Baffled- questions re the film (spoilers)

Lol... I have no answers to your questions - I found the whole thing just as confusing as you did! It had an interesting concept, but was largely directionless, inconsistent, and severely lacking in continuity!

Shame, because the whole reverse-meteoropathy concept is pretty neat - I wish this had been made as a sci-fi thriller instead.

I thought the floating Africans at the end were cool. But I couldn't help but wonder; if people were to suddenly start floating off the ground, wouldn't it be better to tether them to the ground on a shorter rope, rather than let them bob around 20 feet in the air like balloons!? Heh.

Hi Clare ...Severus,

I'm baffled too, but can ffer some thoughts on some of your questions I think.

>suddenly he's wearing his shirt and she's got her jacket on- huh???!!

I think that was just a poor skip to a little while later. Some of these movies are s poor in letting the viewer know whats happening that they miss the whole point.

>Why clone her three times? Surely one clone would suffice?

I wondered the same, but actually I don't think she was cloned (was she?) They took look alikes and brainwashed them and trained them. I think they were planning on using the best result and eliminating the rest.

>-Why were the clones allowed to roam freely when they were in their deranged states?

Dunno. I think that only happened twice (hallway appearances). Perhaps they just escaped temporarily.

>-Why did Morrison only kill three Elenas?

Ah, Did you notice that when they were all in the same room asking questions, they were clearly all of different heights? Then in the ice rink after the shooting Morrison said, "Look, it says she is blonde and five foot six". I think the impersonators just didnt make the grade. Having killed the impersonators, he wasn't about to kill the only remaining (genuine) Elena.

> but what did he comment mean when he said, 'it was me or both of you'...?

They had given him the choice - "co-operate and 'be someone' or die".

> -Why were Elena and John walking aimlessly in the snow at the end? Where were they headed?

OK. I'd have to be bothered enough to watch it again to verify this - and that I'm not about to do because I think I'd rather stand on my head. I think that they were lied to that they would be staying with Betsy's uncle, but he didnt show up. It was a plot. He may never have existed evven, but he didnt show up. The meeting place was probably remote and they were left to try to find there way to somewhere alone. It appears that the grand plan was to have all three of them dying of exposure many miles from help.

> -At the end John made some reference to hurting his hand, and has a bandage on it, what did he do to it and what had this to do with anything?

Perhaps a minor injury from his repeated falls on the ice?

>FINALLY- the odd parts where it cut to a hot desert like place in between some scenes and then faded to black- where was that and what was the significance?

That was really cryptic. Perhaps a reminder of the Ugandan situation (loss of gravity), or perhaps a sort of psychological reference to earlier years before the weather patterns fell apart - or an earlier phase of them falling apart. Basically mind-bending time wasting scenes that would have been better left on the cutting room floor along with the cut Sean Penn scenes.

Sean Penn. Now what a pity this brilliant actor accepted this petty role. Perhaps he just wanted to 'keep his hand in'?

Hi! I've just viewed this film last night! And what an obsession it's become!
I too have/had questions. Most of it, I've let go... I'll explain at the end.

1. ...notice the strange continuity errors, the most noticeable of which was during the 'its snowing' scene, when Elena and John were in bed, with the camera at an odd angle, so you could see the snow outside. You could see Elena's bare arm and John's bare back behind her. Then they sit up and as the camera angle changes, suddenly he's wearing his shirt and she's got her jacket on- huh???!!

A: Sort of recall this. But more focused on the images being directed to my view. I agree it's just a bad transition of time.
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2. Elena's ill so her family plan to have her replaced. Why clone her three times? Surely one clone would suffice?

A: That entire storyline still bugs me! Was she really ill? Could it have been like Frankenstein (requiring more than one cloning to get it right?) I get that they wanted a clone to continue business.

In a dream: Could it have been a personal struggle for identity? Who am I? Why am I doing all these things? Business? Other people? What do I want?
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3. Why were the clones allowed to roam freely when they were in their deranged states?

A: I lean towards the escapee idea! Don't have any other ideas... But...

