MovieChat Forums > The Ruins (2008) Discussion > The ending (SPOILER)

The ending (SPOILER)

posted 15 years ago by joe2002
27 replies | jump to latest

I normally hate it when the writers/directors intentionally leave the ending wide open for interpretation like that (Brokedown Palace - which one was really guilty? Both? Neither?, or No Country for Old Men - did he kill the guy's wife or not?, 2001 A Space Oddysey, the whole *($@(*$@# movie was open for interpretation).

But I thought that the girl getting away was an interesting touch - what happened to the plant seeds (viruses?) she was carrying? Did all of Mexico end up getting overrun by these plants thanks to one stupid tourists?

And the two greeks who showed up - so they showed up, so what? What does that mean? That the Mayans would have been so stupid as to let them get away and go get help, or that two stupid greeks would have made a bigger difference than the 6 reasonably intelligent people who showed up before?

I sound like I'm being sarcastic and I partially am, but my point was that though I normally hate ambiguous endings I kind of felt like the way they ended THIS movie "worked".

[–] moviefan292 15 years ago

Yeah I think you can assume the vines now spread in the forest and where the girls goes.

When you think about it, the Mayans are actually the good guys trying to enforce the quarantine and keep the vines confined to the ruins.

[–] adriaticHR 13 years ago

why the hell didn't they stop them going to the ruins in the first place then???

[–] OutForAWalkB-tch 15 years ago

As for Brokedown Palace...neither of them did it.
The beauty of the ending is that Alice sacrificed herself for Darlene, because she loved her, she knew she was stronger, and she knew that most of what lead them to that point was her fault.

And the Zydrate gun goes somewhere against your anatomy.

[–] jackthegreat2004 15 years ago

I liked the ending, too many horror films nowadays kill off all the characters, you watch a film and at they end they all die as if it was for nothing, really annoying lol

[–] bst-11 15 years ago

I like to think that Amy got away and survived but I know there are alternate endings where she doesn't. I don't like that idea, there should always be a survivor. Talking about crappy endings, what about Birth? Was he Sean or wasn't he? That one still annoys me to this day. And the ending in The Mist? Now, come on, there was no need. That was just plain mean.

[–] mamanoooooooo 15 years ago

the ending wasn't left open, it was a virus, the spores on the clothes proved that, everyone who touched the vines is infected.

oh did you even watch birth? he wasn't sean, he dug up the letters, she proved it by showing him her dirty hands, the kid was a creep to screw with the ladys' head like that. They should have admitted his arse in a pysch ward.

[–] LittleMissDysthymia 13 years ago

Viruses don't have spores. Just sayin.

Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and severe hemorrhaging.

[–] subase 13 years ago

More like a plant that feeds on flesh. It was highly toxic and the allergic reaction it caused on the guys hands enabled it to get into your bloodstream, where it would continue to grow.

I thought the ability of it's flowers to mimic any sound was pretty cool, very nice way of attracting prey.

Since they killed the kid, anything the plant touched had spores on it which could not be reliably removed.

[–] LittleMissDysthymia 13 years ago

Well, not reliably removed by tribal guys anyway. I'm sure modern medicine would have more of an impact against it. There's nothing that's 100% fatal, some people would have a natural immunity. And the plant has never been exposed to modern medical treatments so it's probably quite weak to them. A little radiation therapy would probably clear it right up.

Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and severe hemorrhaging.

[–] subase 13 years ago

Saying that the plant itself was a wonder of nature and I can't imagine what medicinal breakthroughs it would enable.

[–] hrhppg 13 years ago

"what about Birth? Was he Sean or wasn't he? That one still annoys me to this day."

He wasn't. It is fully explained in the movie by Anne Hathaway's character.

[–] callmechia 15 years ago

No Country For Old Men: he absolutely DID kill the wife.

"Milk's one of nature's... non-temperature hang on-ers."

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bst-11 15 years ago

oh did you even watch birth? he wasn't sean, he dug up the letters, she proved it by showing him her dirty hands, the kid was a creep to screw with the ladys' head like that. They should have admitted his arse in a pysch ward.

I obviously didn't. I better get it out on DVD.

[–] NormanPowell 15 years ago

That the Greeks shows up doesn't mean anything. It was just shown, so you'd know that the same thing is going to happen to them, like it did to the 6 who came looking for the previous 2.

As for No Country For Old Men; he did kill her. When he leaves the house you can see him check his boots for blood. And we know he doesn't want blood on his boots, because when he killed Carson Wells (Woody H.) he lifts his legs onto the bed when he sees the blood floating towards them.

"It's too bad she won't live.., but then again who does?" - Gaff

[–] Angelic666 15 years ago

FLOATING blood eh? That's awesome!

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[–] NormanPowell 15 years ago

Sorry, but English is not my first language.

"It's too bad she won't live.., but then again who does?" - Gaff

[–] kabookiejoe 15 years ago

Yeah, the end of No Country for Old Men is pretty obvious. He kills her, then makes sure theres no blood on his boots afterward. There are several places in the movie where he stresses the importance of having clean feet.

[–] HoferPM-1 14 years ago

Thanks for answering that question about No Country for Old Men. This is one of my favorite movies and I often wondered if he killed the guy's wife. As for this movie, I am now 45 minutes into it and it's pretty good. This Jonathan Tucker is gorgeous so I will stay with it.

[–] NormanPowell 14 years ago

Why would you click on a thread that says "The ending (SPOILER)", when you're only half way through the movie ???

"It's too bad she won't live.., but then again who does?"

[–] Usha77 14 years ago

Okay, was expecting Spoilers for The Ruins but not for No Country for Old Men or Brokedown Palace...damn it! lol

"We gotta go to the crappy town where I'm a hero" - Wash
http://www.facebook.com/usha77

[–] staceyhicken 13 years ago

Yeah it's really annoying that i came in here to read about The Ruins and i've had 3 film endings spoiled now lol! I might have fancied The Birth!

About The Ruins, i did like how they let one character get away, its frustrating when everyone dies in a movie and it seems like it is just a waste of time. I just wish the character who escaped wasn't the cheating biatch who gets kids shot.

[–] GuineaPig 14 years ago

This is exactly the kind of crappy movie that should not be left to interpretation because it is stupid. What "interpretation" is there left? that she died or not? careful you don't burn some neurons thinking about that. Really US directors should start to learn how to make horror movies, this was absolute crap. Endings left open are supposed to make you think a little more, maybe something some 12 year old would find challenging not this.

This is not a signature!

[–] MarioTee 13 years ago

i think ending was great, except greek guys.

anyway, if you think about it for second, she being out of pyramid-carantena means she'll spread "virus" all over world, potentionaly.

its really scary idea and great base for sequel.

i really liked this movie.

[–] actually_yes 13 years ago

I think it was dashed off. The whole film is kinda slow-paced and happens at one place mostly (the maia pyramid), and the fast-paced ending does not even breathtake you even if it's supposed to. For me, the ending was simply rushed compared to the rest of the film, that's truly a shame.

I'm visualizing the script : "the girl managed to run away by car, the 2 greeks arrived at the pyramid"

deep landscape cuts (c.f. crops/jungle)
END

was hard to write indeed ...