MovieChat Forums > The Perfect Host (2011) Discussion > *Spoilers:So did he actually kill all th...

*Spoilers:So did he actually kill all those people?

posted 13 years ago by MissLittleSunshine
16 replies | jump to latest

I saw the movie and am kinda confused.
So the way I see it is that he is obviously mentally ill. But does he just play with his "guests" (prank them with the fake cuts and scars) or does he actually kill them?
I mean there was no way Warwick knew John Taylor was coming over to his place, so I think he just planned on making him another one of his victim and killing him by the end of the night. So then why does he have that whole box of prosthetics and makeup stuff?
And if he doesn't actually kill his guests (the people in the album), why did he invite that cop over at the end? Does Warwick plan on committing his first murder?
Ugh.... I'm really confused....

[–] transmentalist 13 years ago

The movie doesn't tell us, but I think it implies that Warwick doesn't kill anyone.

He didn't know Taylor was coming over, but he knew right away Taylor was lying (about Julia) and, being a cop, probably recognized Taylor right away as well. So he knew what he could likely get away with.

As for the detective, it's suggested that he has a gambling problem - it's likely that Warwick know about it or knows something else he could use against Ben to keep him quiet after he's done toying with the guy.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] millionwatts77 13 years ago

I have trouble making sense of that also. Judging by his prestigious house and his own large office within the department, he's apparently a rather high ranking police officer. It would require an impossible (at least for me) suspension of disbelief to assume such a person could get away with repeatedly torturing people and then letting them go.

Warwick is mentally ill, but the movie also made it very clear on several occasions that he has not lost touch with reality and is most concerned about not being caught. It just makes no sense at all for him to free his victims and never having faced any consequences after doing so. He knows that his current victim is all over the news, that cops are searching for him and that he might get arrested any minute after being set free in the morning. Again, keep in mind that Warwick is portrayed as smart, thorough and eager to keep up his cover. Why would a cop set a man free that is on everybody's wanted list? Not only that, but he also dumps him right in front of his very own house! Most reasonable citizen would call the cops upon seeing what appears to be a dead person lying in the street. And why wouldn't he fear that his victim seeks revenge and enters the house again right after waking up?

They make us watch some really stupid flashback twice, just to make sure we all understand that lame punch line about his girlfriend's actions, which entirely lack any relevance to the main plot line, and a major twist like Warwick setting his victim free just kind of happens, without any explanation whatsoever. Even the victim doesn't really show much of a reaction to not being dead.

It all seems so incredibly stupid that I feel like I must have missed something really important in the movie...

[–] thknave 13 years ago

My impression of Warwick was that he was very smart and *very* thorough, but he also acted heavily on random whims, like a psychopath would. I think he killed those other people in the scrapbook (whatever the circumstances, maybe homeless people?), and I think he had every intention of killing John, but then he decided to set him free because John impressed him with the chess game. That whole "your opponent can blind side you in one move" bit.

[–] g02o0555 13 years ago

I may be wrng but I am pretty sure there was only one other person before John. There are loads of pics, but really just of that one guy.

[–] Marla_the_big_tourist 13 years ago

Yeah, agree g02o0555.

At first it seems that there are several people shown in the album, but then the pictures all seem to be of the same guy.

Maybe he started the "game" with others, but only took it all the way through with the one guy before John?

[–] Finkle-is-Einhorn 13 years ago

yeah i just made a similar post.

it makes no sense at all which ever way you look at it

if hes a killer.

why did he let john go/dump him in the front of his house where people could see him or call the police, why put the prosthetics on him too.

if he is not a killer.

why has no one reported warwick for false inprisonment, torture etc, if he has had so many victims.

also if he isnt a killer, what the hell is he planning on doing to the detective.

considering both these possibilities makes the movie confusing as neither scenario fits with the events in the movie

[–] mastrmeb 13 years ago

At the end, when Warwick lets him exit the parking garage, doesn't he say something like "I could have killed you, but you're way too much fun." ?

I get the impression he DOES kill people, but he made this one exception.

