9 Movies That Never Reveal Their Killer's Identity
These mysterious movies keep audiences guessing until the very end.
Megan is Missing
Megan is Missing is a found footage horror that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats with its chilling portrayal of the villain. The antagonist of the movie is harder to identify since viewers never see him clearly and never learn his name. In the disquieting finale, he films the assault and murder of the movie’s heroine Amy, leaving the still-living Amy to perish in a barrel that contains her friend’s decomposing body. With such a grim and brutal ending, it is easy to see why Megan Is Missing’s remake never happened.
Amy (Amber Perkins) talking to the camera (her webcam) in Megan is Missing.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
The Poughkeepsie Tapes takes an interesting approach to its unknown killer by portraying him as a mysterious figure named Edward Carver. However, despite the police knowing his name, they have never seen his face. The movie is filled with numerous disturbing snuff movies that give it its title, but the killer's identity remains a haunting mystery until the end. The despondent detectives wonder whether Carver will watch the movie itself before it is implied that he claims yet another victim off-screen.
a masked woman in The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Zodiac
Zodiac brings the harrowing story of the Zodiac murders to life onscreen, leaving audiences with an ambiguous ending. The movie follows a cop, a political cartoonist, and a journalist who attempt to bring the killer to justice by decoding the cryptic letters that he sent the police. However, since the real-life Zodiac killer was never caught, the movie inevitably ends without uncovering its mysterious murderer. Despite the lack of closure, Zodiac manages to make its ending feel tragic and terrifying by focusing on unsettling recreations of the killer’s crimes.
Jake Gyllenhaal's Robert Graysmith and Robert Downey Jr's Paul Avery trying to solve a puzzle in Zodiac.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The original 1976 movie sticks to the facts of the tragic case that inspired it, portraying the Texarkana Moonlight Murders committed by a killer known only as the Phantom. The movie brings their crimes to life onscreen with unnerving accuracy, making it feel like a grounded portrayal of a real-life tragedy that has left police baffled to this day. The film's commitment to historical accuracy results in a compelling portrayal of an unsolved mystery.
The Phantom standing in the dark wearing a mask in Town That Dreaded Sundown
Memories of Murder
The haunting Memories of Murder recounts the true story of two detectives who pursued a serial murderer through Hwaseong throughout the late ‘80s. In a devastating twist, the police never catch the culprit, leaving the movie with a lack of closure. The unusual ending, where a young girl tells the hero about a man reminiscing at the site of one of the murders, breaks the fourth wall, leaving viewers with a sense of unease and mystery.
Kang ho Song stares at the camera in the ending scene from Memories of Murder
The Open House
The Open House offers viewers no answers about the unseen murderer who systematically hunts down its characters. The film's uniquely bleak ending leaves the audience with a feeling of disarming pointlessness, as the killer gets away with the killings without ever revealing their identity or motive. This lack of resolution adds to the overall sense of mystery and despair.
Dylan Minette's Logan stands holding a flashlight as someone approaches him with a knife in The Open House
The Strangers
The Strangers sees an unhappy couple besieged by a trio of masked intruders whose identities and motives are never revealed. This departure from genre conventions makes their killing spree all the more terrifying, leaving audiences with an unsettling sense of unease. The lack of explanation behind the killers' actions adds an element of mystery and unpredictability to the movie's chilling narrative.
The pin-up girl stands in a living room in The Strangers
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri is a moving dramedy that revolves around the brutal murder of a teenage girl. Despite the various offbeat characters learning, growing, and changing throughout the story, the person who committed the crime is never brought to justice. The movie challenges viewers to question their perception of reprisal and the concept of justice, leaving them with a sense of moral ambiguity and unresolved tension.
Mildred in front of her billboards in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Black Christmas (1974)
Black Christmas, a classic slasher movie, sets itself apart by never actually explaining its villain. The movie keeps the identity of the villain a mystery, building tension and suspense throughout. The lack of closure surrounding the villain's identity contributes to the film's enduring legacy as a chilling and enigmatic piece of horror cinema.
Olivia Hussey's Jess standing in a doorway with a lit wreath in Black Christmas 1974
