MovieChat Forums > Kill List (2011) Discussion > What this film is about (major spoiler f...

What this film is about (major spoiler first sentence in post)

posted 11 years ago by TheHypnotron
16 replies | jump to latest

This film shows Jay in the process of having a complete psychotic break from reality.

The singular truth of this film is that we don't know what is completely real because it's all distorted by the perspective of a paranoid, stressed, and increasingly insane man's fractured reality.

It's not terribly important to know the specifics of who was real and who wasn't.

I would say the writer of this film knows about this sort of mental illness from someone close in their life.

The sad irony is that Jay sees himself as a chivalrous man, vanquishing evil, but insane folks are capable of harming anyone around them when reality is hidden from their eyes behind the veil of psychosis.

[–] Floyd_Pinkerton 11 years ago

Would you care to elaborate? I'm interested in your take on the film, but would be more inclined to consider it if you provided at least some specifics.

[–] lumitykki 11 years ago

Totally agree with your opinion... I get really annoyed when I see people thinking there was an actual cult goin on... It was only in his head

[–] haileybaron 10 years ago

There WAS an actual cult.
You think that was all in his mind?
No no.

[–] BeOneOfUs 9 years ago

I get really annoyed when I see people thinking there was an actual cult goin on... It was only in his head

What reason do you have to believe it was all in his head??
There was absolutely nothing in the film to suggest this!

[–] Yipyapyoup 9 years ago

Not a single line of dialogue and not a single shot in this movie leads to the conclusion that there was no actual cult. You just try to sound smarter by pretending you saw something others didn't.

[–] Meldove 8 years ago

Not a single line of dialogue and not a single shot in this movie leads to the conclusion that there was no actual cult. You just try to sound smarter by pretending you saw something others didn't.

I agree. In addition, Fiona draws the cult marking on the back of their mirror and Jay isn't present or aware of it. If there was no cult, we wouldn't see Fiona putting the marking on their mirror without Jay's knowledge.

If there was no cult it would have gone something like this:

Jay would have found the marking on his mirror, only to be revealed later there never was a marking - it was a figment created by his mind.

[–] ProfSpielberg 10 years ago

When he cooked that filthy rabbit in the yard and started chowing on it that was pretty hardcore

[–] horrorgasm 10 years ago

He was obviously progressively losing his mind, but the whole cult being a hallucination? No, that makes no sense whatsoever.

For instance, was he hallucinating Fiona stealing a sample of his blood and leaving the cult's mark hidden in his house? That would be pretty interesting considering he never saw that or knew about it.

Was he hallucinating when his buddy opened the threatening envelope from the cult that contained the same symbol? How would he hallucinate that since again, he wasn't there and he never saw that symbol?

Etc. etc.

Sorry, no, that theory doesn't hold water at all.

[–] amyleigh2112 10 years ago

Interesting take about some of it being in his mind only, but not the entire ordeal IMO. How about when the wife shot like four people at the cottage at the end? This part was not from his perspective, so I don't think that part was in his mind.
To be honest, it never crossed my mind that some of the events were not really happening until I read your post, but like I said, very interesting take.

[–] pennisdennis 10 years ago

I think you are right and wrong.

I think the main plot was real, the cult, etc etc.

But i think there are selective scenes where you wonder whether some parts are dreams/him dreaming/imaging certain stuff.

For example a number of times the wife and the kid say "wake up", in a kind of "your in a nightmare" kind of wake up.

Also the fionna women, theres no way she knew he would look out of his window at that very moment for her to be there and wave to him. How would she plan that?"oh i know, im going to go outside a travel lodge and stay up ALL night in the hope that he looks out the window and spots me waving". Also why didnt jay go down stairs and meet the weird waving women. Or wake up gal to let him know that the lady he was with has been following then???

Alos the doctor scene imo is a dream. How did they know it would get infected? His wife booked it and yet they got someone from the cult quicky to check his hand wound. Also why did he not mention the doctors appointment to anyone???

[–] andykidd99 10 years ago

Great points here.

Worth a rewatch to look for clues

[–] Don_Cheech 9 years ago

About Fiona.... When Jay stands at his window waving to her... There are a few things that could be happening.

A) my initial thought: Jay AND Gal were staying at that hotel. Gal, probably in the room next door, was waving to Fiona , and her back to him. That's why Jay sits down... And suspiciously stares at the wall next to him. (Gal is in that room, and he figures it out himself) Note, Gal said he was falling in love with Fiona so maybe they stayed close via telephone, and met up, without telling jay. That ordeal with the waving was saying good bye. Jay was standing at the window like a moron in underwear waving to someone who doesn't see him. To me, this paints him again as a socially awkward psycho. This was the night before they return to their families and The next day, jay gets uncomfortable when he sees Fiona is at his house. Now we know, she understood everything, probably manipulated Gal.

B) Fiona, a cult member, is following Jay, the chosen one. she has orchestrated his entire initiation , and monitoring him. She waves to him, basically in admiration.

C) There are a few points in the film where Jay hallucinates , this being one of them.

[–] StaunchWoman 9 years ago

Re: The Doctor Scene

I feel it simply goes to show how far-reaching this cult really is. Not juts how fast a culty Dr. could show up. And personally, I only mention my Dr.'s appointment to my employer (if it coincides with work) and my S.O.. No need to shout it from the mountaintops.

We've met before, haven't we?

[–] Meldove 8 years ago

We did see Jay go to the Doctor, (I do believe the scene was real) however his regular Doctor wasn't there and he didn't receive any treatment for the infection, just vague statements about Jay's "state of being" from the Cult Doctor. The Doctor seemed disinterested in even looking at his infected wound.

If Jay's infection never received proper treatment it was likely having significant impact on his state of mind, judgment and strength (as he was likely feverish). The infection could have reached his bloodstream by the time he was facing the demonic cult which likely made him weaker against them. The only pills we observe him taking are the pills he was taking in the beginning (as far I can tell he was never given proper antibiotics for the infection). It seems deliberate on the part the cult and the fact he didn't see his usual Doctor was suspicious. An infection like that can make someone incoherent and weak, so I'm sure it had significant impact on Jay and was likely intentional.

[–] seth-shaw23 10 years ago

I thought Jay was indeed having mental problems due to the Kiev thing and being broke, but everything that happened in the movie was literal. To say that it was all in his head is way too simple and almost insulting to a good film.

I thought the ending was somewhat predictable having seen several others do pretty much the same thing. Particularly Rosemary's Baby (which sucked) and A Serbian Film for the finale. However, I thought it was very well executed throughout.

[–] soo_z_g 10 years ago

Rosemary's Baby sucked? Hmmm... Probably my favorite horror movie ever. And horror is my favorite genre. Obviously we have different ideas of what sucks.