Final Scene Interpretation

considering how egotistic Von Trier is, I wouldn't be surprised if your interpretation was true.

So that means you would die climbing your own path on the sides of the mainstream industry?

Good one, I can see that, but of course the ending is a bit of a double-entendre as it also serves as just a fitting ending to the particular story. What I think "actually happens" is the police cut a hole in the door, stick their gun in the hole, and shoot him dead. But, the end sort of exists as a sort of cinematic depiction of what goes on in Jack's mind as he dies, a bit of a panic/fever dream. The ending addresses two aspects of his psyche, first his regret, as symbolized by his act of building the house that he never managed to actually accomplish in his life. Second, finally a little bit of guilt rears its ugly head, as symbolized by his imagining of his own decent into hell, indeed ultimately ending up in the deepest fieriest pit of hell. Of course, creating cinematic sequences capable of being interpreted from multiple different perspectives is something good directors are able to accomplish.

I take the ending quite literally and don't think it has anything do with Lars Von Trier personally. Jack is an evil man, and therefore goes to hell. I can even believe that the film is saying he was so evil that he created a pathway to hell without actually dying first. His "house" opened it up.

Virgil is the guide through the underworld (a nod to "The Aeneid"). There is some significance to showing / tempting Jack with the broken bridge to freedom that sends him into the pit of hell. Virgil knows Jack will try (due to his narcissism), and also knows he will fall (everyone falls). I think it might have been one last chance for a hope of redemption, but I need to think about it a bit more.

Jack is falling further down into the depth of Hell (=the center of the Earth). But Dante is quite explicit about what's in that center.

I took it that he took a chance, betting all to go back up to Earth rather than the 2nd or 3rd circle where Virg was going to take him? In other words, to himself, he's not just a killer, he's someone trying to expand his place in the universe at all costs.