Okay the ending is them blowing up whether you like it or not and I have proof because the base/island they were on was once Japan's control and then taken over by the Americans and so that the Japanese couldn't regain the island after they (Americans) left they bombed the island and since the two were so drunk from the sake (trust me that stuff is strong!) they didn't hear the bombs
shareWho cares why? It's a metaphor.
shareJust saw it tonight on TCM... the ending bites! They should let Boorman put his original back on... and "people who speak in metaphors should have to shampoo my crotch." -Jack Nicholson AS GOOD AS IT GETS
shareThe ending is a bit of a drag for me. I thought this was one of the best films I had ever seen up until that moment. Now, I'd classify it as only very good. Not a bad place to be either way, if you ask me.
The reason why it doesn't work for me. First off, if it's to be taken literal, and it's not, but if it was, it would such a gigantic stretch any way you look at it, that it wouldn't work. Secondly, if it's to be taken metaphoricaly, which I beleive to be the case, it completely eliminates the subtlty that is in the rest of the film. This was a very subtle, non judgemental look at these two people and the situation they were both in, in the very bad time that they were in. And all of a sudden, you get punched in the face with this statement. I can't get too upset about it, because it was out of Boorman's hands, the very hands that made the rest of the film so brilliant. But, it only makes me wish Boorman's ending was the version that is out there.
The best ending is the alternate (non US release) ending that you find on the DVD.
SPOILER
Instead of the idiotic "explosion", you have Marvin and Mifune continuing to argue (no contrived bomb sound effects in the background), after which they each pack up and go on their seperate ways without so much as saying goodbye. The screen fades to black. Very simple and yet very powerful.
I liked the alternate ending much better as well. It helped maintain the fact that there were only two characters in this movie and it kind of adds a 360 twist to the film. They started off as enemies, became allies, and end up enemies again. Aside from that, I think the fact that Mifune was looking at that LIFE magazine and the pictures of the dead Japanese helped balance out the anger that the two had for each other. Marvin gets angry about the Japs not believing in God, and Mifune gets angry because of what the Americans have done to the Japs. Personally I would have liked a happier ending, but I like this one as well.
Garçon! Coffee!