Why is it that Hollywood keeps insisting on having a happy ending every single time?

Not that I’m a pessimist, ask anyone, I am quite the opposite, but doesn’t watching the same ole same ole get old?

I saw Eagle Eye the other day and the ending really was unsatisfying even though, conventionally, one would consider it a happy ending.

*side note: Anthony Mackie from The Hurt Locker is also in Eagle Eye!*

A character (I’m not going to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it) gets shot a few times. And from the looks of things, it was probably fatal.

I was bummed that character died but I accepted his/her fate and thought it was a good end to that character. He/she died nobly. I quietly mourned for that character then I quickly got over and shifted my concentration back to the story.

But low and behold, Hollywood wouldn’t let a popular character go out that way. Eagle Eye pulled a fast one on me and that character isn’t actually dead!

Wait a minute. I already accepted his/her death. Why would you bring him/her back and toy with my emotions like that, Hollywood?

*another side note: War of the World does this too and it’s totally stupid. Even more so than Eagle Eye*

When I first started watching foreign films, I noticed that a majority of these movies have pretty unsatisfying endings, at least by my American standard. Someone dies, they all die, the two lovers don’t end up together, etc.

Man, were the Germans, French, etc downers or what?

Now, though, I like a mix. I don’t want it to be a typical movie ending where everything works out and they live happily ever after; that’s not how life always works out. People do die, they don’t always end up together, etc.

Plus, it’s so predictable.

I feel that Hollywood is cheating us somehow. They can’t come up with a more unique ending and just do the cop-out ending where everything works out and all the loose ends are tied in the end.

Come on, Hollywood. You can do better than that.