400 Days

Year: 2016

Runtime: 91 min

Language: English

Director: Matt Osterman

Sci-FiMysteryThriller

A team of four astronauts undertakes a rigorous, year-long simulation preparing them for a journey to a distant planet. As the isolation deepens and contact with Earth diminishes, the psychological pressure mounts, threatening their mental stability. When communication abruptly ceases, the crew begins to doubt the mission’s true purpose, suspecting a hidden agenda and questioning the nature of their reality.

Warning: spoilers below!

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400 Days (2016) – Ending Explained & Final Scene Breakdown

Still thinking about how 400 Days (2016) ended? Here’s a full breakdown of the ending, key final moments, major twists, and the deeper meaning behind the film’s conclusion.

At the end of 400 Days, the story leaves viewers uncertain about what was real and what was simulation. The crew’s entire experience—marked by hallucinations, secrets, and mysterious occurrences—could have been either a realistic trial or a carefully constructed illusion. When they step outside into a seemingly post-apocalyptic world and meet Zell, it raises questions about whether the catastrophe aboveground truly happened, or if it was part of the simulation. The movie deliberately keeps these truths ambiguous, emphasizing that some mysteries in life are beyond understanding. This open-ended conclusion invites the audience to interpret whether their ordeal was a tragic real event or a complex psychological test.

As for the mission’s purpose, the film offers no definitive answer. Its stated goal sounds simple—exploring space and human resilience—but the crew’s flawed characters cast doubt on whether they were truly qualified or if the mission’s purpose was something hidden and more sinister. Characters like Theo, who shows irresponsibility, and others with secrets or mental strain, imply that the real reason for the mission might have been concealed from them all along. This adds to the overarching theme of distrust, where no one can be fully relied upon, not even among the crew or scientists overseeing them.

Director Matt Osterman has acknowledged that he prefers to leave the ending open to interpretation. He hints that the true emotional core is about the relationship between Theo and Emily, which he describes as a focal point of the story—highlighting that sometimes, what matters most in a confusing narrative is human connection rather than certainty. Ultimately, the ending challenges viewers to accept uncertainty and reflect on how humanity’s obsession with knowledge can sometimes lead to moral and ethical pitfalls. In the end, 400 Days reminds us that some questions about truth and trust may remain forever out of reach, and that’s perhaps the most profound message of all.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:00

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Small groups trapped in confined spaces descend into suspicion and madness.If you liked the intense paranoia and psychological strain in 400 Days, explore these other movies about small groups struggling to survive and maintain sanity in extreme isolation. This thread features similar stories of confinement and deteriorating mental states.

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These narratives often begin with a team in a controlled environment—a spaceship, an arctic base, a bunker. As isolation deepens and communication with the outside world fails, small incidents escalate, trust evaporates, and characters begin to question each other's motives and their own perception of reality.

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Narrative Summary

The core journey in these movies is the protagonist's struggle to discern truth from deception. Clues are ambiguous, authority figures are untrustworthy, and the environment itself might be a fabrication. The plot often builds towards a revelation—or further ambiguity—about the true state of the world.

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They are connected by a shared narrative device: the central ambiguity of the setting. This creates a specific kind of intellectual tension and suspense, focusing on mystery and existential doubt rather than straightforward conflict. The endings are often intentionally ambiguous.

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400 Days Summary

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