2. The Sixth Sense (1999)
From the mind of renowned twist lover M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense boasts what may be the most famous movie plot twist of all time. Following child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), The Sixth Sense concerns a patient of Crowe’s, Cole (Haley Joel Osment) who claims to see ghosts. This comes after a violent altercation between Crowe and a disturbed former patient, with the psychologist trying to do all he can to help Cole.
The now-famous and oft-referenced plot twist comes in The Sixth Sense‘s final act. After having worked closely with Cole to help him manage his extraordinary ability, Crowe returns home to his wife, from whom he has been growing increasingly distant. In a moment of clarity, Crowe realizes that he’s actually been dead all along, and that Cole has been the only person acknowledging his presence. Finally finding peace, Crowe lets go, and fades away in a flash of light.
Clichéd though it may seem, The Sixth Sense actually defined modern horror plot twists. It was a genuine revelation, particularly as it connected vague visual and narrative clues that initially seemed inconsequential. Tying its final reveal back to its opening scene was utter brilliance, and it’s the twist that put M. Night Shyamalan on the map as one of Hollywood’s biggest narrative innovators (this was before he made movies like The Last Airbender).