MovieChat Forums > Dark Country (2009) Discussion > MY THEORY, after re-watching this and di...

MY THEORY, after re-watching this and dissecating a bit:

posted 14 years ago by hitman_1980
19 replies | jump to latest

I think the intro monologue kinda explains what's going on.
Here's my theory of what happened, chronologically (as much as possible), since I don't think the movie was based so much on time warps, but more on symbols and inner struggles:

- Richard is a serial killer since he was 16, when he developed a fixation for blondes, after meeting a girl he was afraid to approach);

- this time he meets Gina in Vegas, and falls in love;

- the routes 93 and 95 are just symbolic, they represent his inner struggle. He wants to kill her (route 95) but he also loves her (route 93) and goes back and forth, not sure which path to choose;

- the man at the diner is the voice of his scarred (noticed that on his cheek?) conscience, telling him to stay on route 95 (LOVE) and "take care of that fresh wife of yours" this time.

- as they stop and he checks the map, he's upset because "we should be on 93 (!), but we're on the 95..." This dialogue doesn't make much sense since, according to the man at the diner, 95 is the road to follow, so where's the problem? The problem is that his dark side takes over and forces him to go back and search for road 93 - murder, which he can't find immediately because of his inner struggle - his love for Gina.
There's a subtle dialogue also, which only makes sense after you watched the entire thing:
Gina: - Don't tell me you're one of those "I never take a wrong turn" guys.
Richard: - I never turn...

- he murderes/shoots Gina in the desert, with the gun he found in her purse; it could have been there "for protection" because she knew that he was unstable;

- Gina is actually murdered in the desert. As someone here pointed out, her murder is hinted at when she dissapears from the grave site and suddenly appears next to him, in the car. That's clearly the beginning of his delusion.

- the rest stop being there is just part of that delusion. He pictures the place as he knew it at the age of 16; Gina wearing the black clothing symbolizes that she's already dead. She is later found by the Police, wearing the same white clothes she had on when they stopped at the grave site.

- their argument at the rest stop is symbolic, as he can't get rid of her image and memory. He tries to justify his actions/murder by accusing her of being a filthy woman. So is his search for her, the gun shots still echoing in what's left of the good side of his conscience;

- the watch ended up buried inside Gina's grave and gives him away;

- just to make this clear: by the moment he notices it's gone, he's already delusional at the rest stop, and Gina is dead.

- he finally becomes aware of the situation (him being given away by the watch) and flees, escaping the police;

- his alter ego looks at him, with regret: "I told him to stay on 95..."

- While fleeing in his car, his good side is talking to his dark side:
"I'm gonna find you... YOU've set me up!"

OTHER DETAILS:

- the blank map at the rest stop, showing "you are here" - in the middle of nowhere points out that there's no escape of purgatory.

- the cigarette. Good Richard doesn't smoke, while his dark alter ego clearly asks for one.

- I assume that the fight between bloody Richard and "good" Richard is also symbolic, not sure if it actually take place or not, as the events are clearly taking place while Richard in in purgatory. It's more about pointing out the struggle that takes place inside him when it comes to murdering Gina.

[–] ltadams2247 14 years ago

*nods* sounds good to me. Well done, mate.

[–] TheBeardedWonder 14 years ago

Sounds about right. I got the purgatory/loop thing, but the 'he's been killing since 16' and such escaped me.

Although the beginning was soooo poorly paced it was hard to sit there and listen to the awful dialogue. Luckily it picked up for the last half, but the first 45 mins are pretty bad.

Thanks for the full explanation though, much appreciated.

"Layered. Like Nachos. Exponential growth yo." - Jesse 'Jackson' Pinkman

[–] Wuchakk 12 years ago

Re: "Luckily it picked up for the last half, but the first 45 mins are pretty bad."

My thoughts exactly. I was pretty bored during those first 45 minutes, but then the story started catching my interest. The second half saves the film.

[–] hitman200318 14 years ago

well said... I was assuming the same about most of what you have mentioned had to hear it from someone else :)

p.s: I have to say that overall the movie leave behind some amateurish feeling whether it's the dialoges ,editing or even the picture quality. :( I gave it a 5/10.

[–] Maverick-72 14 years ago

Excellent analysis! Thanks a lot! Now everything makes sense.

[–] BronzeKeilani26 13 years ago

Poster "broncos" is right ...op left a part out, the fact that Richard killed all those women as a serial killer (all their cars left behind),but the movie just so happens to focus on this particular chick...why? The storyline was weak. Thomas Jane should have played 2 personalities considering he was Jekyell & Hyde but I guess he was to lazy ..He directed it & dude that WROTE the script ..well, look at his lame profile. He doesnt have much history in writing & what he has done in films was all cr-p!

