The Most Epic Fantasy and Sci-Fi Website

13 Best Sci-Fi Films with Ambiguous and Mind-Boggling Ending


These science fiction movies shatter our expectations in more ways than one. Of course, they all presented an intriguing premise that their story revolves in. The other thing is we are left stuck in the Twilight Zone while pondering what their endings could possibly mean. Hordes of geeks are left making some analysis videos or essays, spotting some Easter Eggs, and even debating among themselves of what really happened on their conclusion. Here are the greatest sci-fi films that left us with unsolved puzzles for their endings.

  1. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

    From the highs of The Matrix Reloaded, fans of this franchise were left disappointed after seeing its third and final installment. The biggest reason why is its unanswered questions that were left for the viewers to answer.

    Before seeing this film, it is definitely mandatory to watch the first two to really understand it. The film is set in a dystopian society where the robots rule. Neo (Keanu Reeves) is the only hope left for mankind. Neo is trapped in a limbo while the majority of the population is still stuck on a suspended reality. Things get even more effed up when an all-powerful computer program Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) enters the picture.

    In the end, the Matrix is still not destroyed. Its seventh version was rebooted with a new set of rules. Every person has now a choice whether to leave the matrix or stay in it only this time there is no more enslavement... However, the Oracle implied that the peace will only last as long as it can, meaning that a chaotic future still looms. As for Neo, it's undetermined whether he lives or dies after deleting Smith. Let's just trust the Oracle saying that they will see Neo again.

  2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

    Rotten Tomatoes had called this film "one of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever made," scoring 93% fresh. Rightfully so, Dawn of the Dead shows larger scale effects of a zombie apocalypse to the society. No wonder that this zombie flick has earned $55 million worldwide from its meager $1.5 million budget.

    The plot follows Stephen (David Emge) and his girlfriend Francine (Gaylen Ross) as they escape hordes of zombie. With the two renegade SWAT members, Roger and Pete, they found solace in a shopping center.

    After the zombie infiltrated the mall, Stephen was bitten many times. He became one of the undead. Acting on his memory, he destroyed the false wall covering the stairwell and led the others to where Pete and Francine were hiding. Peter killed the zombified Stephen as Francine escaped to the roof. Pete locked himself in a room and contemplated suicide. He had a change of heart at the last moment. The two fly away in a partially fueled helicopter into an uncertain future.

    Some sci-fi films, like 10 Cloverfield Lane, have a similar ending. Apparently, Dawn of the Dead did it first.

  3. Looper (2012)

    Looper has proven that indie sci-fi films can score big at the box office. It made almost 6 times out of its budget and received good reviews from the critics. This film is the second team-up of the director, Rian Johnson, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt after Brick. They proved that they can also make good movies together. Take that, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton!

    In the future, time-travel is used to target someone. Loopers are assassins who go back in time to kill people. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a looper that does his job well. However, his bosses wanted to “close the loop” and send his future self (Bruce Willis) in the past to be killed.

    As he realized that Cid will become the Rainmaker, Young Joe committed suicide in order to prevent Old Joe from going after them. It erased the existence of Old Joe that saves Sarah and stops Cid from becoming the Rainmaker.

    Pretty straightforward, eh? Wrong. Most of the movies with time traveling have to deal with time paradoxes. This one is no exception. There are some unanswered questions. Like, how did Sarah know all about Old Joe? Remember that he ceased to exist anymore. The moral of the story: don’t mess with time-travel. Just don’t.

  4. Total Recall (1990)

    After The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger has proven once again that he is one of the most bankable actors from the 80’s to early 2000’s. He starred in Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi epic, Total Recall. This movie has one of the most expensive production cost at that time. However, it was a risk worth taking because it grossed four times more than its budget.

    Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) was tired of his mundane career as a construction worker. He dreamed of visiting and colonizing Mars. He decided to go to a facility called Rekall that plants false memories into people’s brains. But, something went wrong in Quaid’s procedure that led him to discover that all his life was actually false. The people who implanted it wanted him dead.

    The ending took place on Mars where Douglas and his partner, Melina (Rachel Ticotin), saved the whole population of Mars. They activated a reactor that released air into the atmosphere. Before he and Melina kissed, he paused and wondered whether if he was just in a dream or not. 

    We are left thinking if Douglas Quaid actually freed himself. Or, the Rekall just messed up his mind so bad that he couldn’t get out from dreaming.

  5. Under the Skin (2013)

    Although it flopped in the box office, Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin was received well by the audiences and critics. Its aesthetics were topnotch, the score is chilling, and the imageries were thought-provoking yet stunning. BBC ranked it 61st on their list called “100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century.”

    An unnamed alien (Scarlett Johansson), disguised as a human female, drives around Scotland to lure men inside her van.

