Home > Blog >

What is a plot twist? Discover the 5 biggest ones in cinema

What is a plot twist? Discover the 5 biggest ones in cinema

CCAA plot twist It is a device used in cinema and refers to a twist in the plot, completely changing the course of the events narrated there. In real life, this happens all the time – after all, who has never planned a day in the morning and before lunch it already had a completely different rhythm, right?

Thinking about us plot twists of films – and of life –, the CCAA has prepared complete content to better explain how these changes in the script work and mainly why knowing English terms in cinema can help in the language study process.

And oh, there's also a little list of the biggest ones plot twists from the cinema to see the application of this concept in practice! Wait for it!

Learn more about the plot twist and how it works

This term refers to a sudden change in the direction the story was taking. This change in meaning is one of the most used resources by directors of films, series or animations – and can even be applied to books.

The choice to make a change to the plot causes that surprise, makes everything more interesting, increases expectations about the consequences that the change generated and creates a huge impact on the audience.

The resource can be used in many different ways, but there are two that stand out and are continually applied in films of different genres:

  • “flashbacks”: happen when, suddenly or not, a memory or a scene from an event in the past passes through the character's mind – and takes over our screen. Almost like an epiphany happens and is capable of completely changing the audience's view of a specific fact;
  • revelations in the midst of a discussion: occurs when a person who everyone believes to be the good guy in the story ends up letting slip that, in reality, he is the big villain behind the events of the film.

Using this technique makes the audience talk more about the story with other people, almost as if they were doing free advertising for the work – and what author doesn’t want that, right? That’s why, even though this “narrative trick” is already known to the public, the film industry continues to use it.

CCAA plot twist is one of those words that are widely used in cinematography and can easily be inserted into your vocabulary. So that you don't say that you don't know how to say it, here is CCAA's tip on the phonetics of pronunciation:

plot twist: tweet

That's how you talk!

5 films that show what a plot twist unforgettable

There are some classics that everyone has heard of with a surprising event in the middle of the plot, but newer films have also served up excellent plot twists and made it onto our list of 5 memorable twists.

So check out now which works we have selected and be careful because from here on down we cannot avoid big spoilers!

1. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

“Avengers: Endgame” was a box office success and took everyone by surprise. This release concluded the plot of the group of heroes who sought to resolve the chaos created by Thanos (Josh Brolin), the great villain who eliminated half of the population of the universe.

Fans were hoping that the good guys would be able to reverse the snapping of the fingers that happened in the previous film, but no one was ready for that. plot twist of which, In the first few minutes of the film, the heroes would be able to kill Thanos.

On social media, you can find countless videos of the reactions of those who were at the cinema sessions to see the premiere and it can be said that this change of direction in the script had the desired result.

2. Get out! (2017)

“Get Out” was the horror and suspense film that earned Jordan Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The plot revolves around Rose (Alisson Williams) and Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), and the fact that the girl is taking her boyfriend to meet her parents. An important point for the story is that the protagonist is a black man and his girlfriend is a white woman.

CCAA plot twist The story of this film is that Rose's family is involved with a conspiracy group that kidnaps black people to use their bodies in surgeries that allow other characters to extend their lives. By the time the protagonist discovers his girlfriend's real intentions in taking him there, it is already too late. and from then on we have to follow Chris's escape attempt to save his own life.

After watching this work, many people reported that they expected other mysteries, but they never imagined that the story would follow the path it did.

3. Fight Club (1999)

“Fight Club” is one of the greatest classics when we talk about what it is plot twist. This story tells the story of Edward Norton's encounter with Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt. When they meet, the protagonist ends up starting a club that allows the participants to fight each other as long as they can, which generates several controversies in the character's life.

The twist in this plot comes when the audience discovers that, in fact, Tyler is just a projection of Edward's mind. In other words, the man the protagonist blamed for all the events at the Club was actually himself. Tyler Durden was a personality created by Norton's head.

4. The sixth sense (1999)

In “The Sixth Sense” we follow the case of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a child who sees spirits, and child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis). The professional tries to help the young medium understand the reason for these apparitions and deal with this ability to see dead people.

At the end of the film, the big plot twist is revealed and we discover that Crowe was actually already dead due to an event at the beginning of the story, being another of the spirits that Sear could see.

5. Star Wars: The Empire strikes back (1980)

Episode V of the Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamil) saga tells the story of how the young Jedi, who seeks to defeat Darth Vader, finally meets his adversary face to face, fighting an epic and memorable battle. At one point in the battle, the great plot twist of this film is revealed. Luke thought his father had been killed by Vader, while the truth is that the villain is Skywalker's progenitor.

The sentence “I am your father!” has never been forgotten by fans of the fiction genre.. The sequels to this saga hold even more surprises, but to find out what they are you will have to watch the films.

Here is our tip for learning English while having fun with the best film productions: use subtitles while listening to the lines in the original language, this helps you memorize new terms and improve your listening.

Now that you know what it is about plot twist and what are the greatest examples of this concept on the big screen, take the opportunity to learn more about the vocabulary of this area. So, It will be easier to understand conversations about your favorite productions without language being a barrier. Follow the blog CCAA to learn more foreign expressions that are part of your daily life!

See you next time!

Check out other articles

Most used words in English: check out the list!

British and American English: What are the differences?

How to say “hi, how are you” in English? 14 options with CCAA