some were hits, like Basic Instinct, and others, well, they filled up Cinemax’s late, late night time slots. Jade begins with a bit of promise, as director William Friedkin tackles the typically compelling tropes of the neo-noir mystery-thriller with obvious skill. The story follows assistant D.A. David Corelli (David Caruso) as he tries to solve a politically inspired murder (committed, ooh, with a hatchet). Things get complicated when Trina Gavin (Linda Fiorentino), the wife of his buddy Matt Gavin (Chazz Palminteri), becomes the prime suspect. Katrina is also David’s ex…Awkward.
As Corelli buries himself deeper and deeper into the investigation, he uncovers a high-end escort service where the most coveted sex worker is named “Jade.” After a lot of scenery chewing by the leads, the big payoff is this: Trina is not the actual killer, it’s really Matt (who was trying to stop a blackmail attempt). Oh, but wait, “Jade” isn’t a real woman; she’s a character Trina played in her own sex life (as a way to explore her sexuality, and, of course, infidelity). Um, ok.
9
‘Double Jeopardy’ (1999)
Double Jeopardy is a fun film, and not many people will argue with that. It’s sleekly shot, has a strong cast, and a seemingly nifty premise. However…the premise is…completely stupid. While one can not be convicted of the same crime twice, there is no law (state or federal) that allows someone to kill another living person just because they were previously sent to jail for the alleged murder of that person.
All of that can be overlooked, sure, for the sake of cinematic enjoyment (sometimes you really have to suspend that disbelief). It’s the final sequence of the film that feels a little too strained to succeed in any real way. The “twist” is that when Libby’s (Ashley Judd) husband, Nick (Bruce Greenwood), reappears after his faked death, he tries to kill her, and she in turn kills him, in self-defense. So the whole point of director Bruce Beresford’s movie (and the title) is moot. She didn’t need this made-up double jeopardy clause to take him out at all. Cue massive eye roll.
8
‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (1990)
This is probably the best all-around movie on this list. Director Adrian Lyne takes the audience on a trippy journey through the mind of a tortured man (Tim Robbins, in one of his best roles, as Jacob) in the genre-blending Jacob’s Ladder. The whole thing is a kaleidoscopic voyage into the surreal. It’s heady, it’s intellectual, it has some of the coolest and creepiest visuals of 90s cinema…then it just falls apart at the end.
After having gone along on the head-spinning ride with Jacob for the duration of the film, the ultimate sequence leaves a little something to be desired. It turns out that the whole freaky thing…was a dream. Well, sort of. Jacob actually died back in Vietnam, and what we have all just collectively witnessed was a sort of flash-forward to what could have been. Hmm. It’s this kind of storytelling, where everything seen was merely an illusion, that leaves the audience feeling, well, tricked.
7
‘Never Talk to Strangers’ (1995)
Director Peter Hall’s Never Talk to Strangers is another erotically-charged thriller that suffers from a bunch of cinematic faux pas, not just a corny title. However, it’s not a complete schlock-fest, as it has a couple of tense moments and some decent performances. Rebecca De Mornay plays Dr. Sarah Taylor, a criminal psychologist working with the police to solve a string of murders. Her life is turned upside-down when she “randomly” encounters Tony (Antonio Banderas), and begins a sultry affair with him. But wait…is he the killer?
After wading through a lot of moderately executed misdirects and turns, this mostly derivative stalker film finally reaches its climax. The person who has been stalking her and committing the murders…is herself. Huh? In the ole “she was crazy the whole time” bit, it turns out that Sarah has (the formerly named) multiple personality disorder (brought on by childhood abuse), and she has been harassing herself, and committing other heinous acts. Oh, and Tony was a private investigator employed by the family of Sarah’s ex (who, you guessed it, she killed). Blaming crimes on mental illness is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and here, it just comes off as incredibly forced and exceedingly incredible.
6
‘Intersection’ (1994)
Mark Rydell’s Intersection is a thriller in the loosest sense of the term. Yes, it’s another entry into the steamy 90s catalog, with two strong leading women: Sharon Stone (in yet another, ahem, winner), as Sally, and Lolita Davidovich, as Olivia. Richard Gere, in the role of Vincent, is a man torn between two worlds: devoted husband to the cold and calculating Sally, and reckless lover to the free-spirited Olivia. The film begins with him about to get into a car wreck, and flashes back to everything that led up to this unfortunate incident.
After a lot of back and forth between his zesty mistress and his uptight partner, the Hamlet-like, indecisive Vincent finally makes a resolute decision. Then…he makes another one. First, he writes a letter to Olivia, saying that he will regretfully stay with his wife. Then, he has a change of heart, and leaves Olivia a message on her answering machine (remember those?) stating that he is going to leave Sally and be forever with Olivia. He’s killed in the accident, and Sally recovers the letter, and Olivia listens to the message. So that’s the twist: they both receive final, disparate thoughts from Vincent. This led to a lot of viewers scratching their heads, wondering…why? What is the point of leaving the two women with different perspectives (when one of those is patently wrong). The whole film is melodramatic and mostly banal, and this ending only solidifies its place in the “forgotten pile.”
5
‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1998)
While I Know What You Did Last Summer became an instant 90s teen thriller classic, its rushed follow-up I Still Know What You Did Last Summer wasn’t nearly as suspenseful, funny, or even credible. The whole movie feels like treading water. Director Danny Cannon attempted to recreate the same types of thrills that were successful in the first film, but mostly failed on all accounts. It’s not an irredeemable movie (with the wide-eyed Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising her role as Julie James, Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson, and the welcome addition of Brandy as Karla Wilson), but the forced twist ending sunk it to pretty deep, murky depths, that even the sea captain wouldn’t want to visit.
