Observations to Consider

I just watched this film for the first time (the subtitled Netflix version, in case that matters) but after reading some of the discussions I wanted to put some of my own observations out there.

Firstly, I don't buy into the kidnapping theory, mainly because of how similar the two sisters looked. They could nearly be twins if it weren't for one of them having wavy hair and the other having straight hair. I feel like the casting director did this purposely, possibly to eliminate the theory of kidnapping in that if the audience was supposed to pick up on them not actually being related they would have chosen a broader spectrum of actors for the film. I think the audience is meant to see this as a real family, which adds to the horror of the situation, in my opinion. It is much more horrific and taboo-esque to have a brother and sister engage in sexual acts than to have an adopted brother and sister engage in them (not that the latter isn't rightfully difficult to watch).

Secondly, regarding the ending: I didn't even put together that the reason The Eldest Daughter decided to hide in the trunk was, again, due to the lies told by her parents ("the only way to be safe outside the gates is in a car"). However when I think about it now, it almost adds to the sorrow of the final sequence of the film-the fact that even in her escape of her parents' grasp and their "alternate universe," she is still acting in accordance to their rules, almost naturally. This is also extremely evident (though I didn't think about it until afterwards) when she chooses to physically remove her on dogtooth. As much as she feels she needs to escape the world they have created for her, she cannot justifiably escape without abiding by the lies of her parents. She must remove her dogtooth before she is ready to leave the property. She must not drive a car until her dogtooth has grown back in, therefore she gets in the trunk of the car to be taken elsewhere by her father (who, in her mind, has already had his own dogtooth grow back, so he can drive). Essentially she is in no way rebelling, only taking matters into her own hands as far as forcing the rules to apply to her.

It is a very sad and twisted film, but it is also very eye-opening in a lot of ways and it does not stray from itself, which I find to be very intriguing. It is true to the fact that the children obey, even without realizing, because they don't know any other way. You might like to think that The Eldest Daughter escapes, in at least one way, from the claws of her parents; however, even in her attempt to "follow her heart" so to speak, she acts in accordance to their laws.