    The extraterrestrial starts manifesting human emotions. She wanders through the forest and met a logger. He molests her and she makes her run into the woods. He catches. Attempting to rape her, he tears her skin. She extricated herself from her “skin,” revealing a black featureless body. The logger douses her with fuel and burns her alive. The man in the motorcycle (Jeremy McWilliams) is left still searching for her.

    This movie discussed how shallow we perceived beauty. Humans have a tendency to be attracted to what’s outside rather than who the person actually is. The film's theme is explored through symbolism and imageries scattered throughout the story. Now, that’s “under the skin” deep.

  6. Annihilation (2018)

    Alex Garland made yet another cerebral sci-fi movie after Ex Machina. Although Annihilation has only a limited release, it encouraged discourse among people about the meaning of it stunning imagery, its transfixing plot, and its ambiguous ending. The film mainly is about self-destruction and depression, which almost all of the characters are going through.

    A group of military scientists enters a quarantined zone called the Shimmer. In there, they discovered mutating landscapes and transmogrifying creatures.

    Towards the end, the team discusses of turning back. Josie (Tessa Thompson) mutates into a human-shaped plant. Meanwhile, Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) leaves Lena (Natalie Portman) and Josie to go to the lighthouse alone. Lena also goes to the lighthouse finding a video. She watches as a tortured Kane (Oscar Isaac) rants about what the Shimmer’s effect on him. Off camera, he committed suicide as a clone Kane appears on-screen.

    Lena descends into the hole. She finds Ventress transforms into a glowing nebulous structure. It absorbs a drop of Lena’s blood. It becomes a humanoid entity that mimics her. She uses this opportunity to use the grenade and set it ablaze.  The flame spreads to the lighthouse as the Shimmer disappears.

    Until now, this movie is being dissected and talked about. There are many interpretations for the ending and its theme of self-destruction. Even though the story might be a bit deep and confusing for some, the breathtaking visuals may keep you watching until the credits roll.

  7. Donnie Darko (2001)

    This film is considered as a cult classic not only because of the breakout performance of  Jake Gyllenhaal. Donnie Darko’s story is so riveting that will leave you puzzled at the end. Thus, multiple viewings are needed in order to grasp the story and interpret its hidden meanings.

    One night, a troubled high school teen named Donnie Darko sleepwalks outside his house. He finds a demon-looking bunny named Frank who told him that the world will end soon. Frank told Donnie what to do, which leads to a series of interconnected events.

    Donnie Darko explores the concept of a parallel universe and time loops. A car swerves to avoid someone, killing Gretchen (Jena Malone). Enraged, Donnie shots the driver, who turns out Frank. Donnie brings her to his home. A vortex forms above it. He borrows one of their cars as he loads his girlfriend’s corpse in it. He stops over a ridge where he saw the plane carrying his mom caught in the vortex. The torn plane engine was sent back in time. Donnie wakes up, 28 days before. He was laughing maniacally as the plane engine crashes down his room.

    It’s unclear whether these events really take place or it’s all inside Donnie’s head. Good thing that they published a book entitled “The Philosophy of Time Travel” on the movie’s website. There are explanations about the parallel universe and the springy something that came out of people’s chest. Yeah, that’s what she said.

  8. Blade Runner (1982)

    Harrison Ford, as his usual charismatic self, starred as Deckard in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. This movie started the neo-noir science fiction trend that made it a certified cult classic. Its sequel, Blade Runner 2049, bagged two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.

    Deckard (Harrison Ford) is forced to hunt down four escaped replicants, creatures that are bioengineered. He needs to do it before those replicants reach the earth. While doing his job, he falls in love with a replicant girl (Sean Young).

    The unsolved mystery of the Blade Runner is whether Deckard is a replicant himself. Ridley Scott admitted that he advertently left clues that he is. Harrison Ford doesn’t think Deckard is a replicant. 

    Does Blade Runner 2049 answer that? No. The viewers are left even more puzzled after we learned what Deckard was up to for the last 30 years. Will we ever get our answer? Well, that’s for another list. 

  9. Arrival (2016)

    Denis Villeneuve has proven once again that he is the “King of Ambiguity” with films like Prisoners, Enemy, and this time, Arrival. Oh, did we mention that he also directed Blade Runner 2049? No wonder the “Deckard mystery” is still unanswered! 

    Arrival earned both commercial and critical successes. It scored $203.4 million at the box office with $47 million budget. Critics praised its new subtle take on an alien invasion concept, creating a really tensed and suspenseful atmosphere. At the 89th Academy Awards, this film took home the Best Sound Editing award. 

    Linguistic professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams), together with a team of investigators, was assigned on a very delicate mission. Twelve spaceships arrived in different locations around the world. They need to communicate to the extraterrestrial visitors and find out what they want. Failure is not an option because there is a looming global war ahead.

