Warning! Spoilers for The Rental
The Rental is a tense and tight horror film that tests the bonds of friendship and family in deadly ways, but the film’s surprise ending and violent killer are to ensure incite debate amongst audiences.
Dave Franco made his directorial debut with The Rental, an entertaining film that beautifully mixes together relationship drama and emotional character development with a slick take on the slasher genre. The Rental excels with the tension that it creates and it’s clear that something is going to go wrong during what’s supposed to be a peaceful getaway, but The Rental keeps its audience guessing and is full of surprises. It unravels in a surprising manner and the script by both Franco and Joe Swanberg knows how to keep veteran horror fans entertained.
The Rental features two couples away at a rented vacation home in what's supposed to help them get away from their problems, but only acts as a pressure cooker in many ways. The film benefits from its exceptional cast that features the likes of Alison Brie (Scream 4) and Dan Stevens (Legion). If the couples' loyalties weren't already being tested enough, the presence of a shifty figure behind the scenes that's determined to make sure no one survives the weekend adds a whole other element of tension to the situation.
The Rental: Who Is The Killer?
When The Rental begins it really plays around with where the danger is going to come from. It initially seems like the person that could be behind the sinister activity is Taylor (Toby Huss)—the person that they rent the house from—but he's the first one to become a victim in the film. At the same time, Taylor's brother, who helps rents out the apartment, is also alluded to throughout the movie and it's possible that he could be the culprit here. However, that seems highly unlikely considering he would have to murder his own brother, and there's nothing to indicate that he's the one who is responsible.
The Masked Killer is depicted throughout most the film wearing an old man mask, but he takes it off in the movie’s final moments. However, his face is never revealed; it's intentionally kept secret so he can go on to perpetrate more of these crimes. The killer’s identity is ultimately less important than the fact that he has this operation down to such a science.
How The Killer Gets Away With It
The Rental is a real rollercoaster ride in terms of how the entire cast meets vicious ends; they’re all unable to escape or survive the killer’s onslaught. One of the things that’s so disturbing about The Rental’s conclusion is the cool and calculated nature that the Masked Killer uses covers his tracks. He quickly removes his hidden cameras and listening devices, then proceeds to go on to do the entire thing all over again.
The precise nature of the Masked Killer’s scheme—as well as the subsequent attacks that are shown during the end credits—indicate that this guy has been doing this for a while, and isn’t an amateur. Charlie (Dan Stevens), Michelle (Alison Brie), and the rest of their friends fall apart much more quickly because of the infidelity and lack of loyalty between the group, but it's unclear whether their solidarity would have made a difference against a serial killer who is clearly skilled in committing murder.
The Real Meaning Of The Rental’s Ending
Part of what makes the conclusion of The Rental so chilling is that after the Masked Killer successfully gets away with his murders he then goes on to rent a completely new location and run his game again. The film’s epilogue shows that a new family unknowingly rents the place from him and falls victim to the same fate. It’s unnerving to know that this deranged individual is still out there, but this fact also speaks to the film’s larger theme of how people can never fully be trusted. The couples in the movie deceive the people that they love, which reflects the fact that the killer is also a normal person who masquerades and tricks the public. It’s a scary idea which speaks to an inherent dishonesty in humanity that fills the world. The ending provides a highly nihilistic outlook and final note for The Rental to push, but happy endings don’t always lead to sequels.