A guess at the 'ringing' significance (Spoilers)?

I thought at first the tinnitus started at the same time as the murders, but in the beginning of the movie he states to the nurse that it had been going on for 18 months.

I have had some thoughts on rewatching the film.
We listen to music like the girl Lavinia to tune the world out on purpose. Graham's tinnitus is like this all the time only very unpleasant.

Also, it must be extremely safe in Australia. A young attractive and apparently helpless woman can get on a train/subway in an abandoned station late at night (presumeably) and pay no nevermind to who might be on the train and what terrors might be there.

I say this in light of the fact that the movie has a very real feel to it. People seem ordinary and real.

"I believe in coincidences, I just don't trust them." Source debatable.

I get the feeling "noise" symbolizes many things in this film. One possible significance is fear. One of the big themes of this film is fear and how it affects us. The girl in the train was practically consumed by it when she realized the killer had her name. And when the cops refused to give her any info, the paranoia nearly drove her mad. Finding out the actual "dead meat" threat was almost a relief compared to not knowing.

Similarly, Graham has this ear condition which could be a routine ear disturbance or it could be indicative of a brain tumor. We never know for sure, but it's obvious that the fear of a tumor is constantly on his mind. When he's apprehending the guys beating up that kid, the noise raises to a deafening level. Again, that's fear taking hold of him.

The one scene I didn't really grasp was when he comes home and turns on all the radios, tvs, faucets, etc. It was almost like he was using noise to calm himself somehow. I wonder what noise symbolized at that moment...

Finally, what does the tinnitus have to do with the movie?
Revelation!
Remember the girlfriend saying how sounds cancel out. Right after the killer shoots the driver passing by you hear the constant beeeep of the car horn. The horn cancels out the sound in his ear so that Graham can hear the killer's footsteps and shoot his feet under the car. If Graham had not had tinnitus he may have not heard the footsteps due to the car horn?!?!

His destiny was guided. No tinnitus, no caravan duty, no dead killer. Why the whole talk about heaven and hell? Why the imagery at the end of the movie?

Thank you
:pwned

"I believe in coincidences, I just don't trust them." Source debatable.

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