[–] trademark_hbk 13 years ago

or maybe he was just saying this to scare him like he scares all his victims
IN THE END THERE WILL BE ONLY CHAOS

[–] rigby67 13 years ago

Had it on dvr for ages and finally saw it. That was our question. Didn't like the ending at all. He can't kill him because he's a known criminal now. On tv and all. But overall I don't think he's ever killed anyone because I noticed **** room for spoilers *****

In that movie he showed of him cutting himself, I would've thought that had to leave scars. However when he shows John that he wasn't stabbed there are no old/healed scars. So I think he just likes the pretending of hurt, pain, and fear. A true psychopath.

Mobiles give you cancer!

[–] kelly-smith-980-960531 13 years ago

My thoughts are that he most likely has killed people in the past, though he would not have kept any evidence of this. He is currently on medication which is helping him control his urges, but every now and then he still needs to act out the fantasy, which is what the special effects make up and self cutting movie is about... a release of those darker urges, which will allow him to continue a normal life.

Plus those who have a problem with Warwick letting John go, well it's not like John is going to go to the police is it? Plus what is he going to say? "I broke into a guys house told him I was going to kill him and then he drugged me and made me think that he was going to kill me, oh yeah and he gave me wine and made me dance the conga. Oh and then he said I could go, but instead I tried to kill him." Yeah...... I really don't think many people would be sympathetic towards John.

And as far as ditching him in front of his place, well.... it would have looked worse if he had tried to move "the body" to another location, plus he had been up all night and besides he was probably just taking out the garbage after his party.

[–] my_newsletter 12 years ago

You know? Maybe he did kill other people before dealing with John? If it wasn't for the neighbor, maybe John would of been dead. If cops came over, they might find all the evidence (or any evidence), including the scrapbook of sick photos he had. So the whole makeup thing on John would explain why he has the scrapbook (whether he killed those people or not)....just a cover-up. If he has no problem killing people, he might have no problem killing the cop at the end...

[–] georgegates 12 years ago

yeah except this theory doesn't work, owing to the "facial wounds" he incurred previously, implying that Mr. Nutjob was more into the whole makeup business. This aligns well with his kinda gayish character

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Life's too short for mediocrity.

[–] chemisry1-1 12 years ago

I got the feeling Warick was involved in making films, which would explain the lavish house, masks, make-up kit, etc. When the neighbor comes to investigate John's actions in the pool, I believe Warwick explains the guy was really getting into character or something similar concerning his strange behavior. With this being said, is it not plausible that Warwick made the whole story up in his head. Afterall, he is out there, right? If this is the case, it would explain why he has never been caught for his crazy behavior. Also, what would be the probability of John picking Warwick's house to crash to begin with? It seems more believeable Warwick invites us into his mind for awhile where he is privy to the plotline, but is still working out the ending, which leaves the audience with different conclusions to draw from. I am just offering a different point of view for folks to consider here. Only the writer truly knows the intent...perhaps. LOL

[–] sandifay62 12 years ago

I think the fate of the cop is purposely and humorously left open. Bottom line, I think Warwick knows how to shut him up. I think he's probably not going to kill him, but maybe get him in some compromising, hard to explain, position and blackmail him. Face it, he kidnaps people, drugs, people, photographs and films them.

The sky's the limit on the things he could to to the cop to shut him up without killing or harming him.

[–] HotDoggyDog (1) a year ago

Yeah, it feels like they kept adding twist after twist without really explaining their connection. It was definitely a good twist when the "victim" is actually a mentally ill psychopath that switches the roles by kidnapping him. Some twists though, seem like they were just thrown in the movie for shock value without really understanding why or what is actually happening. For instance;
▪︎what's the purpose of the whole fake makeup trying to appear dead?
▪︎ Towards the beginning it appeared like he already knew it was the robber, but it seemed like a random house he stopped at.
▪︎ Why did he have those fake knives to begin with?
▪︎ why throw his body out by the trash for everybody(the old neighbor) to see knowing she might call the police?
▪︎ How did the guy know she was going to cross him after the originally planned rental car for both of them was verified after he checked?
▪︎why purposely have her pick him out of a lineup just so they wouldn't expect her?
▪︎ why not just rob the bank without purposely being able to get identified so she could get all the money for her fake "surgery"?
▪︎ Why not just Rob it anonymously & leave together with the money?