15 Movies With the Biggest Twists That Come Early, (Spoilers)

When we talk about plot twists, we tend to focus on the ones that happen at the end of a film, or at the very least, during the third and final act. We can think about a dozen movies where their endings reframe everything we know about the story, but what about plot twists that happen early on?

They aren’t meant to reformulate every aspect of the movie, but they do work as a way to break our expectations. These are some early plot twists audiences didn’t see coming, so if a movie you haven’t seen yet appears, be wary of spoilers.

Gravity

Director Alfonso Cuaron makes a bold move by having George Clooney float off into space halfway through. Taking out a massive star early on leaves the audience completely unmoored for the rest of the survival story.

The Cabin in the Woods

Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon made this 2011 movie look like a standard slasher. However, it quickly reveals itself to be a hilarious satire rather than straight horror, putting a completely different spin on the scares.

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock famously subverted expectations by placing a massive plot twist right at the midway point. Taking out the apparent main character so early left audiences completely shocked and unsure of where the story could go next.

The Place Beyond the Pines

This 2012 crime drama sets up Ryan Gosling as the main focus before shifting gears completely. The story moves on to follow Bradley Cooper as a police officer, breaking the narrative into three distinct, linear chapters.

Executive Decision

Action fans fully expected Steven Seagal to save the day on a hijacked airliner. Instead, his rescue team leader is suddenly eliminated early in the mission, forcing Kurt Russell to step up as an intelligence consultant.

From Dusk Till Dawn

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino start this 1996 film as a gritty crime story about two brothers taking hostages. Once they reach a desert saloon, it abruptly shifts genres entirely to defend against a much wilder threat.

Audition

What begins as a slow and dramatic look at the casting process eventually takes a very dark turn. The story builds tension quietly before ripping the rug out and plunging into a completely different kind of nightmare.

Barbarian

At the end of the first act, something terrible happens to Keith in the secret basement tunnels. The movie then takes a hard, unexpected pivot to Justin Long happily driving along the sunny coast, totally confusing viewers.

Miracle Mile

Steve De Jarnatt directed this 1988 thriller starring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham. It starts like a quirky romantic comedy before an early, terrifying phone call shifts the entire movie into a desperate apocalyptic race against time.

Gone Girl

David Fincher directed this 2014 psychological thriller starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. The mystery of a missing wife reveals its true hand much earlier than expected, forcing you to watch the rest of the chaos unfold.

One Cut of the Dead

This zombie comedy sets up a very specific, low budget premise before completely changing the game. A massive plot twist hits right around the halfway point, entirely recontextualizing everything you just spent the last hour watching.

The Hunt

What looks like a standard survival thriller quickly subverts expectations by eliminating characters you assume are the heroes. Pulling these surprises early on keeps the audience completely off balance as the real protagonist finally steps forward.

Deep Blue Sea

Renny Harlin directed this 1999 science fiction thriller. It features a wildly unexpected moment where a major leader giving an inspiring speech is abruptly taken out of the picture, leaving the surviving crew scrambling for an escape.

Red Eye

A seemingly normal conversation on a late flight suddenly turns into a tense hostage situation. Dropping the charming facade so early in the journey traps both the main character and the audience in a very claustrophobic nightmare.

Death Proof

Quentin Tarantino directed this 2007 slasher starring Kurt Russell as a menacing stuntman. Just when you get attached to the first group of characters, the story takes a jarring turn, introducing a completely new cast for the remainder.