The Wretched Ending Explained, Plot Summary, and More
by A Maria
Updated Mar 30, 2023
The Wretched - Movie
The Pierce Brothers wrote and directed The Wretched, a 2019 American supernatural horror movie starring John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Zarah Mahler, Kevin Bigley, Gabriela Quezada Bloomgarden, Richard Ellis, Blane Crockarell, Jamison Jones, Azie Tesfai. The story centers around a rebellious teenage boy who confronts an evil witch disguised as his next-door neighbor. The Wretched premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 19, 2019, and was initially released in drive-in theaters and through Premium VOD on May 1, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the number of films in theaters. The movie went on to top the box office for six consecutive weekends, making it the first film since Avatar (2009) to achieve this.
The Wretched ending explained
The Wretched offers a modern example of horror movies deviating from the traditional depiction of female characters as weak and helpless, as seen in Hitchcock's works and other horror films of past decades. The movie ends with Ben successfully rescuing Mallory's sister and Nathan from the Hag, who has killed several people. Ben and Mallory's love story comes to a resolution as they share a kiss, but the mood quickly turns sinister when Ben realizes that the flower Mallory gave him is plastic, reminding him of the Hag's destructive presence that kills living things.
In a departure from the typical final girl trope, the movie does not have a clear-cut ending, but it implies that the Hag continues to live on through Mallory. Although the twist may seem unnecessary and the timeline of the Hag's powers is confusing, the twist effectively conveys the idea that the Hag is a destructive force that will not easily give up its evil ways. Mallory is the perfect host for the Hag, as she represents the possibility of a family or a lover for Ben, and her virtue makes her an easy target for the Hag's destructive influence. Although the twist may not reach the level of a SAW-level reveal, it avoids the confusion of an M. Knight Shyamalan-style twist ending.
The Wretched plot summary
The protagonist of "The Wretched" is a rebellious teenage boy named Ben, who struggles to cope with his parent's impending divorce. During a summer visit to his father's home, he spends most of his time either spying on his neighbors or defying his father. Meanwhile, a parallel storyline reveals that a strange humanoid creature, possibly a Boo Hag, has entered the home of a woman named Abbie after she hit a deer with her truck. The creature eats her baby and possesses her, while Abbie's husband remains unaware of the baby's disappearance and is neglectful of his wife's odd behavior.
As Ben keeps a watchful eye on Abbie's family, he becomes suspicious of her strange behavior and is further convinced when her son asks for his help. When the boy goes missing, Ben breaks into Abbie's cellar and discovers an eerie setup for a ritual, including a photograph of Abbie's family. With this evidence, Ben races against time to save his loved ones from the wrath of the witch.
About The Wretched - Movie
SPECIFICATIONS
DETAILS
Directed by
The Pierce Brothers
Written by
The Pierce Brothers
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
Conor Murphy
Edited by
Terry Yates
Music by
Devin Burrows
Production Company
Little Runway
Distributed by
IFC Midnight (United States)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Malaysia)
Release dates
Running time
96 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$66,000 (est.)
Box office
$4.4 million
The Wretched ending explained - FAQs
"The Wretched" was written and directed by The Pierce Brothers, Brett and Drew.
"The Wretched" stars John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Zarah Mahler, Kevin Bigley, Gabriela Quezada Bloomgarden, Richard Ellis, Blane Crockarell, Jamison Jones, and Azie Tesfai.
"The Wretched" is a supernatural horror movie about a rebellious teenage boy who confronts an evil witch disguised as his next-door neighbor.
"The Wretched" premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 19, 2019.
"The Wretched" was initially released in drive-in theaters and through Premium VOD on May 1, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the number of films in theaters.