I knew they wouldn't have the guts to show the real ending from the book

Thanks for this info - what you described is what I thought we might get to see (and I wanted to, as a form of release). Disappointing that they didn't finish the guy off in as satisfying a way.

I prefer the movie's ending, which works better for a movie than what you describe from the book. The movie focuses more on Matt's story, so it's only natural they'd want to involve him more in the climax of the film.

That there wasn't as much focus on the torture worked for me; it left more to the imagination, which is always going to be worse than what they can put on screen. I also think torture porn flicks like the Saw and Hostel series have really desenitised audiences to that kind of thing, so the book ending wouldn't have had the sort of effect you might expect.

I was actually expecting a much more low-key ending, with Kenny using the killers and their prior connection with the DEA to cut a deal that lets him get out of the game.

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That ending would've been more satisfying considering the torture the women and girl had to endure, but when a movie based on a book stars a movie star that studios want to make money off of, they make decisions to soften the blow. It's how big studio movies have always been. They don't do hardcore.

For that an indie filmmaker would've had to make the movie.

But it also could've been the directors call. A lot of directors don't want to see or film male mutilation or even imply it,; mo male nudity, no male rape, no male genital mutilation. But they never have any have trouble with rape, nudity, genital mutilations with females. Hell if the kidnappers only did this stuff to men or boys, the movie wouldn't have been made.

My guess is, the movie didn't end that way because the star (Liam Neeson) would not have been involved in it. If I know studios as well as I think I do they would have demanded a "final fight" involving Neeson and the bad guy and ending on an action beat.

The torture scene described in the book would not have been typical for a studio release.

Don't try to cash in love, that check will always bounce.

I don't know about that. I'd have preferred that Kenan hadn't been killed but that original version has him turning into a sadist himself. It's not that they didn't deserve it but it seems like when you turn into and mimic something that you hate than they are the ones that truly win. Everyone is not capable of that kind of sadism. And I definitely don't want to see it.

Maybe if he'd tied him up and set the house on fire or something..something cruel that didn't require total technical involvement of his being.

I do hate books or movies that go into horrible torture and mutilation for innocent female (or male) victims. In this day and age you almost worry about copycats.
I'm not sure why they played it safe from the book, though.., on the comeuppance.
I doubt if it's because they recognize that only sadist can be sadist. And Kenan really did deserve some justice.
But I guess it was suppose to be more about Scudder and his own particular journey. You can visit the dark side without going dark yourself.

Well, for all those that prefer the book ending, the answer is simple: ask mr. Chan-Wook Park (Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance/Lady Vengeance) to direct a remake of this book, I bet everyone would be in for a nice Koreean treat that won't make it on the big screens but would go straigt to blu-ray

... just sayin' :-p ...

i would have liked the book ending a lot. they psycho guys got off too easy for the atrocities they committed.

First of all, what is the point of changing a characters name from a book. I'll never understand that. His name was Kenan, not Kenny.