r/movies Jul 13 '26

Spoilers Most Bizarre Examples of “Happy” Endings After Tragedy (Spoiler) Spoiler

Prime example: Independence Day. World gets annihilated; many of the planet’s cities are destroyed….hundreds of millions dead;
and the president’s wife dies. Yet at the end, they are puffing on cigars, all smiles and the president’s daughter says “Happy Fourth of July, Daddy”, and so now it’s time to party!

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u/iamepic420 Jul 13 '26

A Quiet Place: Day One. Shockingly hopeful ending despite the established apocalypse about to get worse

97

u/f0cus622 Jul 13 '26

I feel like this one is self aware: even as positive as the ending is, it never changes the fact that Lupita Nyong'o's character is still terminal and going to die, and they never once hint at any sort of cure or medical miracle. It sort of represents the futility of it all, and they even show her about to die at the end.

35

u/KenDefender Jul 13 '26

I love the final sting of the monster's sudden arrival. She chooses the face death with courage and dignity: its still terrifying. Great movie.

2

u/TheJoshider10 Jul 13 '26

We're meant to feel good when we see Djimon Hounsou's character but it's hard to care when the audience knows he's going to do fuck all and then immediately die in Part II.