SPOILER DISCUSSION
1. The revelation by Doc Halloran that Leslie is actually just a “normal” person hellbent on usurping the Vernon name as part of making his mythos known introduces an interesting dimension to the story’s message – our obsession with valorizing the bad guys in slashers. Despite the brutality of what people like Michael and Jason do – they have tons of fans who eagerly root for them in the theatres, excited for the next butchering. By imbuing Leslie with this supernatural aura early on, the movie tries (and succeeds) to trick us to cheer for Leslie in the same way. He’s a personable killer who feels out of this world so cheering him on isn’t that bad right? However, the revelation cuts to the heart of the matter- magic or not- these serial killers are evil murderers who have actively chosen a life of brutality. There is no redemption and our attempts at doing the same are, in a sense, disgusting. Cheering for Leslie is literally cheering for a serial killer which is something we’d never “really” do in the real world. It’s a commentary on glorification done well and without a preachy attitude that would immediately sour the audience. By giving Taylor a redemptive ending after squarely having the audience identify with her and the crew, the movie absolves us of the guilt so to speak.
2. My favorite moment in the movie happens near the 55 minute mark where Taylor is talking to Leslie right before the killing spree is about to start. They’re in front of a mirror and she asks him if he’s in love with “her” – her being Kelly. Leslie answers ,”I love the idea of her. Of what I hope she’ll find within herself” while keeping up the ambiguous pronoun game going on, because in reality he’s talking about the transformation he expects from Taylor and not Kelly.
As if it signify this revelation of his real desire, “Midnight, the Stars and You” from The Shining starts to play – a movie where the constant mirrors reflect the manifestation of some unconscious desire of those who look at them. This isn’t even talking about how the song is literally a romantic one about remembering the subject of the song in a heartfelt manner and giving them all the love. Like Jack Torrance, Leslie can’t help revealing his actual motivations in the moment and the song slowly playing in the background is perfect at conveying this. That and with all the psychoanalytic babble set up earlier, the idea of the mirror being about creating an idealized image of the subject plays perfectly with the discussion of him helping to create a “perfect” survival girl in Taylor.
3.This relationship feels all the more resonant given the plethora of parallels between Taylor and Leslie versus Eugene and Jamie. The couples are positioned against one another multiple times, and Jamie’s identity as Eugene’s ultimate survivor girl cements the bond. The way Leslie talks about the survivor girl, as being the person who completes his arc and sense of identity, feels very akin to the way someone would discuss a soulmate. Moments like these – the unsaid subtext- speak to the level of writing on display, and as if to display the connection, after the mirror dialogue from above, Leslie and Taylor unwittingly hold hands as they look out at the future murder scene.
