Lovely, Dark, and Deep

In the haunting ending of Lovely, Dark, and Deep, Lennon remains trapped in the cycle of the woods’ mysterious power. Throughout the film, it’s suggested that the woods themselves are an almost sentient entity—that they take people who venture too close, especially at Arvores National Park. Lennon’s journey reveals that the woods and the rangers are part of a sinister, unspoken pact: when someone goes missing, they are essentially “taken” into the woods, and the rangers are complicit in this, often choosing to replace those who disappear rather than fight against the supernatural force. When Lennon tries to interfere and save a woman who had been taken, she inadvertently upsets this delicate balance. The ranger Zhang, who regrets her role in her own sister’s disappearance, sacrifices herself to let Lennon go free, pushing her into a body of water. Lennon survives, rescued by another ranger, Jackson, but she is forever changed by what she’s learned.

By the end, Lennon has become part of the system. She now accepts the grim reality that the woods play a powerful role in controlling life and death within their domain. She keeps images of the missing on her wall and shows a sense of resigned detachment, hinting that she has lost any hope of saving her sister or escaping this supernatural cycle. Her encounter with a man at the cliff, asking if she’s real, emphasizes her numb acceptance of her new identity—she is now part of the ongoing process where people are taken and replaced by the woods. Ultimately, the film leaves viewers with a chilling reminder of how humans often ignore the dangers lurking in the unknown, and it suggests that some forces are beyond our understanding or control, emphasizing the importance of respecting the mysteries of nature and the uncharted.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:02