Raymond knew that he must die in order to take away Manchurians power. His mother was not the only one who was able to manipulate him. Should she die and he live someone else would just step in to control him while he was vice president or president.
He knew that in order to be free from manipulation and to stop the corruption he would be part of, he had to die. He was probably brainwashed into not being able to commit suicide, so having Marco shoot him instead of the president was his only way out. No Raymond was not evil. But as long as he was alive he would be forced to do evil. He never liked politics anyways. He didnt want to be part of it. So this was the only way for him to be free. His mom dying was just an added bonus. And now with the fbis manipulation of events, Manchurian is under investigation. Its the only good way this movie could end. Like Marco says at the end, "In war there is always casualties".
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b-havens
14 years ago
Yeah but they were acting under the hypnotized commands. I mean how was Shaw able to go stand in the wrong spot? Earlier his mother has him hypnotized and tells him specifically to go to a certain spot and he clearly goes to where the president was supposed to stand. Then Marco shoots them both. How was this possible? What are we to believe? That they acted on their own free will? Even though they were acting out their hypnotized commands?
You're a disease, and I'm the cure.
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pingidjit13
14 years ago
I think in that case his desire and will to stop the manipulation overroad the hypnotism. At this point he knew his mother was part of it and subconsiously was aware enough to do something about it. It wasnt that big of a move really. He just went and stood in a different spot. Up to that point he had been fully under control of manchurian, but once he found out what was going on he was able to take some minor control of himself back. Just enough to stand in the wrong spot, hoping he would be killed and would be free.
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b-havens
14 years ago
Agree thanks.
On the behind the scenes of the dvd and bluray the screenwriter actual breaks the ending down in a similar manner. its the making of. Check it out
You're a disease, and I'm the cure.
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noirgirl
13 years ago
From what he said privately to DW, the remorse over killing people, especially Jocelyn, was killing him, and he wanted DW to take him out.
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txwaho
10 years ago
Somewhere it mentions that Shaw knew Marco really loved his men and also Marco was able to get across to him, through the heart rather than the head, that things were being done to him. So in that sense, does the "love conquer all" theme come into play? I would say yes.
An independent mind is difficult to enslave.
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koffeenkreame41-1
11 years ago
Raymond knew that he must die in order to take away Manchurians power. His mother was not the only one who was able to manipulate him. Should she die and he live someone else would just step in to control him while he was vice president or president.
He knew that in order to be free from manipulation and to stop the corruption he would be part of, he had to die. He was probably brainwashed into not being able to commit suicide, so having Marco shoot him instead of the president was his only way out. No Raymond was not evil. But as long as he was alive he would be forced to do evil. He never liked politics anyways. He didnt want to be part of it. So this was the only way for him to be free. His mom dying was just an added bonus. And now with the fbis manipulation of events, Manchurian is under investigation. Its the only good way this movie could end. Like Marco says at the end, "In war there is always casualties".
I agree, great post. Raymond wasn't evil, his mother definitely was though.
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.
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