MovieChat Forums > Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980 (2009) Discussion > Why don't people think D- - - was the ki...

Why don't people think D- - - was the killer? (SPOILERS)

posted 14 years ago by Valkyrist
4 replies | jump to latest

So I watched the the first film and thought I had it all figured out. Dawson was the one who raped the girl, killed her, and stiched swan wings to her back. He's obsessed with swans, and admits to the crime at gun-point. Now I enjoyed the first installment, but I found the following films to be a convoluted mess. So I came to these message boards to search for a few answers I found that popular opinion suggested Dawson was not the killer, and that he was simply egging the reported on to kill him. People also seem to believe that the police had given the reporter the gun to kill Dawson, when I thought the implication was that he should commit suicide (hence why the red-headed cop was surpirsed to see him at the club).

So I guess my questions are: why don't you think Dawson was the killer? Who then was the killer? And why did the police want Dawson dead, since he was the reason they were getting so much money? Thanks!

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[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jxh13 12 years ago

So I watched the the first film and thought I had it all figured out.

Part of the confusion comes from an imperfect adaptation of the book - Dawson is an amalgam of a couple of different characters, and some elements are changed. The later films strongly suggest that Dawson wasn't acting alone, but I certainly believe he was one of the people principally responsible for the crimes you mention. The original power in the child abduction ring was Laws, with Dawson and Piggott, Senior, as either minor partners, or at least prominent clients.

Now I enjoyed the first installment, but I found the following films to be a convoluted mess.

The second one was weak, I thought, but the third one pretty well done.

People also seem to believe that the police had given the reporter the gun to kill Dawson, when I thought the implication was that he should commit suicide (hence why the red-headed cop was surprised to see him at the club).

Yes, the crooked cops need Eddie to kill Dawson, who has started to get out of hand. They've conditioned Eddie, and they are counting on his own morality and his need to revenge Paula to have him cooperate. Craven even tells him something like, "Go do our job for us."

[–] sadfilmophile 9 years ago

People also seem to believe that the police had given the reporter the gun to kill Dawson, when I thought the implication was that he should commit suicide (hence why the red-headed cop was surpirsed to see him at the club).

I thought the same but if it was suicide they had in mind they'd only give him 1 bullet.

[–] morganseer 8 years ago

Yes, the crooked cops need Eddie to kill Dawson, who has started to get out of hand
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How was Dawson getting out of hand? I remember his wife asking people to "find the others," and Dawson himself having an affair, but I don't remember him doing anything to upset the police. But then there was so much, apparently I missed something.