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Plot Summary

Tower (2016) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 96 min · English
JustWatch #33,301 8
Directed by
Keith Maitland

In 1966, a sniper’s deadly rampage shocked the University of Texas campus. As the tower's elevator carried fear upwards, lives were suspended in a precarious balance during 96 agonizing minutes. The film combines archival footage with rotoscopic animation to present the firsthand accounts of heroes and survivors. It reenacts the tragic events and explores the aftermath, examining humanity's capacity for both destruction and resilience, and forever changing the campus and the nation.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 How it ends
  4. 4 Movies like Tower
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Tower (2016)

Where can you watch Tower? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kino Film Collection, Hoopla and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary

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Ending explained

What Happens at the End of Tower?

How Tower (2016) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

In the film's tragic ending, Sarah's efforts to uncover the truth are thwarted by a corrupt system that seeks to protect its own. Lizzie, overwhelmed by guilt and fear, chooses to cover up her mistakes by lying about her role in the events that led to the deaths of Farah and Hadley. To save herself, she claims she was trying to save Farah during the fall, accepting guilt for her act of heroism while pretending to follow the official narrative. This lie effectively shields her from accountability, and the investigation is closed without fully addressing the chaos and injustice that occurred.

In the final scenes, it is revealed that Lizzie, Kieran, and the others involved have managed to hide the truth from the public, leaving only a few individuals who truly understand what happened. Sarah, devastated by the corruption and deception, resigns from the police force, feeling disillusioned with the system she once trusted. Yet, she also finds a sense of closure in knowing that only she and Lizzie are aware of the full story—that even as they mourn the losses, they are aware of the lies and cover-ups that concealed the real events.

Continue reading the ending (1 more paragraphs)

At the emotional climax, Lizzie visits Farah’s grave, reaffirming her intent to prove her integrity through her work as a good officer despite the corrupt forces surrounding her. The ending leaves viewers with a somber reflection on the morality of justice, the power of systemic corruption, and the personal sacrifices made by those trying to do right in a flawed system. Ultimately, the truth remains buried beneath layers of lies, and the real story of what happened that day may never fully come to light.

Tower ending explained in full

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Movies Like Tower

Similar movies to Tower: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Tower (2016) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Tower in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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