In a dream: I think it was mainly the "bad one" that appears. Like an omen. The bad self that wants to destroy the other self or selves. Self-destruction? Or just hating aspects of herself?
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4. Why did Morrison only kill three Elenas- the clones? Did he not realise there was still one Elena alive? Or was he supposed to have sympathised?

A: This was a very bizzare scene! Given that Elena knew about the clones and cooperated, it doesn't make sense to then kill the only original. But if the concern was not Elena but John... Maybe killing them all, being the intent, was the only way to keep the secret? I believe Elena faked being shot to save herself. Or perhaps she knew about the shooting? I had also thought the remark about her heart being weak was a hint about the shooting. But that never really connected. Then again! Since the shooter kept shooting at the downed Elenas, then I don't know why all the Elenas weren't shot extra, just in case! And knowing Michael (brother) had arranged this, could it have been brotherly killing sympathy? :>

In a dream: Morrison, I believe, was a fan of Elena in the movie. Perhaps being the one to decide which Elena is the real Elena? Or which Elena will triumph?
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5. What was Elena's brother's involvement? I assume, form teh whole diary entry thing the idea was he planned Morrison to kill Elena...but what did he comment mean when he said, 'it was me or both of you'...?

A: I'm guessing it was about sacrifice. Either he'd sacrifice his life and be a dog in hers. Or John and Elena would sacrifice their lives so he can shine... Either as boss of a clone and the sole survivor to know her memories, or completely freed from his current employment to pursue something else? It sure seems like there's no alternative to working for her entourage, eh?

In a dream: I'd suppose her brother represented some aspect of Elena's frustration with her "family" and life. And that it was either Elena without love or Elena with love and family. And the diary could be the revelation that it has been self-sabotage from the start.
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6. Why were Elena and John walking aimlessly in the snow at the end? Where were they headed?

A: It seemed that it was originally due to the snow storm that blocked roads and stranded them. I believe they were headed to a small village or other. But then, it could've also been a trick from the start. A death sentence Michael made for all of them. Which could imply he meant to die alone as penance for his sister's suffering and ultimate death.

In a dream: Aimlessly wandering hoping to find direction or salvation... Or looking for the key to the universe? A solo journey that others would be unable to help. Finding sanctuary in death or the desire to ascend to heaven?
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7. At the end John made some reference to hurting his hand, and has a bandage on it, what did he do to it and what had this to do with anything?

A: I was too obsessive about the nonsense details to have noticed that as weird. I was more taken by the long trek without food, water or their bags! But I figured it was just from the bitter cold, ice playing or something. (Really didn't pay enough attention to this detail...)
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8. FINALLY- the odd parts wehere it cut to a hot desert like place in between some scenes and then faded to black- where was that and what was the significance?

A: This, I have to give you my take on the entire film to explain...

After most obsessively perusing the comments in search of answers, I've made my conclusion for today! I buy into the entire film, as is, as a dream. Like watching someone else's dream. Which means nothing has to completely connect to anything else. Stuff appears and disappears for unconcious or subconcious reasons, etc. That it's meaning is too vast to sum up in any serial manner.

That said, I think the desert scenes are related to the flying Ugandans! In dreams, we usually get some kind of "exit button" to let us know it is a dream. Our tie to the waking-state. So I'm thinking it was a reminder to the dreamer that waking is always an option. And in the end, it was a signal to wake up.

I also lean towards thinking it was an allegory. Like fleeting reality or fading of nature/balance... And the flying Ugandans being tethered: the equivalent of flying dreams or floating above oneself but unable to see the truth/self or the global meaning. The sense of being anchored to an incomprehensible world and kept out of the eternal cosmos.

