Movies

Ari Aster Breaks Down the Ambiguous Ending of Eddington

BBG News

Ari Aster consistently crafts films that captivate viewers. His initial work, “Hereditary,” and his subsequent project, “Midsommar,” were significant triumphs for distributor A24, igniting discussions on the genre known as “elevated horror.” Aster’s audacious work on “Beau is Afraid,” a three-hour comedy-horror film featuring Joaquin Phoenix, may not have fared well at the box office, but it certainly stirred up a lot of dialogue among its viewers.

In May 2020, set in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, we find “Eddington” embroiled in its most contentious chapter yet. This tense time sees the scorching heat of the COVID-19 pandemic colliding with the pressing urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrative centers around Joe Cross (Phoenix), Eddington’s sheriff, who resides with his wife, Louise (Emma Stone), and mother-in-law Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell), known for her frequent espousal of conspiracy theories. With asthma, Joe vehemently opposes mask mandates that Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) wishes to enforce. Enraged by what he perceives as an infringement on his and his neighbors’ liberty, Joe impulsively decides to contest Ted in the forthcoming election. From this point, events spiral completely out of control.

As the creator of Eddington, I passionately express that this film delves into the tumultuous times of the recent past, marked by widespread mistrust. “The story revolves around individuals deeply concerned about our world’s welfare,” I say. “These characters are acutely aware that something is amiss, yet they inhabit distinct realities, leading to disagreements over what exactly is causing this discord.”

In the heart of our tale, townsfolk grapple with the proposed construction of a mammoth data center – a project promising jobs and growth, but at the cost of depleting natural resources. Simultaneously, they grapple with internal conflicts such as clashes between law enforcement and Black Lives Matter activists, simmering rage over mask mandates, and the unsettling rise of baseless conspiracy theories that have seeped into the daily lives of internet-reliant citizens.

We had a chat with Aster about the climactic explosion in the movie and his intended message behind the violence, unexpected turns, and last-minute jokes.

Everything falls apart for Joe

As Joe’s mayoral campaign picks up momentum, tensions escalate at home. Louise is infuriated that he jumped into the race without her knowledge, but when he releases a video accusing Ted of being a sexual predator who exploited Louise when she was underage, things take a dramatic turn. In response, Louise publishes her own video denying Joe’s allegations, which in turn damages his reputation. Eventually, Louise leaves Joe for Vernon (Austin Butler), a charismatic figure believed to lead a cult, and she aligns herself with his belief in a powerful pedophile network.

Following a passionate confrontation with Ted, who violently strikes Joe (during an unexpected altercation that took place while Katy Perry’s “Firework” was playing), Joe is left utterly demoralized. In a shocking turn of events, he takes the lives of both Ted and their son, firing from afar in a sniper-like manner, within their home nestled deep in the desert. Subsequently, he scrawls “No Justice, No Peace” on Ted’s wall, in an attempt to misleadingly implicate Antifa, who had been garnering significant attention through viral videos. However, when a law enforcement officer from the neighboring Pueblo tribe (William Belleau) intervenes and raises concerns about jurisdiction due to the bullets originating from his territory, suspicion falls on Joe. This causes the sheriff to become increasingly distraught.

In the stillness of the night, I’m unexpectedly confronted by a band of masked radicals, who lead me towards the outskirts of our town with sinister intentions. In this desolate location, they ignite explosives, taking the life of one of my fellow officers and critically injuring another, Michael (Micheal Ward). Michael, a potential successor to my position in case I win the election, and one of the few Black residents under pressure to participate in BLM protests, narrowly escapes death. As the violence erupts on the streets of Eddington, I brace myself for a fierce battle, arming myself at a local gun store and navigating the empty town amidst a prolonged gunfight reminiscent of a Western standoff.

Multiple interpretations of who the shooters might be

In the movie “Eddington,” screens play a significant role in shaping the lives of its inhabitants, as real to them as the physical world. Characters are often seen engrossed in their phones or computers, browsing social media, watching videos on YouTube, and delving into various topics such as government conspiracies, mask-wearing, and other beliefs that reinforce their perspectives. According to Aster, each character exhibits a sense of paranoia, and they are all convinced about what they perceive is happening. This feeling of paranoia permeates every scene in “Eddington.” Similarly, just as characters are engrossed by their screens, the movie itself seems to be influenced by the viewpoints of these characters.

During the crucial shootout, it seems like screens are scarcely visible. This vanishing act is so sudden that it feels as if Joe might be experiencing a terrifying COVID-influenced hallucination. Aster deliberately chose to eliminate electronic devices completely from this scene. “In the climactic part,” he explains, “screens are no longer necessary. They’ve served their purpose.” This implies that paranoia has fully gripped Eddington, as suggested by Aster.

