Understanding the Ending of The Silencing: Explained

Warning: This article contains discussions surrounding alcohol use disorder and child abuse. Furthermore, it includes spoilers for the movie The Silencing.

The 2020 action-thriller film The Silencing features a familiar narrative structure but concludes with shocking surprises. The plot centers on Rayburn Swanson, a reformed hunter battling alcohol use disorder, whose daughter, Gwen, has been missing for the past five years. The story unfolds when a body is discovered along the shores of a lake, prompting Rayburn to team up with Sheriff Alice Gustafson to identify the victim. After confirming that the body does not belong to Gwen, the sheriff commits to uncovering the truth behind the victim and the murderer, with a spearhead engraved with the initials “M.B.” serving as their only lead.

As Rayburn tends to his animal sanctuary, he witnesses a man in a ghillie suit pursuing a woman named Molly through the forest. In a tense moment, he intervenes and rescues her, hiding her in a forgotten spike trap. However, danger isn’t far behind as the assailant attacks them once more. Sheriff Alice observes suspicious behavior that leads her to believe her brother, Brooks, may be involved. To protect Brooks, she shoots Rayburn and requests his arrest. But upon escaping, Rayburn receives treatment from a local doctor. The film escalates into a gripping finale, filled with thrilling action and an unexpected twist.

Unraveling the Mystery: The Identity and Motive of The Silencing’s Killer

Doctor Boone: The Violent Perpetrator

Doctor Boone laying on the forest ground with a flare illuminating the scene in red from The Silencing.

The identity of the killer in The Silencing remains obscured for most of the film, culminating in a twist at the end. It is revealed that Doctor Boone, the physician who treated Rayburn’s gunshot wound earlier, is the culprit. This conclusion feels hasty and lacks coherence, as Doctor Boone’s screen time is minimal compared to other suspects, who had clearer motivations established throughout the plot. The lack of foreshadowing makes Boone’s revelation feel unearned.

In terms of motivation, Doctor Boone’s reasoning is even less clear. Traumatized by the loss of his daughter, Melissa, in a drink-driving accident, Boone decides to take matters into his own hands by abducting and murdering teenage girls, believing he is saving them from unloving parents. This line of thinking parallels his feelings of loss regarding his daughter, yet the logic of committing similar acts of violence against the very girls he aims to protect is inconsistent and perplexing.

The Fate of Rayburn’s Daughter: An Explanation

The Abduction of Gwen

Rayburn standing before a starry blue background in The Silencing.

Rayburn serves as the film’s central character, with his daughter’s mysterious disappearance driving his actions. When he encounters Molly fleeing from Doctor Boone, she triggers memories of Gwen, prompting Rayburn to act despite personal danger. The truth regarding Gwen’s fate is revealed when Boone confesses that he kidnapped her due to Rayburn’s alcohol addiction.

Boone perceives Rayburn through a distorted lens of societal stigma, seeing him as inadequate and unworthy of his daughter. He believes that Rayburn’s alcohol use places him on par with the person who killed his daughter. Consequently, Boone rationalizes that Gwen would follow in the footsteps of a “useless”father and, hence, does not deserve a stable future.

This perspective presents a detrimental narrative regarding alcohol use disorder, as it portrays individuals struggling with addiction as inherently flawed. Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition, not a moral failing. The film dances on a precarious line, with the primary antagonist echoing damaging stereotypes about addiction and mental health.

The Reasons Behind Rayburn’s Departure from Hunting

A Change of Perspective Prompted by Loss

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Rayburn holding a hunting rifle in The Silencing.

Prior to the film’s events, Rayburn transitioned from being a hunter to establishing an animal sanctuary. This drastic shift is only partially explained during a conversation with visiting children, citing his daughter’s disapproval of hunting. However, deeper motivations come to light throughout the film.

While it’s evident that Rayburn stopped hunting out of respect for Gwen’s wishes, the disappearance may have sparked a deeper commitment to honor her legacy, evidenced by the sanctuary’s namesake. Rayburn’s guilt over alcohol consumption during the time of her abduction likely played a significant role in his life choices after her vanishing.