My IMDb credentials:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur7441441/comments

[–] toshguy 13 years ago

I didn't interpret the film quite the way the OP did and the main reason are exactly those photos at the rest area. Notice that those were not just photos of missing women, but of couples. I think that signifies that what happened to Dick and his wife is something that happens to other couples. I think we would have gotten stronger hints to it if Dick were a serial killer in the literal sense. The dialogue in the beginning where he tells Gina about the girl in the station tells us that he's missed out on so much by this point in his life that he doesn't want to ever miss another chance. That's why he quit his job, took out all his savings and decided to turn a new leaf. When he saw Gina for the first time, he felt the same kind of attraction like when he was 16 and spontaneously jumped into marriage of fear that he might lose another chance. But it turns out what he felt wan't actually love, and as he gets to know Gina better, he regrets it. As their relationship progresses, he hurts not only her, but also himself. I think killing her is a metaphor for emotionally hurting her without even realizing it, which is why he didn't remember killing her. The narration at the beginning foreshadows the irony of the ending. Dick says that even if he knew then what he does now, he wouldn't have done anything differently, which also sets up the cycle of events. Dick had seen the person screwing things up in his life an ugly intruder, but it was himself all along. When he becomes Bloodyface, Dick realizes that he was the one ruining his and his wife's lives all along, but he'd still do it all over again, which is why he proceeds to consciously hurt himself and her the way he did before. That's why he does all the same things as Blodyface that he did before without realizing that it was him and that he was hurting himself. "And I never meant to hurt you" means that he doesn't actually want to, but feels compelled to by this point. He'd been living his life going the easy way and drifting by the tide withot caring for the consequences so long that he can't change now, even though he tried. It's all in metaphors. The eponymous Dark Country is the dark part of Dick's personal life and the misguided ride he and his wife have symbolizes the way he leads his life, despite ultimately knowing better. The stranger in the diner at the beginning wasn't shown clearly and bore a resemblance to Thomas Jane. First of all, that was probably so that the audience would think he was Bloodyface since it wasn't impossible to discern that it was Jane under the make-up. Secondly, the guy resembled the protagonist because he was a lot like him - he'd probably made the same mistakes and knew better by now, so he advised Dick to make the right choice and take the right route. But that route doesn't work for Dick. He's a self-destructive person who finds it easiest to hurt himself and the people he's close to. Ultimately, he doesn't learn his lesson, unlike the stranger, who turns out to be a cop and says he told Dick to take the 93 (or was it 95? I got them mixed up). It's like that in real life. Whenever you make a big mistake, there's usually somebody around to say "I told you so".

So, to sum up my ramblings, I saw Dark Country as a subtle metaphorical character study of a man who keeps making the wrong choices (or none at all, which is even worse).

[–] Skylightmovies 12 years ago

Thank you also. I need all the help I can get with this one.

Diehard TJ fan

[–] MilesAhead 12 years ago

I think that signifies that what happened to Dick and his wife is something that happens to other couples.

That's my take as well. The guy at the restaurant appears to all victims to warn them. Towards the end we see him at the crime scene saying I told him to take route 95. The basic premise here is that route 93 is cursed. OP mentions that Richard's delusion begins when after the burial when Gina suddenly appears in his car by his side. If so then the whole episode with the stranger they found on the rode must be real and thus a separate person. In the end Richard ends up taking his place. It's a cycle that repats itself, part of a curse.

If he really is the orginal killer and is just reliving the same thing over and over then this film is disappoiningly unorginal and just regurgitates the same old cliched stuff we have seen already in everything from 'Angel Heart' to 'High Tension'.

Walking through the cow pasture of life you are bound to step in some truth

[–] geeteeage 14 years ago

Wow this is actually really well explained and everything fits perfectly. Its like you are the writer or the director and came here to explain it. Having read this comment, now Im much more satisfied with the movie.

Btw it never even occurs to me to find hidden sense in movies like that. Ive never watched movies in such depth. Im always on the lookout for cinematography, acting and camera angles

McDonagh, Tarantino, Rodriguez, Ritchie, Leone, Stone
My TOP 15 is in my profile

[–] lungs311 14 years ago

That is a good explaination and it really helps me understand a lot of what was going on..BUT...

If he was in fact delusional, why was Gina able to see/hear Bloodyface?? She was even the one to suggest he bury him rather than go to the cops.

[–] resmint 13 years ago

This is excellent and, to me, makes the most sense of anything I've read.
Thank you.

[–] stetsonc-robison-782-189756 13 years ago

Referring to....the cigarette. Good Richard doesn't smoke, while his dark alter ego clearly asks for one.

Bloodyface is Richard's good alter ego. He is trying to get revenge on his bad alter ego. So that part doesn't make sense. I don't know why he asks for a cigarette. But Bloodyface is his good side, not his bad.

[–] IaintYourMomma 13 years ago

That all makes sense but how would you explain the ending? bloody richard had an accident but in teh drivers seat was another man?

"I've got so many complexes."
"No, you don't honey. It's all in you head."

[–] MrBelette 13 years ago

What another man ? There was only Richard