    Louise is able to learn the alien’s language. She figures that those who master it will able to have visions of the past and the future. She has a premonition of talking to Shang in a UN event. He thanked her for convincing him to call off the attack by calling him and saying his dying wife’s final words. Louise immediately steals a satellite phone and do that. The Chinese announced that they will no longer wage war against the extraterrestrial creatures.

    After that, Ian (Jeremy Renner) expressed his love for Louise. She told him about their future daughter, Hannah. Louise will still agree to have a child with him knowing that Hannah will die young and Ian will leave them. Louise publishes a book about learning the alien’s language. Does that mean that everyone who will master that also will have premonitions too? Knowing the future, can they really change the outcome with their own choices?

    Arrival is definitely not Independence Day with huge explosions and unfriendly aliens. It’s a fresh new take to that idea, proving that sometimes simplicity is powerful enough when telling these kinds of story.

  10. The Thing (1982)

    During its release, The Thing didn't sit well with the critics. It got reviews like "instant junk" and "a wretched excess." Some even suggested to regard it as the most hated film of all time. This is partly because of its failure to impress audiences, comparing it to family-friendly E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. You can’t just lump the two films together considering that they have way different genres. It’s just like comparing My Little Pony to Rick and Morty. Go figure.

    However, The Thing stood the test of time with a huge cult following. The practical effects and the story are still awe-inspiring decades after its release. It has been regarded as a milestone of the horror genre.

    A group of American researchers saved a dog from being murdered. They took it in but it turned out a beast that can assume the shape of its victim. The helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) led the group in a battle before all of them gets victimized.

    As their camp burns, Childs (Keith David) joined MacReady (Kurt Russell) saying that he became lost in the storm when pursuing Blair. Both were exhausted and they shared a drink. They agreed that their distrust was now pointless as they slowly freeze to death. The audiences are left figuring out who between the two is the thing.

    It’s a claustrophobic “every man for himself” tale that is enthralling to watch. The actors are forced to act in a very cold setting. The acting is just on-point and during the shoot, the director won’t tell the actors who the thing is among them. So, the mystery is real.

  11. Solaris (1972)

    The Americans have 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's only fitting that the Soviet has a classic sci-fi film in Solaris. Empire magazine placed it at No. 68 for “The 100 Best Films of World Cinema” list. Salman Rushdie is also a fan of the film, calling it "a sci-fi masterpiece."

    After a series of mental breakdowns and a death, Kris Kelvin (Donatas Banionis), a psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris. He discovered that the planet’s water can access memories and hopes.

    Kelvin contemplated whether he will stay in Solaris or return to earth. The end shows Kelvin meeting his father in their country home. However, as the shot got wider, the home was surrounded by what it seemed like the water in Solaris.

    Andrei Tarkovsky wanted to bring emotional and intellectual depth to the superficial western sci-fi films. True enough, Solaris became one of the most influential movies for that genre. In fact, it inspired newer films like Annihilation.

  12. Inception (2010)

    We always have high expectations for Christopher Nolan's films, and Inception definitely doesn't disappoint. Both the critics and the regular audience members praised Inception for its ingenious story, stunning visual effects, and thought-provoking ending. This movie won four Academy Awards including Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. It became the fourth highest grossing movie of 2010 behind Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.

    Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) has the ability to enter people’s dream and steal their secret. This special ability cost him everything he loves. He gets a shot in redemption when he is tasked to plant an idea in someone’s mind.

    Professor Miles (Michael Caine) accompanies Dom to his home. Dom performed a test to make sure that he is indeed in the reality buy spinning a top. He finally is reunited with his children, ignoring the result. The film cuts to closing credits from a shot of the top spinning with a little instability.

    The story takes place in a dream within a dream. We are left wondering if Dom was able to get back in the reality. One thing is clear: he just wants to be with his kids.

  13. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

    2001: A Space Odyssey celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. This Stanley Kubrick’s classic explores existentialism, human evolution, and artificial intelligence through its gorgeous visuals and hypnotic story. It is considered as one of the most influential films of all time, inspiring films like Contact, Arrival, and Westworld.

    Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and other astronauts are sent in a space mission. HAL, their computer system, showed strange behaviors that lead to the mind-boggling battle between man and machine.

    Bowman finds himself in a neoclassical bedroom. He sees different versions of himself. First, he was standing in the bedroom, middle-aged man still in his spacesuit, and an old man lying on the bed. When he reached for the monolith at the foot of the bed, he became a fetus enclosed in an orb of light. He floats in space, watching Earth in a distant.

    There are many interpretations for its ending. A lot of its avid fans even study the movie closely by analyzing what the film’s themes. Until now, this film is being dissected, people are still searching for the true meaning of the whole film. Some people think that the movie made an optimistic statement about the future of humanity. However, many also think that it’s about humanity’s doom. The true beauty of this film lies in the viewer’s understanding. Each of us is a judge.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Fandoms and Lists page.