I have ended quite a few films (i.e., the end titles) by 'going out with a bang' - i.e., I threw the whole orchestra at it - that is forte and tutti (loud and everything).
Today I was finishing up my 6th film of 2018 and with the filmmakers/director's concurrence I decided to do it different. It was a 'breath of free air" - try it. :)
So I wanted to use a 'theme' to end the film (last scene and end titles). I started the last scene with an 'introduction' (non-melodic - mainly chordal). The filmmaker asked for lots of piano and string and so for the final dialog of the final scene, I played the melody in two parts (i.e., an "A" and "B" section) with piano and strings. Then for the final part of the final scene, that is where I did a repeat of the melody played by trumpets and full orchestra. The music for the final four bars are a 'ritard' (slowing down from a tempo of approximately 66 to 51) and the scene cuts to black with a single note pizzicato by the cellos and bass.
Then comes the end titles. I had 28 seconds - 8 bars. So I opened with the melody with the flute in the upper register accompanied by a soft guitar... just two instruments. Then in the 3rd bar, a soft english horn in harmony and inner counter-melody. Ending in the final 8th bar with each of the three instruments playing a staccato eighth note, a one beat rest, and a second staccato eighth note (3 part harmony in Bb-F-D and then Bb-D-Bb).
The ending was not imho a 'whimper' - it was 'emphatic softness' which fit right in with the melody structure.
Try the change of pace when you end your film.
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I think that's brilliant. The Soft fade leaves time for the viewers emotions to surface:-)
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Depends entirely on the film. If you end on a high, go out big. if you end on a low, go out soft.