[Perry] It’s All in the Twist

Note: This post contains all kinds of spoilers for plot twisty movies. Reader discretion is advised.

No, not the dance.

Though if you want to dance, feel free to dance as you read. I’m hardly about to stop you.

Today we’ll be talking about plot twists, primarily because I recently read an interesting article about them and also because Wednesdays hereabouts the internets is Perry day and I can talk about whatever I want, so nyah!

Cough, anyway…

Much Ado About Plot Twists

I’d never really thought too heavily about them before. I mean, I read and watch them, right? But I never thought too deeply on what it was that made a plot twist great instead of just okay, if you catch my drift.

There were definitely plot twists that I enjoyed more than others. Plot twists abound that made me just sit there, jaw on the floor, trying to put together what the hell had just happened.

And there were other plot twists that made me want to throw my keyboard/tv remote/kindle across the room (or, alternatively, at the person who recommended me the piece of media).

So what’s the difference between them?

Predictability

That’s the key word we’re looking for here. Predictability. A good plot twist is something you don’t see something.

Now you may be thinking, why the hell would Perry be telling us something so uselessly circular? It’s OBVIOUS, right? Of COURSE a good plot twist is something you don’t see coming, that’s part of the definition of a plot twist.

Nope.

Not quite.

The key is, who is that twist directed to?

The One-Night Stand of Plot Twists

If you stop to think about it, it is EASY as balls to fool your intended audience. By hook or by crook, you can simply omit enough information from the story that they have no way of knowing what’s coming up until it actually hits.

It’s easy, and it’s cheap. And largely speaking? That kind of plot twist is not very effective.

Some examples of these? What I’ve always found to be the most heinous ones? Are the ones where characters that you watch die on screen magically come back to life from behind the curtain in the third act…often in a completely nonsensical manner.

Have you seen The Wolverine or Prometheus? A character that’s reported dead near the beginning of the film (and is actually seen dying and has a funeral in one case), magically just…steps into the scene in the final act to play the villain or whatever.

The characters act all shocked, but a lot of the oomph is taken away from the audience reaction because we have NO way of knowing this is going to happen. There are no clues. There’s no lead-up.

It’s basically the one-night stand of plot twists. And it sucks.

The Great First Date of Plot Twists

A level up from the one night stands is the great first date. These are the twists where you kind of figure it out about halfway into the story. This way, you can appreciate the little nods and clues that get sprinkled about, and you can still appreciate the dawning realization of the protagonist when it finally hits them.

The two big ones that come to mind for me is Shutter Island, and Predestination.

In both of these stories, I was in the dark, alongside the character for the first half.

Little clues started piling up around that point. Not enough to break it wide open, but more than enough to give me a pretty good idea of how the ending would play out.

In both cases, I wasn’t disappointed. Being able to appreciate the slow leading of the characters to the truth while sort of being “in” on the joke made me appreciate the experience that much more.

The True Love of Plot Twists

The best of the best twists? Are not just the ones that fool you, as the audience, but also fools the character, right up until the last moment.

While it’s great to be able to predict the outcome and enjoy the artistry of how the character is being led around by the nose, it’s an altogether different experience to get the rug pulled out from under you, right alongside the character themselves.

The examples are iconic, classic, and easily stand the test of time.

Moments like the end of Memento or the big reveal in Fight Club. Or the beheading of a certain title character in the first Game of Thrones novel that set the tone for the rest of the series?

These are the twists and stories that stand the test of time and stay with you.

Caveat

Not all things are the same to all people.

Depending on your level of comprehension for the little clues, or how much attention you’re paying when you’re experiencing a story…

And more importantly? Depending on how willing you are to let yourself be led around in a circle before the reveal? Some plot twists may fall up and down the scale for you.

What I think is important when dissecting what makes an okay plot twist great, is the intention behind it (within reason, of course).

Generally speaking, what I’ve found is that the best plot twists intend to pull the rug out from under the audience AND the characters at the same time.

It’s a shocked surprise that you’re supposed to share with the character you’ve grown to like that really sells the twist and makes it work.

What about you guys? If you had to name, off the top of your head, the best and the worst plot twist you’ve experienced at the hands of a book or movie or story, what would they be? What made them work or not work for you?

 

 

 

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[Perry] Wherein Not All Things Need To Be Ambitious
[Perry] Amnesia
[Perry] Resonance