While the film was enjoyable, I kept trying to work out the meta-narrative. What we know:
- when people see they kill themselves (I would say “want to” but everyone succeeds)
- obscuring your vision keeps you safe (aka hiding under blankets, seeing only shadows)
- the thing wanting to be seen appears as nature and uses historical audio misdirection from people’s past to deceive them
- crazy people are unaffected, think it’s beautiful and want everyone to see
- blind people are completely unaffected
So, what is the monster?
Reply by northcoast
on December 25, 2018 at 9:58 AM
I haven't seen this movie, but I did read a newspaper interview with the author of the book the movie is based on a while back.
(Coming here to TMDB, I was surprised the story was released as a movie, since I thought [perhaps incorrectly] that it was originally supposed to be a Netflix series)
Anyway, according to the interview, the monsters (there is more than one) are aliens, and the world Bullock and the others are inhabiting is the aftermath (of an alien conquest).
Reply by Daddie0
on December 26, 2018 at 10:05 AM
Interesting if unsatisfactory. I think one thing this production did right was to never show the monster...hence the speculation.
Reply by aholejones
on December 26, 2018 at 3:16 PM
I think the biggest and most obvious monster is the person at Netflix who keeps on okaying these films and keeps insisting that Netflix should be in the movie making business and keep making these stinkers.
Reply by A-Dubya
on December 28, 2018 at 3:35 AM
Yep, there were too many lame clichés. The ending disappointed me too.
Reply by Innovator
on December 28, 2018 at 3:48 PM
One thing bothered me. They were living in a river adjacent town with boats available so it's safe to assume people there fish. I kept wondering why no one bothered to use/or jury rig a boat sonar or fish finder to be able to get around? It's not like the stores there wouldn't have had them.
Reply by Oduntola
on December 28, 2018 at 10:07 PM
I have not seen the movie only heard about it. From the five things you mention, an alien invasion (being the monster) seems illogical, unless the 'alien invasion' is itself is a metaphor for something else. I have heard, rather read, that the film alludes to the quandary of willful blindness to 'racism' or any other major problem in America. It is a rather bleak and dark picture at that but here is what I think is meant. People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected. In the allusion, they will represent the people who are doing something about it or at least have no participation in it. It might help if you forget the racism angle and simply consider...say ... those willful 'global warming' deniers.
Reply by A-Dubya
on December 29, 2018 at 12:17 AM
Interesting. I was talking with a few of my cousins tonight, and they were trying to discuss what the meaning of the film was for them also. I did not think of this perspective, but thank you. It is another way to view the film.
Reply by Edward Gomez
on December 30, 2018 at 12:53 PM
I liked the movie up to the point of the scene in the rapids, the way it is presented is unreal that those kids did not drown in the river, besides, those birds how did they survive if the small canoe capsized and everyone was way under water. ?,I lost any credibility and my interest.
Reply by Daddie0
on January 1, 2019 at 3:55 PM
Well, sadly I think if Netflix doesn't stay in the production business there's not going to be any business to have. It seems everyone is sequestering their content to their own platforms, commercials and all. For this reason, I'm still a fan of Netflix, even as they flail about. Oh, and I thought this particular production was better than many of their offerings, especially of late.
Reply by Daddie0
on January 1, 2019 at 3:57 PM
Now this is interesting. And given the various analogies, even in your post, it makes me respect them even more for not only not defining the literal monster, but an allegorical one. Very interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing!
Reply by rvcanuck
on January 1, 2019 at 8:53 PM
Given that the monster even influenced people watching from a distance on a remote tv screen seemed hard to swallow. That made it seem more supernatural than anything else. Still, the idea that crazy people could see them without problems seemed intriguing. Would that mean that people under the influence of LSD or similar drugs would be immune too?
Reply by Daddie0
on January 2, 2019 at 9:08 AM
Well, one recurring theme was "you need to see the Truth...it's beautiful" which goes hand-in-hand with the idea that people choose to live with blinders on rather than engage in that level of harsh reality. BTW, I've enjoyed this thread almost as much as the film, which says something of the quality of the film's narrative!
Reply by Ray
on January 6, 2019 at 7:21 PM
People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see like the dangers of immigration because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected.
Reply by Oduntola
on January 28, 2019 at 10:27 PM
Ray,
Do you think reasonable arguments can be made for and against immigration? Do you think similar arguments can be made for and against say 'racism' or'the idea that the planet's climate is changing'? Disagreeing with someone or some idea is NOT the same as wilfully IGNORING. them! This movie is aimed at the latter.
Reply by Daddie0
on February 7, 2019 at 5:16 PM
Well, one of my favorite channels has added this contribution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTaYglOlnY
But I like the theories here even more. Nice job TMDB! :D