Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for The black man.
The big picture
- The black man is a horror film based on the short story by Stephen King about parental neglect and trauma.
- The film focuses on Dr. Harper and his family, whose grief and vulnerability make them the perfect target for the boogeyman.
- Although the family eventually defeats the boogeyman, the final scene suggests the monster may still be lurking, depicting the ongoing struggle of grief.
After it was planned as a Hulu release, Rob Savage‘S The black man impressed Disney executives so much that the studio brought it to theaters. Of course, that’s an appropriate release for it The black manas an adaptation of StephenKingHis popular short story received the author’s own seal of approval, but horror fans looking for well-directed bogeys will be in good hands here The black manSome people might leave theaters wondering what the end of the movie means. That’s because, after all that’s said and done, there’s still one unclear scene that highlights the franchise’s potential The black man. If you didn’t catch it The black man to the cinema, then you’re in luck because it’s available now on VOD. It will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 10th, just in time for spooky season!
What exactly is the boogeyman? And what does this ending mean?
What is The Boogeyman about?
Image via 20th Century Studios
In King’s original story, the Boogeyman is a monster who kills the three young children played by Lester Billings David Dastmalchian in the film adaptation. While there is a supernatural power in King’s story, Lester’s conservative comments about his dead children show that he failed to meet their needs. For example, Lester forces his children to sleep in the dark so they don’t “go soft” in the future. So, like every King horror story, The black man is more than a scary story about things that happen in the dark. The story is about real nightmares, in this case parental neglect.
Savages The black man changes the story to divert focus from Lester. Instead, the film is about Dr. Harper (Chris Messina) and his family. Still, the film reflects King’s original concerns about parental neglect. In both the short story and the film, Dr. Harper a psychologist that Lester uses to drop his far-fetched story about a monster that kills children. Surprisingly, however, the two men have a lot in common, as their trauma and inability to attend to their children’s needs is what draws the boogeyman in in the first place.
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In the film, Lester reveals that his first child died of natural causes. Unfortunately, the trauma of losing a child resulted in Lester and his wife Rita (Marine Ireland) to pay less attention to the surviving children. That’s what attracts the boogeyman in the first place. As Lester puts it, the Boogeyman is a creature that feeds on human trauma and emerges when parents don’t pay enough attention to their children. And that’s why the monster decides to save Dr. Making Harper’s house his home as the therapist has failed as a father since his wife’s death.
When The black man At the beginning we learn that Dr. Harper’s wife died months before Lester answered the doorbell. Now the father has to take care of his two daughters alone. The eldest daughter, Sadie (Sophia Thatcher), struggles to keep friends in high school as everyone treats her with pity or accuses her of being dramatic. The youngest daughter, Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair), has developed a phobia and cannot sleep with the lights off. while dr Harper continues to care for his daughters, the therapist refuses to talk to the girls about their mother’s death. Instead, he sends her to another therapist and refuses to attend the sessions. Therefore, the Harper family becomes the perfect target for the Boogeyman, as the creature senses its vulnerability and decides to explore it by playing with its food, hiding in the shadows, and scaring the girls. And only when the Harpers band together as a family can they defeat the creature.
Is the boogeyman really dead?
Image via 20th Century Studios
The black manThe story goes as expected. First, the creature targets Sawyer, knowing that the grown-ups won’t believe the girl’s fantastical stories about a monster in the closet. However, as the beast becomes more and more hungry, the boogeyman also begins to torment Sadie. Then, after the malevolent presence can no longer be denied, Sadie does what she can to find out more about the Boogeyman and enlists Rita’s help. The girl then discovers that light is the Boogeyman’s only weakness, which is why the creature keeps breaking lamps.
While Sadie quickly realizes something is wrong with Sawyer and does what she can to help her younger sister, Dr. Harper for a while to be convinced that the boogeyman is real. Even after the creature attacks Sawyer and throws her across the living room, Dr. Harper still tends to blame everything on a child’s delusions. He also refuses to acknowledge his pain at the loss of his wife, even after Sadie surprised him crying alone in the hospital.
The turning point of The black man happens when the creature Dr. attacks Harper and drags him into the basement. Afterwards, Sadie and Sawyer must join forces to save their father. In the final duel against the creature, the whole family uses every possible tool to create light and fire and defeat the beast. Finally, after much fighting, Sawyer pours some flammable solvent on the Boogeyman and Sadie sets the monster on fire with her mother’s lighter. The animal turns to ashes before her eyes. Unfortunately, the flames are also engulfing the Harpers’ home.
Will the Harper family survive in the end?
Image via 20th Century Studios
The last scene of The black man takes place in the therapist’s office when Dr. Harper finally agrees to attend grief counseling with his daughters. The family expresses their fears and doubts in the session and comes closer through the shared trauma. So it’s no coincidence that the boogeyman was defeated at the exact moment Dr. Harper realized he had to open up to fully support his daughters. Before the credits roll, the boogeyman makes one last appearance. As the whole family leaves the therapist’s office, Sadie overhears the woman calling her back inside. When Sadie comes back to check what the therapist wants with her, she finds the room empty. There is only a partially open closet from which the voice called Sadie. Since the boogeyman can mimic other people’s voices, Sadie understands that the monster is still alive and is turning to her. However, when the actual therapist shows up, Sadie faces her fears and closes the closet door.
Since the boogeyman represents parental neglect, it’s fair that the creature is still around. As an older sister, Sadie was aware of the removal of Dr. Harper more aware, which could explain why she seems to be the only one who can still hear the boogeyman. However, by closing the closet door, Sadie sends a message to the monster. She believes that her family is stronger now and that Dr. Harper will continue to strive to be a good father. As such, they are poised to outrun the boogeyman.
The black man is now available on VOD.
Source : collider.com