Vivarium Ending Explained, How Did Tom Get Sick In Vivarium?
by Subhashree M | Updated Mar 08, 2023
What does the name Vivarium mean?
The term "Vivarium" refers to a designated space where animals are confined for scientific and experimental purposes. In this case, the film "Vivarium" suggests that the house number 9 in the well-maintained Yonder district, where the protagonists Gemma and Tom are trapped, is nothing more than a laboratory. The creators of the mysterious place treat the young couple as mere test subjects or guinea pigs. The title of the film implies that an inhumane experiment awaits them. However, the environment in which the protagonists find themselves suggests that it is artificial. The absence of natural elements such as wind and normal cloud formations, as well as the way sounds reverberate, hint that they are in a large pavilion-like laboratory. It is clear that Gemma and Tom are confined in a massive laboratory.
Vivarium Ending Explained
The film 'Vivarium' commences with a vivid portrayal of a cuckoo's nest, in which one bird aggressively pushes off its siblings to be fed. Shortly after, Jesse Eisenberg's character, Tom, discovers one of the discarded offspring dead on the ground and nonchalantly comments on the harshness of the world before burying the bird. These opening moments of the film effectively encapsulate its themes. As the movie progresses, it shifts from being humorous to a darker tone, exploring the absurdity and existentialism of the story. The film may feel familiar at times and mundane at others, but if the ending left you perplexed, an explanation is available.
How did Tom get Sick in Vivarium?
FINNEGAN said that the environment was completely devoid of nature, with no sun, fake sky and clouds, and even the food was fake. Breathing in the strange dirt and sleeping in a hole was a part of his routine. He believes that any human living in that environment would get sick as there was nothing natural in there at all. They created this environment to reflect their concerns about humanity moving further and further away from the natural world. FINNEGAN also wondered if it was possible to survive living in a catalog-like environment where everything was artificial, as humans seem to have no problem destroying vast forests to produce more meat for burgers.
Vivarium Movie Ending Explained
The conclusion of Vivarium depicts Tom's demise due to illness and exhaustion, and an adult child placing his body in a sealed bag and disposing of it in a deep pit that Tom had previously dug. Tom had discovered other dead bodies in the same pit, all sealed in body bags, indicating that he is not the first or last victim buried in this strange district of Yonder, near house number nine. Gemma, devastated by Tom's passing, attacks the adult "adopted son" with a pickaxe. This action reveals the true nature of the grown creature and its ability to manipulate reality. Gemma then jumps into the hole and finds herself in a variety of multicolored dimensions.
Unknown entities, conducting an experiment to raise monster children, exist in a multi-dimensional realm. The film suggests that many prisoners attempt to raise these monsters, but their efforts inevitably result in death. Director and screenwriter Lorcan Finnegan explains that this experiment has been ongoing for an extended period and shows no signs of stopping. The ending shows the grown-up "son" sealing Gemma in a body bag and stating that the mother always dies. The "son" then replaces the aged realtor and proceeds to fill the car of the "foster parents" with their belongings before arriving at the same agency. The "son" seals the realtor in a body bag and pushes them into a strange closet.
What happens in the movie Vivarium really?
Gemma and Tom, a fortunate couple in search of a new home, unknowingly become prisoners and subjects of a mysterious experiment after agreeing to visit the ideal house number nine in the perfectly situated suburban area of Yonder (which seems to be a distorted form of the word "wonderful" or "amazing"). However, the real estate agent only stated that the house is ideally located, without further details. In reality, Gemma and Tom find themselves in an unfamiliar location, completely isolated from civilization, with no way out.Their attempts to escape the cursed place only result in running out of gas for their car. Moreover, cell phones do not work in Yonder, no planes fly over the area, and they seem to have no neighbors.
The main characters are the only ones trapped in this place. Suddenly, unknown individuals deliver a child to the couple in a box like some kind of object. The accompanying note indicates that they will be released as soon as they raise the baby. However, the child grows up rapidly, much like a dog, and wreaks havoc on the foster parents' lives.The cause of the monster's growth in the mysterious child remains unclear in "Vivarium": whether it was due to Gemma and Tom's inability to raise a good person or if the child was originally a monster.
However, the film's underlying message is that Gemma and Tom are test subjects in an enigmatic experiment conducted by unknown creatures, possibly extraterrestrial. The child's true nature as a monster is revealed through his unusual behavior, such as inflating strange bags around his neck and moving unnaturally. As Tom becomes increasingly restless, he begins digging a hole in the yard and eventually discovers the disturbing truth. Gemma, on the other hand, attempts to reconcile with the mysterious "alien" boy, initially with some success. However, it later becomes apparent that the boy is indeed a monster who continuously monitors the "guinea pigs" and always achieves his heart-rending cry.
Vivarium Review
Vivarium is a 2019 science fiction thriller film directed by Lorcan Finnegan and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots. The movie follows a young couple who become trapped in a mysterious suburban neighborhood called Yonder after they agree to view a house for sale. As they try to escape, they are forced to raise a strange, rapidly-growing child and discover the sinister purpose behind their captivity. Vivarium has received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its eerie atmosphere, strong performances, and thought-provoking themes. The movie has been described as a surreal and unsettling exploration of the human condition, and is recommended for fans of dark, psychological sci-fi.
Vivarium Ending Explained - FAQs
Tom dies of illness and exhaustion and is later buried in a body bag by the adult child creature.
Gemma is also killed and buried in a body bag by the adult child creature.
The adult child creature is one of the beings conducting the experiment. They are responsible for raising the monster children and overseeing the guinea pig couples.