MovieChat Forums > Nine Dead (2009) Discussion > Why did he need a mask?

Why did he need a mask?

posted 15 years ago by Cupchange2
12 replies | jump to latest

I'm only going to touch on one specific thing about this terrible movie. I could go on about how over-acted it is, or all the various plot holes etc.

*minor spoilers*

I just can't find any need for the killer to have a mask on. It's not like anyone would recognize him anyway. To me this was the most ridiculous thing about the whole movie. When he takes his mask off it seems like it's supposed to be some 'big reveal' but it's just like "who the *beep* is that?"

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[–] gabs_15 15 years ago

SPOILER

I watched this movie last night and I asked myself that question. The answer I came up with is that he didn't want anyone to know his age. He just wanted to keep them all guessing as to who he was. They all went down the path thinking it was his son until they figured out it was the father. If they saw him without a mask they would have figured it out a lot sooner...and it would've been a lot shorter of a movie lol.

[–] Hitman74 15 years ago

"I just can't find any need for the killer to have a mask on. It's not like anyone would recognize him anyway."

Couldn't either the pharmacy insurance guy, the D.A., the cop possibly of recognized him, or the Chinese lady?

The insurance guy had turned the son down for the drugs and insurance when he was dying. He may have seen the dad at some point. Just a guess there.

The D.A. gal, the cop and even the Chinese lady could have seen the father sometime during the trial of the son. If the guy did all that for revenge, then one would assume that he would of showed in court.

It's a lot easier to recognize a face then a name for some people. They figured the name out eventually, but imagine with 4 people that had the most likely chance to recognize your face. It would make it far easier. Not very good odds.

[–] borleszk 15 years ago

he didn't. after 30 minutes it was obvious that the whole movie will take place in that room and we have seen all the actors and actresses. my question was: 'where's John Terry, whom everybody knows since Lost' answer: he must be the guy behind the mask...

and imdb didn't make the guess harder having John as the second one in the credits named 'SHOOTER'. If that catches your eye the movie is done for you. why not naming him Constantine Greely or anything which one wouldn't notice?

[–] milano55 15 years ago

Intimidation. A masked madman with a gun is a lot scarier than a normal madman with a gun.

[–] KaleshaB 14 years ago

I agree, it only adds to the suspense.

[–] tremain-3 14 years ago

I would imagine he was at his sons trial. It is not beyond reason that Kelley or the cop might recognize him, unlikely but not impossible.

[–] Fenris Fil 14 years ago

I actually don't think it's that puzzling. He wears the mask so that they can't rule out anyone whom they would recognise. For example, if he was the person they first suspected you would think that at least two of them would recognise him and so they would rule that option out when it came up. Perhaps they would guess the answer too quickly without allowing for the false possibilities which a hidden face would suggest.

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[–] johnnysure1 14 years ago

The obvious reason is that the killer in this sort of movie has to wear a mask.

However, there are strong reasons for him to do it, also.
1) Intimidation. He is scarier with a mask than without. Particularly since he himself is a rather nice-fatherly looking sort of fellow.
2) Get them guessing. His whole MO is to make these people think about what they have done, so giving them as many questions as possible makes sense.
3) In case one of them actually does know who he is. They've all interacted in his life; never know who might know who he is.
4) He is a decent man consumed with hatred. Once he is done, he will turn himself in. This is something he himself would never do. Thus he may need to wear a mask to psychologically distance himself from what he is doing. Once he takes the mask off, he is a very different person. the only time you see his real character come out while wearing the mask is when the real villain appeals to his sympathy toward a parent-child bond.

[–] BigRich 14 years ago

It was cool. By the end of the movie when he removed his hood, from the side, it looked like someone from Blue Man Group, LOL.

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[–] jabberttp 14 years ago

ROFL!

[–] drystyx 14 years ago

A few would possibly recognize him. It's most likely that his first victim would've known him, as the first victim was changing his life and making confessions. He probably confessed to the father, and this is almost certainly true, since this is the only way the father could've known about the confession to the priest. Being in shock, the father waited to hear as much as he could, and bided his time for his revenge when he knew there were no witnesses or anyone to stop him.

How do we know it's not a fake? It looks like a fake to me.

[–] mccabeuilaw 12 years ago

The problem with the explanation that he didn't want to be recognized is that MJH said the son didn't have any friends or family at the trial. Nor did anyone help bail him out of jail.

Which also begs the question, where was the father while his son was being put on trial for a crime he didn't commit? Why didn't he bail him out? Isn't he to blame also for turning his back on his son? Maybe that's why he was so accepting of the consequences of murdering the others.