Endings in Disney movies are usually happy. Although they may offer some unexpected twists, in the end something happens that makes people renew their hope. In the last few years, Disney has diversified the stories and the ways to tell them, but continuing with the formula of positive messages, allowing the audience to believe in a better world.
Happiness is not present in every detail of Disney's endings since they instead show some harsher realities and bittersweet moments that make people appreciate life, family and friends more than ever. But sometimes, these endings do not have the desired effect on the audience, causing them to doubt whether it was the best closing these characters could have. Here are Disney's five best endings and five more that missed the mark.
GREAT: The Lion King (1994)
The original The Lion King is one of the best Disney movies ever made, period. This classic has a powerful message, a magnificent production, and one of the best Disney soundtracks of all time, with songs like "Can You Fell The Love Tonight" and "The Circle of Life," just to name a few. Incidentally, the latter song encapsulates the film's message, which is fulfilled in the final minutes.
Simba, after running away from his community and responsibilities, takes control of his destiny and continues the circle of life. Simba is transformed by recognizing the path he must follow, and, the audience sees him mature and take responsibility, until he reaches that end which is connected to the beginning of the film.
DISAPPOINTING: One Hundred & One Dalmatians (1961)
The Disney classic One Hundred and One Dalmatians is a nostalgic gem that children and adults love. Its characters are unforgettable, and it also has one of the most famous villains of the cinema. This charisma of the main characters motivated Disney to bet on this story on several occasions.
At the end of the movie, all the dogs return home and Roger promises to live in a farm to have more space for them. Although it seems like a happy ending, it's not really convincing since realistically, raising more than a hundred dogs even in a farm would be incredibly difficult. Beyond the family values, this ending lacked the realistic vision and lessons that Disney's later films aren't afraid to acknowledge.
GREAT: Cars (2006)
Pixar's Cars has a lot of fans who love car racing and automobiles in general. Disney nailed this story perfectly, as it not only fascinated children but also attracted an adult audience.
The main character, Lightning McQueen, is selfish and presumptuous at the beginning of the movie, but a drastic change in his life allows him to learn what true friendship is. During the last few minutes, viewers enjoy a change in his behavior, when McQueen prefers to stop and help a downed racer, remembering that winning is not the most important thing in life.
DISAPPOINTING: Chicken Little (2005)
Chicken Little not only has a disappointing ending, but it is also notably the one Disney production with the lowest public support. The movie didn't captivate audiences the way previous Disney features did, but it did convince Disney to not only advance the technical aspects of their movies but to also rethink its approach to storytelling in the modern age, so not all was lost.
Although Chicken Little starts out with an original enough premise, the constant effort to pander to audiences via trend-chasing and its relentlessly unfunny humor can tire viewers out. In the end, Chicken Little insists on tugging at audiences' sympathies but it fails to do so because everything beforehand was treated as a joke.
GREAT: Inside Out (2015)
This is one of the best Disney productions to date because it inspires reflection, stimulates emotions, amuses and manages to put spectators in touch with their feelings. With a complex plot, Inside Out managed to get viewers of all ages interested, providing moments of a certain lightness that allowed children to understand but without ignoring deep characters.
The end of Inside Out takes the viewer on a journey not only through the depths of the Riley's mind, but also shows the psyche of her parents and members of her community. These scenes are very funny but more importantly, they help viewers understand that they are not alone and that change and hard feelings such as sadness help usher growth.
DISAPPOINTING: Pocahontas (1995)
The animated adaptation of the story of Pocahontas was made to show an intense romantic story. However, it was not a success like The Lion King, which premiered shortly before, because the formula they tried with other Disney princesses did not work here, considering that it was not adjusted to the personality expected of Pocahontas.
The film is freely adapted from a true story, where John Smith and Pocahontas did meet but apparently never fell in love. Although the overall adaptation is acceptable, the ending falls short. Pocahontas says goodbye to John Smith and sees him leave on a boat; in other words, the happy ending that was being built up to just came to a screeching halt.
GREAT: Wall-E (2008)
Pixar's Wall-E represents Disney's breakthrough in storytelling and production. This film does not disappoint anyone and can be considered a masterful and mature piece that shows, in a hard way, the fate that humanity could have if people do not become aware of environmental issues.
In the end, love prevails; EVE reconstructs Wall-E and fears that he has lost his memory, but EVE's perseverance and gestures of affection make the robot remember the past. On the other hand, humans return to Earth with the hope of being able to make better environmental decisions that will allow them to inhabit the planet in a sustainable and friendly way.
DISAPPOINTING: Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
Ralph's story is excellent and his second adventure showed its great creative, narrative and technical qualities. In Ralph Breaks the Internet, Disney used the criticism and mockery they have received over the years as part of the gags, showing that no one beats them when it comes to making fun of themselves.
That being said, it is interesting that Disney ventured into an ending where not everyone is happy and where individual dreams prevail rather than collective ones. However, it is still a bit disappointing to see how Vanellope seems like she's never happy and is able to risk the lives of others for a happiness that may be short-lived at best. Giving this ending a bit more thought reveals some glitches hiding in plain sight.
GREAT: Toy Story 3 (2010)
All the Toy Story films have been excellent, but the third one shows a particular depth, with a message addressed to those who grew up with the previous films. The story has the ideal formula to make a successful sequel without lowering the quality in the creative aspect. Toy Story 3 kept the pace until the end, and even served as the grand finale for a while.
Here, Woody, Buzz and what's left of Andy's original gang of toys have the most exciting and moving adventure of all: their owner has grown up and they will never be a part of his life again. No Toy Story fan could hold back their tears at the end, when Andy gives away all his toys. This was a perfect ending that showed that life has stages that we soon grow out of and the healthiest thing is to do is to move forward while making peace with the past.
DISAPPOINTING: Toy Story 4 (2019)
Although Toy Story 4 tells a good adventure among friends, it does not reach the emotional levels of the previous ones. The ending, where Woody takes a different path from that of his friends, is simply not convincing.
Although the reasoning that Woody finds his own destiny is understandable, it doesn't seem consistent with his way of being. Besides, the ending of Toy Story 3 is basically perfect and following it up would be difficult, to say the least. But even so, Toy Story 4 is still superior compared to many other films that tackle the same ideas.