Just finished watching and I'm torn about whether or not we we're seeing John come back and send Maggie away, or if Emma was having a change of heart.
Opinions?
Yeah, I'm a legend. You know, they call me the cautionary whale.
Emma is who we see end of the movie remeber when Emma shave her manly eyebrows and use make up pencil to make her eyebrows look more feminine?
D.H.F.F
Now end of day and Iam the Reaper:Silent hill
Yes, I realize that she's Emma up until the picture, and then there's a moment where I can't decide if Emma makes the decision or she reverts back to John.
I know I've seen someone else mention it on here but does anyone else think that way or is there a general consensus that it's still Emma?
Yeah, I'm a legend. You know, they call me the cautionary whale.
I'm also torn. On one hand, it feels like she "kills" him in the motel. On the other, I feel that what we see in the end is her going back to the old routine; this would mean that John will return or may have returned in the shot you mentioned.
shareI think because of the body language that the person we see at the very end was John. John is seen often with his head/face in a lower or downward position showing his lack of confidence and discomfort whereas Emma has good posture and is confident, looking eye to eye with others. At the very end Emma sits down in the chair and, I believe, becomes John as we see the shoulders slump and head decline. I think Emma realised what everyone above said in that one scene then becomes content to let John take back over. Just my opinion.
shareI would agree that John will be making a comeback, due to the body language indicators you mentioned. Also, Emma takes her shoes off and places them to one side just so as she does when becoming John. The continuing struggle of the psyche, swinging back and forth between both John and Emma, is so brilliantly portrayed in this film.
Fascinating movie and Cillian Murphy was riveting in it.
Am I anywhere near the imaginary cliff?share
Sorry for my English, I'm French.
I think also that John comes back at the minute Emma takes the picture of "her/his" son. Before, their personalities were separate and one does not know what the other thinks but after the picture, memories of John come in Emma's mind...That's new!
She tells to Maggie: "John should not have died!" I think that's why from now on, Emma will be on the spots outside and John in the house, hidden. It's my explanation of the end. Of course, it's just my opinion.
If you like the Cillian Murphy's performance, see him in "Breakfast on Pluto" from Neil Jordan. He plays a transgender.
Agreed. I just saw this movie.
Cillian was fantastic.
Like the view? It's the only thing you'll be catching tonight
Wow, i promise i didn't read your comment before posting!!, incredible how we thought exactly the same :D .
shareWe're seeing Emma, but she wasn't exactly changing her mind. She never knew what happened to John when he was a child. When she takes that picture, some of John's childhood memories come to the surface. She now knows what his mother did to him, she knows that she IS John and she knows why he wanted Maggie and Jake to leave town and get away from him. She sends them away and then has a bit of a breakdown. She becomes more like John...locking the door and not wanting people in the house anymore.
shareIt was Emma. Because he still acts as Emma the difference you can see was when Emma was when she was pretending to be John you can see how she acts, walks, and looks around it is Emma. John has that moody, afraid, urgent look on him.
I think when his mom died apart of him kind of wanted to have a female by his side like his mother. But he doesn't know what Emma is capable of and the same way with Emma he really doesn't know John. It's like they really haven't met each other. Emma just saw how John was through the picture when he was small. And when Emma took a picture of Jake all it dawned on Emma (can't say her lol) that this is exactly what John was when he was a child. And for that moment she had a glimpse of what happened to John, memories that were only stored in John's personality but technically they have the same brain so it probably triggered. Then she knew what John was thinking they were finally in the same page for that few moments they didn't show if she became John again but it is usually triggered by clothes they wore or things they use at a certain time. And I do think that the personality who has the stronger personality wins. But Emma has John's traits so she was not really that bad. But she saw that she was beginning to act like what John's mom used to do like take a picture the same way.
I think the two personalities merged briefly when taking the picture and then I think John took over and sent Maggie and Jake away. His mannerisms were in there. However I think that John is the subordinant personality and Emma will be around much more. Like another poster said I think Emma will become the one people see outside (she actually leaves John little choice as the town thinks he is dead but he may not know that yet) and he will be the one hidden in the house. Terrible fate for him as that house is full of such horrible memories. I find myself hoping that Emma takes over for him or they find away to become Emma/John.
shareI think, just like Cinderella or vampires, when the fated 8.15 comes, the "him" takes over; at the final scene, he closing the curtains is closing himself as he normally does, his body language when he sits on the chair, when gradually crouches over his chest... is just him again.
Btw such a very very low rating, can not understand why, it deserves at least some 7,5 for my taste.
And it is only me or Ellen Page was particularly beautiful in this movie?, beautiful like young woman beauty, without the little "too young/teenish" touch of her; The East and B2Souls were the latest i saw before Peacock, not sure if could have anything to do...
Great movie anyway.
If John comes back, he's facing murder charges.
shareYeah I think it's very much left upto the imagination of the audience to guess at whether it's Emma or John, or gelling of both at the very end.
Also saw another interesting idea that there was a 3rd personality starting to surface with the baby being around - that would be abusive much like his own Mother was - which is also why John/Emma sent the baby away...
You have a good point about a 3rd. What Emma did in the hotel did not resemble the kind woman who took care of John. I thought John showed up when Emma seemed to be shocked at what happened. I also only saw John and Emma in the last scenes. But a violent Emma is new, and closely resembles mom.
Your second life is never like your first. Sometimes it's even better
It's all John at the end. He shaves the eyebrows. He goes out in 'drag' and kills the lookalike.
He has finally incorporated the Emma persona and realized that his life as John is over. Her actions throughout the movie have forced him to confront his childhood trauma- thus ending the dissociative disorder. However, 'killing' Emma would lead suspicion and further investigation into John. Living as Emma allows him to live with his social anxiety, allows him to re-isolate himself from the town without people investigating his private life.
Or at least that's how I saw it. Definitely John at the very end though.