9/10
When I see or read reviews about this film, everybody only ever tries to explain the evil plan of the cult and sticks to the movie's events on a rather literal level taking the plot at face value. That's only the surface story. My theory - and surprisingly I have never found any reviewer or article talk about it - is this:
What actually happens is fairly simple: Jay is a traumatized var veteran. He has anger-management issues and violent outbursts, suffers from depression. He is unable to work, has chronic back pain and suffers from depression. He is constantly fighting with his wife who looks down on him. He is disconnected from his son who thinks his dad to be a pathetic loser. He shows signs of PTSD. Over some quarrel, he kills his wife and kid and his best friend. That's what really happens. The rest of the film is made up by Jay.
The whole movie plot with the cult and all is only the "justification" he makes up in his mind to come to terms with his horrible deeds. Some form of vision or dream. Come to think about it: In several scenes in the movie, people tell him to WAKE UP! Most of the scenes have an eerie, dream-like quality to them. For example when he sees Fiona outside the hotel waving to him and he does not even question it, even though she was just visiting his wife at home far away.
Every victim Jay kills, is grateful, thanking him. They are all portrayed as evil people who have committed hideous crimes and deserve to die. This is just Jay's way of trying to justify his actions and keep his moral code intact. Gal even asks him to put him out of his misery. His wife seems to be laughing after he stabs her in the end, looking like she is also thankful towards him. Why would she fight her own husband in a duel to the death, in particular, when her kid's life is at stake. None of this would make any sense in real life. Because it is all only happening in Jay's head!!
The cult and their manipulative masterplan are Jay's way of showing that he had no choice but to kill. That he was orchestrated by a higher force to do it. That it was all just a great conspiracy over which he had no control. He portrays himself as someone with an ethical approach who wants to finish his tasks. When it gets out of control, he tries to get out of the job but the mafia guys won't let him. Again, he has no choice and is forced by greater powers.
In actuality the cult and their plan are just a manifestation of Jay's mental illness. When he is crowned in the end, he basically succumbs to or embraces his mental illness.
When I see or read reviews about this film, everybody only ever tries to explain the evil plan of the cult and sticks to the movie's events on a rather literal level taking the plot at face value. That's only the surface story. My theory - and surprisingly I have never found any reviewer or article talk about it - is this:
What actually happens is fairly simple: Jay is a traumatized var veteran. He has anger-management issues and violent outbursts, suffers from depression. He is unable to work, has chronic back pain and suffers from depression. He is constantly fighting with his wife who looks down on him. He is disconnected from his son who thinks his dad to be a pathetic loser. He shows signs of PTSD. Over some quarrel, he kills his wife and kid and his best friend. That's what really happens. The rest of the film is made up by Jay.
The whole movie plot with the cult and all is only the "justification" he makes up in his mind to come to terms with his horrible deeds. Some form of vision or dream. Come to think about it: In several scenes in the movie, people tell him to WAKE UP! Most of the scenes have an eerie, dream-like quality to them. For example when he sees Fiona outside the hotel waving to him and he does not even question it, even though she was just visiting his wife at home far away.
Every victim Jay kills, is grateful, thanking him. They are all portrayed as evil people who have committed hideous crimes and deserve to die. This is just Jay's way of trying to justify his actions and keep his moral code intact. Gal even asks him to put him out of his misery. His wife seems to be laughing after he stabs her in the end, looking like she is also thankful towards him. Why would she fight her own husband in a duel to the death, in particular, when her kid's life is at stake. None of this would make any sense in real life. Because it is all only happening in Jay's head!!
The cult and their manipulative masterplan are Jay's way of showing that he had no choice but to kill. That he was orchestrated by a higher force to do it. That it was all just a great conspiracy over which he had no control. He portrays himself as someone with an ethical approach who wants to finish his tasks. When it gets out of control, he tries to get out of the job but the mafia guys won't let him. Again, he has no choice and is forced by greater powers.
In actuality the cult and their plan are just a manifestation of Jay's mental illness. When he is crowned in the end, he basically succumbs to or embraces his mental illness.