MovieChat Forums > Geung see (2014) Discussion > The ending is not as illogical as some t...

The ending is not as illogical as some thought.


Those who are familiar with the 80s Mr Vampire movies will fondly remember the lead actor here (Chin Siu-Ho) is playing a washed up version of himself. In his heydays, Chin was very popular as the main protagonist of the Mr Vampire movies.

He was often (or should I say always) cast as the suave elder disciple of the powerful Taoist Master, alongside a clumsy junior disciple. Although it was always his master who would save the day, Chin was always deemed as the heroic character (the nimble fighter that kicked vampire-asses, well-contrasted by his clumsy and comic junior) in the movies.

<SPOILERS BELOW>
The ending showed that in his imagination leading to his death, he couldn't let go of his past (evidently shown by his safekeeping of the costumes he used in the movies he acted in), thus creating the entire backdrop of supernatural beings and vampire. And of course in this world he created, he died as a vampire-killing hero and not as a loser who committed suicide.

The ending was a good way to loop back to the opening monologue where he mentioned something along the line of "People often said that stories in movies are absurd, however I feel that Life is even more absurd..." as the ending showed that Chin was very lost after he was past his prime and screwed up his family life and became estranged from his family (the son who came to the morgue is already a young adult and not a child as depicted in his memories).


I think Juno Mak intended to leave the ending open for different interpretations and the above is my personal one. Feel free to disagree but I feel it is quite logical.

reply

lanlance for president. Not every story has a happy ending.

reply

Not a fan of your theory to be honest. It's a popular theory, something I would have come up with if I hadn't stumbled upon it on a youtube page dedicated to its trailer. But besides the point, this kind of conclusions are often drawn up with such films...

I read someone else's theory here though which, I think, is by far more interesting and befitting to commemorate the Mr. Vampire series. That what we see in the end is the dream or after life, the rest was reality. Much more interesting conclusion... for the time being....

Maybe I just didn't like either conclusion because I refuse to believe that this is what they came up with to commemorate the Mr. Vampire series. I mean, the remaining cast of the original could have been better used, I mean, given a better script or conclusion...

Well, that's just me. I'm just too accustomed to these guys goofing around and being mischievous whilst havoc and terror reigned. And I really miss all the usual use of most of the props laying around, and the paper talismans, etc.

reply

You, sir, managed to give the only explanation that actually makes sense. Funny how it only works when you know a little about the actor himself. Nothing in the movie truly gives any scope to the ending… the answers are only found when looking at his real life.

Amazing!

reply

indeed. Great explanation

This is the chinese "birdman".... vice versa.


Did not like them both at all... but some could enjoy. Not saying they are bad , but not for me.

reply

I agree. I've seen three interpretations of how the movie ended, and all have equal validity; however, no-one ever mentions the final "scene" after the "fancy" credits at the end of the movie but before the scrolling credits start. There is a half second "scene" of a man (I think it's Juno Mak) sitting alone in a theatre (seat 13 if that makes any difference) who looks like he's contemplating something which suggest to me the entire movie is just inside the director's imagination which is a metaphor that all of life is but a dream.

-- Be unreasonable.

reply

I'm not familiar with the "Mr. Vampire" series, aside from what little bits I've picked up reading on these boards, but your interpretation of the ending makes a lot of sense. I think the ending was what truly happened and the rest was a fantasy of Chin's, to feel like he sacrificed himself for the "greater good" rather then just ended his life..

I can't believe I passed over this movie so many times... I shouldn't have. While I wouldn't call it scary per-say, it was certainly very creepy, and extremely engaging..

reply