Film General : Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

I would say yes it does. When you're watching a film with no knowlegde that there will be one, it naturally catches you off guard. But if you know there's a twist, whether you like it or not your brain is trying to work out what the twist is instead of focusing on the film. And also, since you're looking for it, you're more likely to guess it (and then go onto online message boards and proclaim "THE TWIST WAS SOO OBVIOUS!")

It's no coincidence that I've enjoyed acclaimed movies with twists where I didn't know it was coming more than those where I did.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yeah definitely. Twists are so much weaker when you're anticipating them.

Same with knowing beforehand if a movie has a happy ending. It totally takes away all the tension knowing that in the end there's nothing to worry about.

I am Senor Velasco, I drink my milk with tabasco

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?


Same with knowing beforehand if a movie has a happy ending. It totally takes away all the tension knowing that in the end there's nothing to worry about.


Agreed. Same with if you know a character appears in a sequel - any scenes of danger with him lack tension because you know he''s gonna make it.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?


Same with if you know a character appears in a sequel - any scenes of danger with him lack tension because you know he''s gonna make it.
Yeah this^ . I always used to get angry at myself for reading too much about a film before seeing it, 60% of the time i'll read something I wish I hadn't even if it's not a twist. These days I try to go in as blind as possible, sometimes I won't even watch the trailers.

"A man chooses. A slave obeys."

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

But what about subsequent viewings then ?

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Subsequent viewings??? Come on Phen, no one watches movies with twists more than once. I mean, were you raised by wolves?

I am Senor Velasco, I drink my milk with tabasco

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Lol. There can be twists in rewatch worthy movies too. Not sure if you're serious.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Haha, okay dude. You just go ahead and rewatch your 'twists' and try to 'enjoy' them. I bet you loooooove The Usual Suspects

*beep* I just ruined that movie for a bunch of people who know nothing about it

I am Senor Velasco, I drink my milk with tabasco

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Damn, I was about to watch that tonight


No just kidding. This movie sucks anyway.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

The twist is Kevin Spacey was dead the whole time

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

f-ck you.

"A man chooses. A slave obeys."

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

This actually brings up another interesting question:

If someone tells you a fake spoiler, does that hamper the viewing for you?

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

It's even worse tbh.

"A man chooses. A slave obeys."

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

That makes it better


Chaos is a laddah.
My Top 100: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls039551665/

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yes. Fake spoilers really DO spoil things worse than knowing the actual "spoiler" because you wait for it and it never happens.


Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

I didn't know about any twist in the movie but still managed to predict that one in the Usual Suspects.

A Cosmic Experience:

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yeah same. A bunch of people on that board insisted that it was literally impossible to predict, but it seemed really obvious

I am Senor Velasco, I drink my milk with tabasco

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yes, but not really in the way you're saying.

For example before watching La La Land I had heard a lot of praise regarding the Audition scene, saying the movie suddenly became something else at that point. So I was expecting something really special to happen here. I was disappointed when it turned out there was nothing out of the ordinary, it was just a normal audition scene shot in an original way. I still don't know what "twist" people were referring to when they were talking about that scene.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yeah
I am glad to have seen the Sixth Sense without expecting anything, sadly I can't do that with Split. I also got spoiled its 'twist' accidentally. Grrrr.

A Cosmic Experience:

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

If it makes you feel any better -

While I was binge watching The Sopranos, my mate texted me the deaths of all the major characters. I averted my gaze once I realized what I was reading but by then the damage was done.

Needless to say, he's no longer around town and I've got an extra addition to my garden shed project, something I like to call the Vlad-The-Impaler wall.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Honestly sometimes. Depends on the film really.


"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway". - Walt Disney

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

I prefer not to know the twist on the first viewing but if it's a good story will readily re-watch and notice things I had not paid much attention to the first time.

Some get re-watched many times Witness for the Prosecution and The Sixth Sense come immediately to mind.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Obviously, it's the best when I'm not expecting it at all. If I know there IS a twist, it doesn't really hamper my enjoyment- I don't even think about it, I just wait and see what will happen.

Unfortunately, I've had movies with the biggest twists (Fight Club, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Usual Suspects, Primal Fear, The Sixth Sense) ALL ruined way before I watched them, so they didn't have as nearly as big an impact on me as I wished it would've. Makes me a little mad, really.

Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life!

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Depends. Usually not.


Chaos is a laddah.
My Top 100: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls039551665/

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Yeah.

I was aware of the Sixth Sense twist prior to seeing it and I feel like I was robbed of my full enjoyment.

Re: Does knowing there's a twist in a movie hamper your enjoyment?

Nah, I'm really bad at figuring them out, so I don't even bother trying, so I just let them happen.

Forgive me, Father, for I have eaten my cast mate.
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