Among the Beasts (2023) Ending Explained
tl;dr: Among the Beasts concludes with protagonist Dr. Eleanor Voss making the ultimate sacrifice to contain a primordial entity she accidentally unleashed during her archaeological expedition. The film's ambiguous ending leaves viewers questioning whether the entity is truly destroyed or merely dormant, while also exploring themes of human arrogance, ecological balance, and the cost of scientific curiosity. The final scenes imply that Eleanor's consciousness may have merged with the entity, suggesting a bittersweet resolution where she becomes both its prisoner and its guardian.
The Ending Explained
The climax of Among the Beasts sees Dr. Voss trapped in an ancient underground temple, face-to-face with the eldritch entity her team inadvertently awakened. Realizing that conventional methods cannot destroy it, she uses an incantation from a forbidden text, binding herself to the creature in a ritual that seals them both within the temple. The final shot shows the cavern collapsing around her as the entity's glowing tendrils wrap around her body-a visual metaphor for assimilation. The film cuts to black before revealing her fate definitively, leaving room for interpretation: has she perished, or has she transcended into something new?
Symbolism and Themes
The ending reinforces the movie's central themes of hubris and consequence. Dr. Voss's obsession with uncovering the temple's secrets mirrors humanity's reckless exploitation of nature, and her fate serves as a cautionary tale. The entity itself symbolizes the uncontrollable forces of the natural world, dormant until disturbed. The merging of Eleanor and the creature suggests a cyclical balance-where destruction and rebirth are intertwined. The film's haunting final image, a single vine creeping from the ruins months later, hints that the entity's influence persists, challenging the audience to ponder whether containment was ever truly possible.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Is the entity truly gone?
- No: The post-credits scene implies it's merely dormant, waiting for another disturbance.
- Yes: Eleanor's sacrifice may have neutralized it permanently, with the vine being a residual effect.
- What happened to Eleanor's consciousness?
- She's absorbed: The entity now carries her memories, explaining its momentary hesitation before the collapse.
- She's in control: The ritual allowed her to dominate the entity, becoming its new "guardian."
- Will anyone else discover the temple?
- Yes: The vine suggests the site will draw future expeditions, repeating the cycle.
- No: The government cover-up (hinted at in news clippings) may bury the truth forever.
Personal Opinion on the Ending
I found the ending profoundly effective in its ambiguity. Rather than offering a neat resolution, Among the Beasts leans into existential dread, forcing viewers to sit with the uncomfortable idea that some forces are beyond human comprehension or control. Eleanor's arc-from skeptic to sacrificial figure-feels earned, and the lack of a traditional "victory" makes the horror linger. That said, the post-credits vine felt slightly gratuitous; the film's themes were already strong enough without spelling out the threat's persistence. Still, the final image of Eleanor and the entity entwined is hauntingly poetic, cementing the film as a standout in ecological horror.
Final Thoughts on the Film
Among the Beasts succeeds by marrying psychological depth with visceral horror. The ending doesn't provide easy answers, but it doesn't need to-its power lies in the questions it leaves behind. Is Eleanor a martyr or a monster? Was the entity evil, or simply indifferent? The film's refusal to moralize is its greatest strength, inviting debate long after the credits roll. While not perfect (some pacing issues in the second act weaken the buildup), the finale compensates with raw emotional and philosophical weight. It's a movie that lingers, much like the entity itself-unshakable and ever-present in the mind.