MovieChat Forums > Shiki-Jitsu (2000) Discussion > Pls explain the ending *spoilers*

Pls explain the ending spoilers

posted 19 years ago by rooprect
6 replies | jump to latest

I thought RITUAL built up very nicely. It had such a great, subtle momentum all the way up to the climax (when the walls fall down, exposing the mother). But after that... wha' happened?

I was pretty confused by the ending. Not the plot, but the significance. Obviously, she meets her mother (thereby confronting her "reality") and has a sort of realization that ultimately allows her to shed her fantasy world.

Ok, that's what happens on the screen. But what's the significance? How does this tie into the theme of hiding/altering reality? I refuse to believe that the message is as bland as "Confront your fears and they will disappear." LOL that's rather silly and shallow, in light of the profound nature of this great movie.

So can someone explain it, or do I have to read the book? :/

[–] cat42 18 years ago

I suggest you watch Neon Genesis Evangelion, another thing he wrote and Directed which has very similar themes in it (though this will not be obvious in the earlier episodes)
It not so much that her fears have disapeared, now she has someone to rely on, the director, who can help save her from her fears, but she had to acknoledge reality before they could truly be together emotionally.

[–] rooprect 18 years ago

I get it now. Thanks! I've finally had the chance to see some of Anno's other work (as well as watching this movie a few more times), and now I see that the ending is perfect. Brilliant stuff.

[–] moritzge 16 years ago

I'm surprised that your satisfied with this answer, because I was almost having the same question and for me it still feels unanswered. And I have actually seen the evangelion series quite often.
It just thought it was kinda weird how most of the film focused on their hate-love realtionship, and then in the last 20 minutes it feels like they had the thought of still squeezing all the background on her psyche into the end of the film.

I loved how the movie build up in the first half, but then I felt like they still needed to fill in a second plot which was imo too big for the movie.

[–] rooprect 16 years ago

I watched the movie a 2nd (and 3rd) time, and yeah... I'm back to being unfulfilled. The idea that she suddenly has someone to rely on doesn't fly for several reasons.

1. She has a historic pattern of running away from people. Why would that suddenly be solved?

2. Even the director has a historic pattern of running away from people. So why would there be any guarantees that *he* would stick around?

You're right, moritzge, the whole love-hate relationship and their mutual running-away-from-people issues suddenly take a back seat to her mother. Sure, I suppose we could believe that the mother confrontation somehow solved her family problems at the end, but why would it suddenly affect their chronic inabilities to settle down?

I see the movie as a doomed relationship between two incurable wanderers. There's no such thing as a happy ending with this kind of setup. The movie ending seemed a bit forced. Unless... unless it's implied that her "birthday" is just another temporary island of stability which will last until the next mood swing?

[–] Shichiro7 13 years ago

In my opinion, the movie ends as a cliffhanger leaving the viewing to imagine the many possible endings. I am taking the optimisitic ending in that the girl finally has reconciliation with her mother, then sister, while continuing a friendship with the Director.

I like how Shunji Iwai threw up a plot curveball because I was sure something tragic would end up happening to the girl by Day 30 because of sleep/food deprivation and her suicidal tendancies (lying on the traintracks, standing on the roof's ledge every morning). A great movie that deserves repeated viewings!

[–] rooprect 13 years ago

As my posts in this thread show, I've bounced back & forth with my opinion of the ending. Fwiw, here's my final assessment:

To me, that curveball you mentioned is indeed what makes this such a great film. Everything about the movie leads us to expect a tragedy: the "countdown", the girl's suicidal overtures, the director's disconnection with the world & the somber piano pieces. The fact that nothing tragic happened was one of the most brilliant & satisfying "plot twists" I've ever seen. Repeat viewings are a must!