Well, there they are, sheriff; Mr. Creeps and his partner Mr. Crawls.
I've been asked to make a video on plot twists since the beginning of this channel.
But I was always hesitant to do it because I didn't want to spoil a bunch of major plot twists.
I stood by this principle until I came across an interesting study conducted by UC San Diego.
Researchers had one group of participants read several famous books, after the researchers spoiled their endings.
While another group read the books normally.
After reading, each group noted how much they liked each book.
Based on the results, it turns out that if the ending is spoiled to you before you read a book, you actually end up liking the book more.
Not only do I think this study perfectly explains what makes a plot twist great,
I also like it because it helps me justify spoiling some movies.
I'll have to spoil "Now You See Me" and "Primal Fear".
With "The Prestige" having only very minor spoilers.
If you haven't seen one, consider what the study says,
and use this video as an opportunity to recreate the experiment.
So let's get spoiling!
"We're going to follow those dirty feet and find that phantom!"
The common definition of a plot twist is: A totally unexpected outcome to a story.
In "Now You See Me" Dylan Rhodes is an FBI agent, trying to track down the four Horsemen.
But in a shocking twist, it turns out he was the fifth horseman all along.
While I do think the rest of the movie is pretty fun, there is one key reason that this plot twist doesn't really work.
Alfred Hitchcock: "Now you and I sit in here,
suddenly a bomb goes off!"
Thaddeus Bradley: And... the FBI got past them. Not once, not twice, but consistently.
Almost as if they were only in ...
* Silence *
Hitchcock: "Once the audience had watched this scene. 5 or 10 seconds of shock.
* Intro to Scooby-Doo *
"Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?"
"We've got some work to do now!" * Scooby gulps.*
Even though the original shows are pretty simple and predictable,
Scooby-Doo actually adheres to an important principle of good plot twists:
The final payoff always follows the established logic at the beginning of each episode
"They were trying to scare all the heirs off the island."
"Then no one would spend the night and they would keep control of the fortune"
We get just enough information in the beginning, so that when the twist does happen, it's satisfying.
Since there was always that looming feeling that you know who did it.
"Creeps and Crawls. They sure picked the right lawyers for this job!"
The "Now You See Me" twist, has this element missing. It follows very little established logic.
The complete rewriting of the character, from a clumsy FBI agent to a cunning genius
means there was really no way to see this plot twist coming.
And that is why its not very satisfying, and relies too heavily on shock.
"The Prestige" is the perfect balance, between the shock value of the "Now You See Me" twist,
and the predictable, but logical twists of Scooby-Doo.
Twenty minutes into the movie, we've technically been told enough to predict the plot twist.
But Christopher Nolan leaves just enough information out,
to make the ending an amazing shock, that still follows established logic.
Hitchcock: "Now, we do the scene over again, but we tell the audience:
there's a bomb underneath this table, and it's gonna go off in five minutes."
Off-shot: "You're looking for the secret, but you won't find it."
"Because of course, you're not REALLY looking"
The best plot twist is the one that can create the biggest surprise, without ruining the established logic.
Because at the end of the day, the twist in "Now You See Me" isn't actually that satisfying.
It's a complete rewrite of his character for a cheap surprise.
It's not particularly interesting to change 100% of a character's personality, that has been built up throughout the whole movie.
So, how do you do this in a surprising, but also entertaining way?
In "Primal Fear", the plot twist is similar, but with one key difference.
In the movie, an altar boy is accused of murdering an archbishop.
The lawyer gets him off: "not guilty by reason of insanity",
because the boy tests positive for multiple personality disorder.
The film ends with a final scene, before the altar boy is moved to a psychiatric hospital.
Here he reveals he faked it the whole time to get a short sentence.
"There never was: 'an Aaron', counsellor."
It may seem like pure shock, but this ending is actually carefully woven into the logic of the story.
Throughout the movie we're not sure which personality he is. Or when he's about to change his identity.
So we've always had this feeling that he wasn't who he says he was.
But the shock is still fantastic,
because we go from being on his side, to him tricking everybody in the story (including us),
and switching to an antagonist at the very end.
We got the information, but it's still a surprise.
And it's what separates the good plot twists, from the bad ones.
Hitchcock: "In order to get suspense you provide the audience with a certain amount of information.
Aaron: "Come on buddy, I thought you had it figured there at the end."
Hitchcock continues: "and leave the rest of it, to their own imagination."
Aaron: "But to tell you the truth. I am glad you figured it,
because i have been dying to tell you! Ha!"
Give them just enough to see it coming, but not enough to expect it
(Whispered): "I see dead people."
I think the best way to test a good plot twist is if the movie is re-watchable.
Because once you know the twist ending, (if the ending is a good one).
Then it's just as fun (if not more fun), to go back and see where they hint at that twist ending.
"Are you watching closely?"
And I think that's why the study shows: how spoiling a book before reading it, makes it more enjoyable.
The suspense of the ending makes the path getting there that much more exciting.
And maybe that's why lots of stories spoil the ending at the very beginning.
"And me! I'm the damn fool that shot him!"
Because as much as it's about the plot twists, it's about HOW you get there.
So feel free to watch something, even if you know how it ends.
Because who knows? Maybe you'll like it even more.
"Then bring the dog and come in. The others are waiting inside."
* dramatic music *
* Scooby-Doo gulps *
Thanks for watching!
* Intro to Scooby-Doo *: "Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?"
Fading out: "We've got some work to do now!"