The ending twist of the first film had Ben Willis (Muse Watson), the dude they thought they killed, as the actual killer, on a delightful revenge tour. Believable? Not really, but who cares? It worked in a campy, throw-back kind of way. The twist in the sequel was that their new college bro, Will Benson (Matthew Settle), was the killer. “Benson” needed to avenge his father’s death…because he is Ben’s…son. If this were any cornier, you could pop it and soak it in butter.
4
‘Psycho’ (1998)
No, you’re not reading that wrong, it’s just that this title refers to the Gus Van Sant remake of the classic. This dud went down as one of the worst cinematic do-overs in history. Van Sant’s Psycho is a shot-for-shot re-do of Alfred Hitchcock’s genre-defining film (aside from one, completely unnecessary, self-pleasuring scene…), so the argument for its existence — that this remake brings a fresh perspective — is nonexistent. Not to blame the performers, but Anthony Perkins leaves quite large shoes to fill for poor, miscast Vince Vaughn (as Norman Bates), and the same goes for Anne Heche, in the Janet Leigh role of Marion Crane.
The reason for the inclusion of this debacle on this list (and not just “worst remakes ever” collections) is because basically everyone on the movie-watching planet already knows the twist. Norman is really his long-deceased mother. Duh. The only reason someone wouldn’t know that is if this is their first viewing of Psycho, and in that case, well, just pray for them to make better decisions.
3
‘Body of Evidence’ (1993)
Steamy thrillers hold a special place in the hearts of certain cinema fans. Body of Evidence was primed for inclusion in this titillating niche genre, with two beautiful gap-toothed people in the lead roles: Willem Dafoe as Frank Dulaney, and the Queen of Pop, Madonna, cast as Rebecca Carlson. Unfortunately, the whole film is audaciously over-the-top and unintentionally campy, and drags even while presenting numerous salacious sequences. However, it’s when the final reveal happens that this stinker loses all credibility.
The plot of Uli Edel’s mediocre film is basically this: a woman, Rebecca, is accused of murdering her elderly, very wealthy husband through sexual means. Ah yes, a tale as old as time; an alleged gold digger utilizing BDSM practices to invoke a heart attack. Her lawyer is Frank, who she seduces as well, getting him to act as her puppet. The abysmal “twist” in this cinematic abomination is that, mm-hmm, Rebecca did intend to kill her preterite hubby after all — in a plot devised by her and her husband’s doctor (he supplied some nose candy to aid in the murder). But this doc is not to be toyed with — when he realizes that Rebecca was playing him too, he shoots her, and she falls out a window. The End. Thank goodness.
2
‘Sliver’ (1993)
Sharon Stone was on quite a roll, with Basic Instinct having just been released the year before, when Sliver came out. This movie was primed to keep the momentum going for her, as it ostensibly appeared like it could be a stylish, sexy thriller to remember. William Baldwin, as Zeke, was a seemingly welcome male lead, and with esteemed director Phillip Noyce at the helm, everything was looking good — and it’s true, Sliver does have its moments. It has a distinct color palette, some well-executed sensual scenes, and not horrible performances. But, like many humdrum stories, everything turns to excrement at the ending.
The story is simple: Zeke has a network of cameras hooked up in his building, which he uses to spy on all the tenants. Stone, as Carly Norris, is a new renter. Carly discovers that several previous tenants died mysteriously, and she begins to suspect Zeke, as she’s now “dating” (bumping uglies) with him. Oh, and Tom Berenger is there too, as Jack. The “twist” is that while Zeke is a voyeuristic pervert, he’s not the killer. It’s Jack. That’s it. If this seems somewhat hastily cobbled together, it’s because it was; test audiences viewed the film, and despised the original ending. Apparently, that conclusion was even worse, somehow. That finale saw Zeke abscond with Carly in a helicopter — which he then deliberately crashed into a volcano. Talk about an unnecessary set piece/expense. Overall, there was barely a sliver of a twist to this bomb.
1
‘Color of Night’ (1994)
Alas, yet another steamy erotic thriller. Color of Night, directed by Richard Rush, starts out with even more than a hint of promise. It even builds and delivers some fun scenes that really draw the audience in. The cast is mostly great too (with Scott Bakula, Lance Henriksen, Eriq La Salle, Lesley Ann Warren, and Brad Dourif). Led by Bruce Willis, still brimming with the charisma that made him a star in Moonlighting, he plays a psychiatrist, Dr. Bill Capa, dealing with his own trauma. The story is basically that Bill takes over the group therapy session previously run by his recently murdered friend — and every quirky character in the group is a suspect. Oh, and there is a lurid soft-core porn sub-plot involving Bill and a nubile girl, Rose, Jane March. So, with some intriguing set-ups in place (and also some of the dumbest ones in history, including a mysterious car pushing another car off a roof parking lot with the goal of hitting a moving person below at street level), the viewer eagerly awaits to see how everything will tie up…
And then, that’s when it hits them. The ending “twist.” Or rather, the ending collection of indecipherable knots. So, in an attempt to unravel this cluster-butt, it turns out that Rose suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and has been posturing as “Ricky,” one of the more troubled patients in the group. For some inexplicable reason, “Ricky’s” older brother urged Rose to assume the identity of Ricky (who was actually her other, dead brother) to infiltrate the group, and subsequently seduce all of them. This leaves only one burning question: why? Why? WHY? Film scholars may never be able to solve this mystery (mostly because it’s SO dumb).
Color of Night
- Release Date
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August 19, 1994
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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Richard Rush
- Writers
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Billy Ray
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