Rex Hoffman was such an idiot. He let's his woman's kidnapper take him for a ride and drinks the laced coffee.
shareIt had nothing to do with being an idiot. It was just the only way to find out what exactly had happened to her. I can't say I'd do the same, but he was desperate and obsessed.
I read the book and I think it emphasizes a bit more his obsession about experiencing exactly what she went through.
The film took pains to show exactly why he chose to do that, pay attention next time.
shareHighly underrated. Highly underseen.
The film is about obsession, loss of a loved one and the lengths one will go too in order to find out.
It's Faustian in that regard;
The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. The Faust legend has been the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical works that have reinterpreted it through the ages. "Faust" and the adjective "Faustian" imply sacrificing spiritual values for power, knowledge, or material gain.
Rex had become fully obsessed with his girlfriend's disappearance, to the point that he would do anything to find out what happened to her. I think almost all of us in the audience figure that she got killed and he will to. But, the shock is supposed to be how it happens and he ends up buried alive.
I wasn't surprised or shocked by the ending. I figured something like that would happen. The killer said he would TELL Rex what happened to his girlfriend, not SHOW him. So, naturally, he was lying like usual. And honestly, what else could have happened? It had been years. Was the killer actually keeping her hostage this whole time?
It's an interesting film in its structure, and it breaks standard thriller conventions. But, I saw no "surprise" nor "shock" out of it.