The Barn’s Symbolic Importance in The Silencing

Alice’s Guilt and the Symbolism of the Barn

At the onset of The Silencing, Alice’s discomfort becomes evident when she drives her brother Brooks home and he urges her to take a different route upon seeing a barn. This moment grows in significance when Alice reflects on her failure to adopt Brooks after their parents’ deaths. Midway through the film, this narrative is enriched when Alice discovers two troubling newspaper clippings in Brooks’ apartment, one detailing the horrific abuse of a teenage boy confined to a barn.

These intertwined narratives unveil that Alice grapples with the guilt of leaving her brother in a situation rife with abuse. The barn serves as a haunting reminder of the trauma that lingers in her past and represents a cycle of violence perpetuated through Brooks’ acts, enveloping the narrative within a deeply emotional framework.

Understanding the Thematic Depth of The Silencing’s Conclusion

Trauma and Closure: Central Themes

Family and friends gathered around Gwen's grave in The Silencing.

The film culminates with Rayburn confronting Doctor Boone, leading to a tense resolution where he chooses not to let Alice arrest the murderer. Following this confrontation, he removes Gwen’s missing persons posters, attends her funeral, and vows to rid himself of alcohol. Meanwhile, Alice witnesses the barn’s destruction by an excavator, symbolizing a form of closure for both characters.

The messages conveyed suggest that closure can facilitate healing from trauma. While this idea resonates on the surface, it oversimplifies the intricate, long-term process of recovering from profound trauma. In addition, overcoming alcohol use disorder involves more than simply discarding alcohol, necessitating substantial support and effort for genuine recovery. Despite these discrepancies, the film still emits a hopeful message in the face of adversity, presenting a perspective that holds its own value.

Reception of The Silencing’s Conclusion

Mixed Reviews from Critics on The Silencing

Rayburn walking away from a car in The Silencing.

Directed by Robin Pront, The Silencing faced significant criticism, not solely focused on its ending but rather related to the film’s pacing and tone. Critics argued the story lacked sufficient development by the time it reached its conclusion, leading to a sense of predictability throughout the plot.

Glenn Kenny, a reviewer for RogerEbert.com, emphasized this in his review highlighting the film’s lack of originality. He remarked:

So predictable; add in dialogue like, “Out here that badge don’t mean s**t, lady,”and you start wondering if this movie’s going to put ANYTHING new on the table. I mean, Pront shoots and stages all this stuff with slick facility, and the Dane and the two English actors really put their back into playing gruff rural ‘Muricans, or maybe Canadians (things never come off as all that specific), but one does feel one’s seen all this before.

While Kenny doesn’t explicitly critique the ending, the fact that he does not highlight it as a strong point indicates his overall dissatisfaction. Other critics have echoed similar sentiments, leading to a consensus that the story felt rushed and unrewarding.

The Iceman from JoBlo.com offered a slightly more balanced view but reiterated issues with the film’s pacing and conclusion, stating:

What could have been stretched out into a miniseries ends up being awkwardly crammed into the standard feature-length. Because of story cramming, we get people showing up out of nowhere (time is very flimsy here), not calling for back-up EVER and flesh wounds that seem to heal overnight (we get a limp for two scenes that should have lasted months). I feel like this sprints to the finish line, and it ends up mudding up a great idea with clichés and generic character actions that would be better suited on a CBS drama.

Ultimately, the film holds a 20% rating on the Tomatometer, reflecting its generally harsh reception among critics. While not entirely rejected, The Silencing did not garner acclaim. Nevertheless, it resonated better with audiences, demonstrated by a 90% rating on the audience Popcornmeter. This disparity between critics and general viewers underscores how familiarity with storytelling tropes can create distinct experiences for diverse audiences. Critics were put off by traditional plot structures, while many viewers found the conventional elements appealing in this gritty thriller.

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