MovieChat Forums > Warning Sign (1985) Discussion > I liked it, Except For the Ending (endin...

I liked it, Except For the Ending (ending spoiler)

posted 19 years ago by CMRKeyboadist
11 replies | jump to latest

The movie has some great atmosphere. Almost reminiscent of Alien. And there were some generally creepy moments in the movie. My only complaint was how it ended. Sam Waterston and Kathleen Quinlan escape after giving everyone the anti-virus and it just ends with a few cheesy lines and goes to the credits. Maybe my mind is a little warped from watching movies like The Crazies or Night of the Living Dead but I think this movie would have had much more of an impact if the stars had all died. Just my opinion, but what does anyone else think?

[–] flcnesbitt 18 years ago

the film did kinda FALL FLAT at the end.

[–] RogelioP 17 years ago

Agreed, also felt the ending was bland and just offered a quick get away to make room for the final credits. The movie builds up well and is entertaining, but the Hollywood 'saved by the bell' routine wears thin... perhaps the story should just have had the infection run its course and close with an open end, ie.: the impending finger pointing blame game that such an event would bring in the aftermath of the incident.

[–] WarpedRecord 16 years ago

It seemed like a typical "feel-good" Hollywood ending to a film that otherwise takes its share of chances. Still, this was an enjoyable film with strong performances. I gave it 6 out of 10 stars.

[–] CMRKeyboadist 16 years ago

It was certainly enjoyable. Even if the story has been done before. I guess I just think back to the Romero film "The Crazies" and how that had a perfect ending.

[–] annabanana52000 16 years ago

Oh, I loved the ending, cheesy lines and all. I think that if all of the characters had died, the movie would have moved from "cult B-movie" status to "depressing horror drama" movie status.
I liked the feel good ending. The whole movie is filled with tense and dramatic scenes, so I feel the ending was a reassuring sigh of relief, like a balloon slowly deflating.

"You're incapable is exciting me, Steele, except as an anthropological curiosity."
Day of the Dead

[–] grumbel 15 years ago

An 'everybody dies' ending is just as much cliche as a typical Hollywood ending. It is also lazy writing, as it frees the writer from figuring out a way to get out of the mess he has created. In so far I prefer a good ending most of the time.

That said, the ending here was a little to cheesy and easy. Once they had the cure and applied it without any issue, everybody still alive just walked away without even being checked by a doctor or thinking about all the people that had died. So a little less smiling and a few more hazmat suits would have been very welcome.

Another general thing that was a little annoying was the complete incompetence of almost all of the personal. You'd think people working in a bio lab wouldn't try to work around quarantine right from the very start and be a little more patience instead and follow proper procedure, especially in a movie that has a relatively realistic tone to it.

Those issues aside, a very nice movie overall.

[–] CMRKeyboadist 15 years ago

Well, I do agree with the "everyone dying" being a cliche ending but I think it would have worked better than the lackluster ending this movie had.

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[–] kerryedavis 12 years ago

Except remember, most of the people working there, thought they were just working on a new kind of corn or something.

I really enjoyed it overall from the first time I saw it, on a rental tape many years ago. And now I have it in widescreen/letterbox from Fox Movie Channel! Yahoo!

But what really got me at the end is that the INJECTED cure was just sprayed into the air, and that was supposed to take care of everyone? I have to call BS on that.

[–] trekkie313 11 years ago

The ending was at least more plausible than Dustin Hoffman being chased by the big bad US Military and creating a cure instantly with monkey blood in Outbreak.

But what really got me at the end is that the INJECTED cure was just sprayed into the air, and that was supposed to take care of everyone? I have to call BS on that.

It wasn't the cure, it was a some kind disinfecting/anti-biotic solution to clean the building and quarantined.

"Listen, do you smell something? -Ray Stantz"

[–] Lobo305 13 years ago

I think the ending was intentionally written in such a way in order to point out the casual attitude and elation once the initial outbreak was 'contained.' Basically, it's a 'warning sign' that an accident can happen again and next time we might not be so lucky.

The response team was too comfortable in assuming all bases were covered but you see that some minor detail - such as contact lenses - almost led to a massive situation that could have leveled a city / state / region.

"El riesgo vive siempre!"

[–] TakeARisk 9 years ago

Yup. Extremely dumb and weak ending.