Breaking Down the Big Twist in Strange Darling

As a movie enthusiast with over three decades of cinematic exploration under my belt, I must say that “Strange Darling” has left me both intrigued and perplexed. The film’s narrative twist is undeniably daring, challenging the traditional roles we often see in cat-and-mouse thrillers. However, it seems to me that the team behind this film may have bitten off more than they could chew with their attempt to subvert expectations.

Due to all the excitement about the movie “Strange Darling” currently playing in theaters, many viewers are already anticipating an unexpected Plot Twist. Prior to its release on August 23rd, the film, helmed by writer-director JT Mollner (known for “Outlaws and Angels”), was promoted as a movie where revealing less about it would make its conclusion more impactful, and one that’s too smart to be spoiled. This hinted at the fact that there would be a surprise element in store for the audience.

This cat-and-mouse suspense story, revolving around the climactic day of a long-running spree by an untraceable murderer, is crafted to turn audience assumptions upside down. However, the consequences of such a twist can be somewhat ambiguous.

“In working on this film, I made it a point to steer clear from imposing any particular message or perspective,” Mollner explains. “Instead, our focus was on crafting a compelling story and the emotions the movie would evoke. Similar to David Lynch, who stated his films are intended to be felt rather than understood, this philosophy played a significant role in the process of writing and producing this movie.”

The film “Strange Darling” starts off mimicking the intro of the classic “Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, but unlike its title suggests, it’s not based on actual events. Instead, it dramatizes the supposed “final killings” of a 21st-century’s most active and unusual serial killer. The narrative is divided into six non-sequential chapters (with an additional epilogue), diving straight into the heart of the story with “Chapter 3: ‘Can You Help Me? Please?'”.

In “Strange Darling,” which runs for 96 minutes, the roles of Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are merely labeled as “The Lady” and “The Demon.” For nearly an hour, it appears viewers are watching a typical story where a male killer pursues a female victim. However, hints subtly placed throughout the movie suggest that all may not be as it initially seems.

What is the twist in Strange Darling?

Breaking Down the Big Twist in Strange Darling

The initial hour of the film unfolds with Chapters 3, 5, 1, 4, and 2 sequentially, leading up to a shocking twist: it’s revealed that Fitzgerald’s character, Lady, is not Gallner’s Demon as expected, but rather a dangerous fugitive called “The Electric Lady,” a wanted killer. To reach this climax, the movie Strange Darling uses some intense plot twists, including scenarios that at first glance seem like sexual violence, but are actually consensual non-consent role play.

The turning point arrives when the Lady drugs the Demon to stop him from departing from their motel room, which they occupied following their encounter at a bar. She then marks “EL” into his chest with a knife as a symbol. Upon scrutinizing his wallet, she finds out he’s a police officer – an observation that aligns with the shotgun we noticed in his truck earlier in the film. Intending to end his life by stabbing him in the neck, she is thwarted when he draws a concealed smaller gun while she was in the bathroom and shoots her ear, compelling her to escape the room.

Following the slayings of a motel worker (Denise Grayson) and later a man (Ed Begley Jr.), who invited her into his home during a Sunday breakfast with his wife (Barbara Hershey), the Woman is captured by the Demon after being shot. A dialogue between them ensues, where she reveals that her initial plan wasn’t to kill him. In a shocking turn of events, she then sprays bear spray into his face and tears open his jugular vein with her teeth.

In a situation where a duo of police officers, whom the Demon knew, arrive to discover him dead and the Woman accusing him of sexual assault, Officer Steven Michael Quezada shows reluctance to meddle with the scene until reinforcements come. However, his fellow Officer Madisen Beaty swiftly moves to assist the Woman, viewing her as the victim. Upon getting into their vehicle, she unexpectedly brandishes a firearm at them and instructs the female officer to flee. When the male cop enquires why she murdered so many individuals, she replies, “At times, I don’t perceive humans, I see demons.”

This harkens back to a strange flash of emotion we saw the Lady experience during her encounter with the Demon the previous night. It seemingly implies that she has some sort of sixth sense that allows her to mysteriously pick up on if someone is a bad person. This feeling is never really explained or expanded on, but once again comes into play moments later when a similar flash prompts her to kill the male cop.

In a similar scene reminiscent of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” the tyranny of the Electrifying Lady concludes unexpectedly. A traveler (Sheri Foster) happened upon her by the roadside, but this time, when the Lady tried to draw her weapon, the driver managed to act swiftly and fired first, preventing any action from the Lady.

What to make of Strange Darling‘s switch-up

Breaking Down the Big Twist in Strange Darling

The film appears designed to question and disrupt traditional views on gender roles and victimhood, particularly within the cat-and-mouse thriller genre. However, its purpose remains unclear. Notably, when the Lady and the Demon converse in his pickup truck prior to entering their motel room, she offers a concise speech about the risks that casual encounters can pose for women.

She expresses her frustration by saying, “It’s truly unfortunate. Men often assume we dislike casual sex, but most of us enjoy it immensely. What we desire, though, is assurance that violence isn’t involved. Violence, make no mistake, is no laughing matter – it’s a matter of life and death… You appear kind-hearted. You really do. But you can never truly know someone, so I must ask, are you a serial killer?”

Indeed, this situation leads her to reverse roles, exploiting the visual aspect of the scenario – her appearing as a wounded, nearly-naked woman fleeing from a gun-wielding, drug-addled man – to generate empathy and capitalize on the goodwill of numerous bystanders. The movie subtly touches upon themes of gender dynamics and the importance of trusting women’s accounts, although the filmmakers themselves claim that their primary intention was to create an exhilarating experience for viewers, as explained by Mollner regarding Strange Darling.

In today’s world, it’s quite challenging to catch someone off guard, but finding that elusive surprise factor was crucial for me. Instead of sticking to the norms, I always sought out the anomalies in human behavior, making my stories and characters less predictable. And when penning my lead character, I made sure she could be imperfect, a quality more commonly associated with male characters on screen.

2024-08-26 15:07