The Effect of Ambiguous Plot Devices in Film on Audience Satisfaction

Abstract

This research article examines the use of uncertain communication in the form of ambiguous messaging in cinema and the effects that these messages may have on the audiences that view these movies in theaters. This research also covers pre-existing stigma attached to ambiguous communication, its uses, and where ambiguity can be found. Simultaneously, this article defines audience satisfaction within the context of everyday communication as well as that of cinematic context. This paper aims to connect themes of ambiguous messaging to the film industry through the examination of three films, the presence of ambiguity within them, and the formal critic and audience reviews that can be equated to those films as a result of their use of ambiguity. This article may provide essential knowledge for filmmakers concerning the general reactions to ambiguity in cinema; otherwise, the findings stipulated here should interest film critics and anyone that considers themselves an avid movie goer due to its focus on classic and popular cinema.