I agree 100% with what you say here. Or, maybe 98%...
While I'm on the same page that the ending was a minor imperfection to an otherwise beautiful, haunting, bittersweet film about love and...(limb) loss, I don't think it's because of a lack of emotional impact.
On the contrary, I think the ending has a lot of emotionality to it, with the loss of the hand juxtaposed with the loss of his parents, the explanations stacking, his igloo/arctic interests converging, the girl and the uncle looking for him, finding out what happened via tape deck recording, the leap, the challenge, making an attempt to change your path, etc...the final image is beautiful, poetic, and touching...
But! I do agree that the ending is flawed. I think it leaves plot threads dangling too much. The uncle is sick: what happened? The girl is looking for him: does she find him? does he even want to be found anymore? And what happens with the hand!?
I don't mind having an ending with not all questions answered, but the relationship between the boy and the girl and the hand's quest to return were central plotlines. It wraps up the main thread (the boy dealing with loss, trauma, being out of control of his life, etc.), but it doesn't wrap up others in a way that suggests a real ending.
That final image was great, though, and really did make me sad...I just wish it could have even hinted at a couple of extra answers.
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