In a turn of events, Joe is navigating Eddington, retaliating against anyone threatening him, unintentionally leading to the death of the Pueblo police officer who had evidence linking Joe to Ted’s murder. The air is filled with gunfire, and bullets are whizzing from all directions as Joe fights for survival. Aster remarks, “It seems those mysterious shooters are appearing in the darkness.” This statement can be seen as a thought-provoking metaphor for the internet. It provides us with anonymity, which, in my opinion, often does not encourage our better instincts.

It’s interesting that Aster employs the term “anonymous” even though the movie shows men wearing Antifa symbols arriving in Eddington by airplane earlier on. Aster suggests the film serves as a kind of inkblot test, where at this point it reveals whether it is intended as satire or a more truthful portrayal – for those who are inclined towards conspiracy theories.

While Eddington portrays the shooters as Antifa members, it doesn’t automatically mean they are. The circumstances could suggest they’re being manipulated for political gain by the GOP or they might be infiltrators sent by George Soros, according to some perspectives. Aster refrains from expressing his own beliefs on the matter: “It seemed significant and a bit mischievous to let the audience decide,” he explains.

Could a third possibility exist where the killings were orchestrated by entities with interests in the data center construction at Eddington? It’s plausible that someone with significant influence over the project might have hired agents to create chaos, given the sensitive nature of the data center and the town’s current tumultuous state. The data center, while not central to the narrative, appears to be a concern for powerful figures, and Eddington, already embroiled in a nationwide media frenzy, may not be an ideal location for its establishment. Could the escalating tension and discord serve as a smokescreen to divert attention from the real issue? It’s conceivable that these instigators disguised themselves as Antifa members, stirring up violence within the town to destabilize it. Once order has been disrupted, they could step in, promising jobs and stability – exactly what Eddington, in its current state of disarray, desperately needs.

The unlikely rise of Brian and Dawn

The intense gunfight concludes due to Brian (Cameron Mann), a teenager who’s been participating in Black Lives Matter rallies mainly to win over a girl he likes. In the heat of the moment, Brian shoots an attacker, but regrettably, the assailant had previously stabbed Joe in the head. The event is recorded on camera (reminiscent of Eddington) and we jump forward by a year. The video spreads like wildfire on TikTok, catapulting Brian into an unexpected hero for the right-wing movement. This includes a comical instance where Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene herself advocates for Brian to receive a Congressional Medal of Honor. It is suggested that Kyle Rittenhouse was the blueprint for Brian’s swift rise in popularity.

According to Aster, Brian is a significant and captivating character in the movie because he’s not influenced by ideologies; instead, he’s an ordinary young person seeking companionship and a relationship. He temporarily aligns himself with the left-wing group for questionable motives. Ultimately, Brian will choose to go where he’s accepted. This portrayal reflects the impact of our highly individualistic culture on people today.

Following the gunfight, Joe finds himself brain-dead and confined to a wheelchair. Officially, he remains as mayor, but his mother-in-law Dawn, fueled by her conspiratorial beliefs, has assumed control, symbolized by her adoption of more elegant suits. The town rejoices at the inauguration of the data center. Joe successfully fulfilled his mission to unite the town, obtaining all he desired except the love of his partner who departed for Vernon and is now expecting his child. However, left with minimal autonomy, he must spend the remainder of his days without much power. His caretaker is having an affair with Dawn, and they share a bed. “There’s a sense of karmic retribution there,” Aster notes. “But it’s more so a victory story for Dawn. She’s a person who carries strong convictions, and she was seeking a platform; ultimately, she becomes the mayor at the end.

The data center at the center of it all

In the closing scene of the movie, rather than showing Joe, Dawn, or any other person, we see solidgoldmagikarp, a massive completed data center standing prominently in the New Mexico desert near Eddington. This data center doesn’t derive its name from the PokĂ©mon Magikarp, but instead refers to an AI token that often leads to unpredictable behavior within artificial intelligence systems. As Aster puts it, “While there are many winners and losers at the end of the film, without a doubt, the data center emerges as the clear victor.

Although this detail may seem minor in the movie, it’s actually crucial to its message. It’s about an enormous data center related to AI technology. Throughout the film, we see the anticipation of its arrival and, ultimately, its realization. In a sense, every story and character within the film can be seen as training material for the AI. The movie itself could even be considered a form of training data,” Aster explains.

In Aster’s perspective, the conclusion of the movie Eddington is open to various interpretations. As he puts it, “The film revolves around a group dealing with a predicament while another looming issue takes shape.” This other issue refers to the rapid advancement of AI technology. Aster believes that at this stage, AI seems almost unstoppable, giving rise to an intense competition, or an arms race. He suggests that those who are developing AI see themselves as absolved from responsibility and view their actions as a means to avoid accountability. In Aster’s opinion, the prevailing sentiment during this time is a sense of helplessness and fear.

Although Aster recognizes the film’s grimness, he doesn’t view Eddington as a nihilist. Instead, he expresses optimism in the movie being a period piece, believing it might offer viewers a chance to reflect on our past. This reflection, he suggests, could help us understand our current situation more acutely and potentially question whether we want to continue down the path we’re on.

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2025-07-23 06:06

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