How's that? ;)

Like a dream, I'm sorry to have waken because I want to know why or what's next! Like a dream, the flying Ugandan's were the exit button that compelled me to reality or waking state. And like a dream, I've forgotten most of it as the whole experience blurs into the recesses of my mind! ...LOL.

i wont answer to questions as i dont really know the logical answers to them...but could this movie be only a pilosophical view over the love feeling!?
People die cause they are out of love...the weather is plunging to a freezing temperature in response to the world's lack of love...people only see their interests (as the whole big elena's "family" is trying to have a good skater no matter what; they even get to brainwash the minds of some young women for it)...and to the other pole, John and Elena are connecting again, they fell in love again, tasting some of the most beautifull (and trivial) world's wonders (as opposite to the freezing state, they find beauty in the snowing phenomenon, they even get to reconnect when the world is falling apart around them (very nice idea indeed)), John's brother (sean penn, which i belive he has a major role to this story and also a good performance) is above the world and he's flying all the time (and he feels fantastic being away of those changes and lack of feelings the earth is passing trough)...but in the end (as sad as the movie can be) the love feeling wont prime above the "material" interest of human being!
I think most people do make the mistake(in my opinion) to look for the logical plot of this movie. There isnt one, and there shouldnt be...the beauty of the movie just astound me as it is!
(flying uganda phenomen can be about poor people who dont have to fight over influence or power (they are pure in a sense) , that can be the flying explanation to it, and also the fear of human kind of unknown (they dont want to fly, they are not angels, they are human beings - this line is one of the most important of the movie and it could have predicted the end in a way : people cannot escape their constitution, they are tide to the earth and to its sins))
(also John's flashes with the uganda's empty plains can be an alegory to the fact that there is another power involved in human's choices, and there is hope in getting unleashed - that is why at the end the field is full of flying humans)

Q)Elena's ill so her family plan to have her replaced. Why clone her three times? Surely one clone would suffice?

A) the 3 elenas were not clones they were druged and bought from other countries to look like her. they would then train and try to learn as much of elena as possible. the one who becomes more like elena becomes her replacement. the other 2 would be eradicated.

Q)Why were the clones allowed to roam freely when they were in their deranged states?

A)the clones were not carefully watched upon. It was the negligence of the care takers.

Q)Why did Morrison only kill three Elenas- the clones? Did he not realise there was still one Elena alive? Or was he supposed to have sympathised?

A)Remember when morrison first met john and talked about whats happening around the world? how that it was the lack of love affecting the world. He purposely killed the other 3 elenas because he knew about elena and johns love. He gave them a chance. thats why he tried to play it off as when he was reading about the information about elena. (don't follow the fact on what he said try to understand HOW he read it.)

Q)What was Elena's brother's involvement? I assume, form teh whole diary entry thing the idea was he planned Morrison to kill Elena...but what did he comment mean when he said, 'it was me or both of you'...?


A)yes he did plan the hit on them both because he was always in the shadow. he was becoming desprate and older so he hired the hit. by saing, "it was me or you." meaning that he was also preasured on hiring the hit. because if he didn't then he would know too much and be killed as well.

Q)Why were Elena and John walking aimlessly in the snow at the end? Where were they headed?

A)they were supposed to stay at the uncles house. but it was all a lie. Betsy was a bad guy as well.

Q)At the end John made some reference to hurting his hand, and has a bandage on it, what did he do to it and what had this to do with anything?

A) this was a mistake on the wirter/director. this is compeletly irrelevant to anything. which should have been left in the cutting room floor. Unfortunately this part and many others aided on "slowing down" the movie.

Q)FINALLY- the odd parts wehere it cut to a hot desert like place in between some scenes and then faded to black- where was that and what was the significance?

A)Well well well, this is one of the questions that pop up evertime someone sees this movie. let me explain The snow falling around the world, the flying Ugandans, the fresh water freez all seemingly poping up randomly really was done on purpose. To better explain it, "Schindler's List"(1993)done by Steven Spielberg( If you haven't seen this movie then please watch it! exelent film.)
The whole controversy on the little girl in the red dress was finally explained. She represented the fact that that movie was not just about one person. that it was about everybody and how it effect them. Similar to that all the things happening are a constant reminder that its not just about these 2 people. that so much is going around the world. that was what the director was trying to convey. once again it was unfortunate that Thomas Vinterberg was unable to successfully put all these into a film that was able to connect to the audience much better.


OH and for people confused on sean penn's part.In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, a soothsayer says. "Beware the Ides of March." seans penn plays the soothsayer.