I interpreted it very differently from most of you, it seems. Of course, film has its limitations, but these are the very characteristics of film that contribute to its supremacy. I believe that this last scene both allows us to freely interpret Marina's thoughts, yet, unfortunately, not tell us exactly what she is feeling. This could only be done in film, never in prose.
Personally, I didn't think it out of the question that she might have been horrified by what was happening to her; it was, after all, a surreal adventure -- falling in love with a criminal sociopath who put her through hell to bend her to his will. It is not altogether impossible that she might still have second thoughts, and may be worried as to what may come. Having found a partner is, after all, no guarantee that our anti-hero will lose his perverted tendencies, and start behaving like a normal human being for good.
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b-tang92
14 years ago
I think she's just realised what a slag she is. N that i *beep* creep is sitting in her back seat
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kjma-56-979748
13 years ago
In my opinion the final images of this film are meant to be related to the final image of the film-within-a-film. Remember that in that film Marina is left swinging at the end of a rope endlessly. I think that suspension between success and disaster, with no conclusion, is the point.
Also remember the argument that the director has with the producer about whether that scene was a satisfying ending; to me it's the same with the end of this film. Marina may be in shock, or her shock may be wearing off. We can't know. All we can see is that she is on a journey from one place to another. We can't know her destination.
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jyanks
13 years ago
I was reminded of the Graduate too. She is coming to her senses & has a tremendous feeling of regret "Oh F$#@ - what did I just do & how am I going to get out of this"
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Unfanboy
13 years ago
I think the poster who made the parallel of the image of her swinging back and forth got it right. She's constantly switching between wanting to escape and wanting to hang on to him and I don't think she'll ever find solace in either one. She'll be swinging forever.
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infinity8
12 years ago
I don't see the final scene as a question of where solace lies, but with whether Marina can ever make a decision. Even when Ricky tied her up for the last time, she asked him to do it so she would not run away. She did not trust herself to stay and she was not willing to lie to Ricky and then run away. The question now is what she will do. If she stays with Ricky, or if she leaves him, he may kill her. At some point, she'll have to choose to stay with Ricky or choose to leave him and damn the consequences.
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PoppyTransfusion
12 years ago
In my opinion the final images of this film are meant to be related to the final image of the film-within-a-film. Remember that in that film Marina is left swinging at the end of a rope endlessly. I think that suspension between success and disaster, with no conclusion, is the point.
Also remember the argument that the director has with the producer about whether that scene was a satisfying ending; to me it's the same with the end of this film. Marina may be in shock, or her shock may be wearing off. We can't know. All we can see is that she is on a journey from one place to another. We can't know her destination.
Nice. Makes perfect sense of the ending and ties (pardon use of that word) the film together well. In fact Marina tied as she was at the end of the film she made to the dissatisfaction of the director contrasts with her being tied by Ricky, which culminates in love developing between them.
I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl
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bradme
11 years ago
I'm not completely sure of this, but isn't she making the same face the director tells her to make when she is killed in the film-within-the-film? I definitely read it in a manner similar to The Graduate where Marina is suddenly realizing what she has done, that she has fallen in love with a psychotic man who has done nothing but abuse her and trap her since they met violently only a few days prior. She's most certainly not overwhelmed with joy, her expression is one of fear and regret.
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jamasian_man
10 years ago
She's not killed in the film within a film. The director is attracted to her so he changes the ending so that she kills the badguy and survives.
The opposite happens in real life. He gives her a chance to leave with him despite his grotesque mental illnesses. (the exact polar opposite of the scarred man. The scarred man has a decent body, but a scarred face. Ricki has a decent face, but a messed up personality)
She does survive, but is left swinging on the rope.
At the end of the film, her eyes begin to water because she just realizes that she may be making a terrible decision. Now that she has come clean to her sister and she approves, they are driving to her parent's place so they can introduce him.
I believe she's worried because this is all very sudden, and it might put another complication if she ever changes her mind. Now her parents and sister know, but they don't know about his psychotic tendencies. What if something goes wrong and she wants to break up? Is he going to flip and stab everyone?
I really like the ambiguous ending. Many say she's crying tears of joy because she's finally happy, but others say its the exact opposite.
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