25 Movies That Could Have Ended in 10 Minutes If the Main Character Made Smarter Decisions

Sometimes, a movie’s entire plot hinges on a single decision. Imagine if the main characters in some of our favorite films made smarter choices right from the start.

We’d probably have much shorter movies! Here’s a look at films where a little bit of common sense or a different decision by the main character could have wrapped things up in just 10 minutes.

1. “Home Alone”

If Kevin McCallister had simply informed a neighbor or the police about being left behind, the entire cat-and-mouse game with the burglars could have been avoided.

2. “Jurassic Park”

Had the characters in this dinosaur thriller adhered to safety protocols and not made reckless decisions (like turning off the park’s security systems), the catastrophic events might have been prevented.

3. “Romeo and Juliet” (1996)

This classic tale of tragic romance might have had a different outcome if Romeo and Juliet had communicated better or thought through their impulsive actions.

4. “The Hangover”

If the characters had stayed sober or kept better track of their friend Doug, they could have avoided their wild and chaotic search across Las Vegas.

5. “Titanic”

While the disaster was largely unavoidable, certain decisions by Rose (like not sharing the floating door with Jack) could have changed the film’s iconic, yet tragic ending.

6. “Finding Nemo”

Nemo’s disobedience and Marlin’s overprotectiveness set the stage for this underwater adventure. A little more caution from Nemo would have kept him safe at home.

7. “Horror Movies in General”

Many horror films like “Scream” or “Friday the 13th” feature characters who make notoriously poor decisions, like investigating strange noises alone or splitting up in dangerous situations, which often lead to the film’s thrilling, yet potentially avoidable, conflicts.

8. “Frozen”

If Elsa had communicated her powers to Anna earlier or if Anna had been a bit more cautious about her impulsive engagement, the eternal winter could have been avoided.

9. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”

The whole journey to destroy the ring could arguably be cut short if they had used the eagles to fly directly to Mount Doom, though this is a debated point among fans.

10. “The Little Mermaid”

Ariel could have avoided a lot of trouble if she had directly communicated with her father King Triton about her feelings for Prince Eric instead of striking a deal with Ursula.

11. “Dumb and Dumber”

The entire cross-country trip to return a briefcase in this comedy could have been avoided if the characters had a bit more common sense.

12. “Superman”

In many Superman movies, if Clark Kent used his powers more efficiently or revealed his identity to Lois Lane sooner, numerous conflicts could be resolved quicker.

13. “Pirates of the Caribbean”

Jack Sparrow’s convoluted plans often lead to unnecessary adventures that could have been more straightforward with clearer decision-making.

14. “Labyrinth”

If Sarah hadn’t wished her brother away to the Goblin King in a moment of frustration, the entire fantastical and perilous journey through the labyrinth would have been unnecessary.

15. “The Wizard of Oz”

If Dorothy had learned about the power of the ruby slippers earlier, she could have returned to Kansas almost immediately after arriving in Oz.

16. “The Hangover”

A lot of the chaos in this film could have been avoided if the main characters had been more responsible and aware during their night out in Las Vegas.

17. “Twilight”

If Bella had stayed away from Edward after learning he was a vampire, or if Edward had been more upfront about the dangers of their relationship, the saga could have been much shorter.

18. “Jaws”

If the beaches of Amity Island were closed at the first sign of the shark threat, it could have prevented the attacks.

19. “Avatar”

If Jake Sully had immediately reported the intentions of the humans to exploit Pandora, it might have prevented the conflict between the Na’vi and the humans.

20. “Peter Pan”

If Peter had chosen to grow up or Wendy had decided not to follow him to Neverland, the whole adventure could have been avoided.

21. “Cinderella”

If Cinderella had stood up to her stepmother and stepsisters or sought help earlier, she might not have needed a fairy godmother’s intervention.

22. “Beauty and the Beast”

If Belle’s father hadn’t wandered into the Beast’s castle, Belle wouldn’t have needed to take his place, bypassing the entire story.

23. “Alice in Wonderland”

If Alice had not followed the White Rabbit out of curiosity, she would never have fallen into Wonderland’s bizarre adventures.

24. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

If Ferris had simply gone to school, his elaborate day off, including deceiving his parents and principal, would not have happened.

25. “Tangled”

If Rapunzel had confronted Mother Gothel about her true parentage earlier or not ventured out of the tower, her journey would have been much shorter.

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