MovieChat Forums > Krampus (2015) Discussion > There is NO happy ending.

There is NO happy ending.

posted 8 years ago by desiredemailgirl
40 replies | jump to latest

Clue number one - "Krampus comes to take , not to give. " Common sense should tell you, Krampus would not GIVE them a second chance. Max's chance, was to go on, without his family. He didnt accept the gift, and rather than take the offer he wanted to join his family (he was allowed to join his family, but now the way he wanted to)

Clue number two - The scared look on everyones faces , replaying the voices of the previous night. All of them realize the horror is real.

Clue number three - The final scene is in a dreamy atmosphere. It seems to be one of the "old Christmastimes" that Max dreamed about. Pretty eery for a family who just 24 hours ago, couldnt get along .

Clue number four - Snow globe. Snow globes are beautiful, but also haunting because the world inside them never changes. They are captured inside of one, forever. Meaning, their lives are in a standstill. They will repeat the same Christmas for all eternity.

Clue number 5 - Krampus intended to leave Max alive . Allowing the family to have a happy ending was never in his plans.Nothing about his behavior before the final "happy" scene , including the sinister laughing and throwing Max into the fire pit, says that he intended to spare or have mercy on anyone

And..finally, the camera zooms out to show us many snow globes. Critical thinking would lead you to believe that those are the snow globes, of other families, trapped forever in limbo.Those snow globes dont represent second chances, they represent "worlds" with people trapped inside them. There are a lot of other unfortunate souls and families dead, but alive, inside of those snow globes.

The end.

[–] Reznik_T 8 years ago

Good points! I liked the ending, that made me give it a 6 instead of a 5.

[–] Sandy0095 8 years ago

I believe the director said he knew the ending but wanted the audience to have a choice:

1. The family is either stuck in a perpetual Christmas-like world.

2. The family is on watch for good behavior, with the snow globe acting as a camera.

It's up to interpretation. But personally I think they're okay because Krampus is described as a Loki-like character. He's a master of mischief and likes to play cat and mouse. I think the fact that the boy fought for his family, verses his grandmother, proved the lesson worked. But I think they're on permanent watch.

-Who is it?
-It's Grandpa. And it sounds like he's gotten into the horseradish again.

[–] marauteatime 8 years ago

Actually what was said was:

*A Christmas Carol is playing*

"I hope we didn't give away the ending by having this appear right away."

[–] TheMichael 8 years ago

Yeah, people debating this annoys me too. IT'S A LIMBO ENDING. All this "second chance" or "keeping a lookout" talk is trying a little too hard to rationalize the ending. It's supposed to go by the FEELING of the ending, and the feeling of the ending is dread.

[–] DarklordRB 8 years ago

Until you read the graphic novel you'll see why the Happy ending subjective is possible. And yes, the ending has been debated to death; so let people assume what they want to assume about the ending.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bmw9413 8 years ago

The alternate ending has only Max and Omi remembering while the rest of the family is laughing cheerfully and not paying attention, also there is no snow in the background when the camera zooms out....so the theatrical ending should be considered Purgatory/Hell/Limbo because of the glow during the whole scene, the snow, and Krampus's presence still residing over them (the fire, blowing by the window)

[–] cgrill8 8 years ago

Except that the blizzard is gone and Max sees his whole neighborhood in either ending...

3rd generation American from a long line of Gottscheers... it was Drandul, dude!

[–] stewieboy2008 8 years ago

The ending was like something you would see as a twilight zone episode ending. Total twilight zone ending.

[–] stormhappy106 8 years ago

Excellent Post OP, you made your points perfectly, of course this is not a happy ending in any sense of the word

[–] cgrill8 8 years ago

When I saw it in the theater (Tuesday Dec 15 2015)... before knowing ANY of the extras, before reading the comic (checked out of a library in Feb 2016), or hearing the commentary (April 2016 when the blur ray was released) I knew that they survived. I knew it was a good ending. But to each his own. Did they look out the window and see a workshop? No. Did they leave the front door and put a hand on a mysterious invisible barrier they could not walk through? No. We were not given any reason that the family had any idea they were inside....anything. Thus they were not. Only being watched... but if you think otherwise... oh well. I'm not arguing the point per se, just trying to make a point without delving into the directors comments or outside sources like the comic or art book. Even my 8 year old only had the VISUAL to go by and was freaked out completely. He slumped into the couch in fear and doubt. I turned around and said, the very same thing... did you SEE them touch the side? When Max looked out, did he SEE the side of a globe? Or any other glass? (like the side of a snow globe) No. We saw the neighborhood. We saw smokestacks going in the background too... We saw him go downstairs for all remember the nights before with the bell. It's a fake out, it's not 'really' what you're seeing. They aren't trapped. They're being watched. They didn't go out the front door and become stopped by a curved glass barrier. They aren't going to spend the same day over and over... this isn't Groundhog Day. They are finally experiencing GRATITUDE and redeemed and somewhat a restored faith too. The music at that point (when Max wakes up, though it's mostly silent) even in the (OH NO ANOTHER OUTSIDE SOURCE!) soundtrack is called... The Redemption! OH NOES! But... they're eternally stuck in a snowglobe... so they must not be redeemed. Alive with no grocery store... OH NOES!

3rd generation American from a long line of Gottscheers... it was Drandul, dude!

[–] mpurvismattp 8 years ago

I just watched this movie and I was a bit perplexed, and was wondering exactly what happened at the end. I like the theory of the perpetual hell Xmas more, but I honestly think the quasi Christmas Carol finale is infact the actual intention of the writers. The multiple snow globes are all the other familys (including yours...and mine... yikes). The back of the DVD even says "You Better Watch Out." I think that was an ominous way of saying " You better not pout, you better not cry... or Krampus will kill your ass and that no lie." Or something to that effect...

[–] mpurvismattp 8 years ago

I just watched this movie and I was a bit perplexed, and was wondering exactly what happened at the end. I like the theory of the perpetual hell Xmas more, but I honestly think the quasi Christmas Carol finale is infact the actual intention of the writers. The multiple snow globes are all the other familys (including yours...and mine... yikes). The back of the DVD even says "You Better Watch Out." I think that was an ominous way of saying " You better not pout, you better not cry... or Krampus gonna kill your ass and that no lie." Or something to that effect...

[–] mpurvismattp 8 years ago

I just watched this movie and I was a bit perplexed, and was wondering exactly what happened at the end. I like the theory of the perpetual hell Xmas more, but I honestly think the quasi Christmas Carol finale is infact the actual intention of the writers. The multiple snow globes are all the other familys that Krampus is watching and judging (including yours...and mine... yikes). The back of the DVD even says "You Better Watch Out." I think that was an ominous way of saying " You better not pout, you better not cry... or Krampus gonna kill your ass and that no lie." Or something to that effect...

[–] HelloMyNameIsMrBurns 8 years ago

Yeah, that was pretty obvious.