Hypnotic is a 2021 psychological thriller directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote. The film is centred on a woman trying to restore her life after a traumatic experience and is met by a doctor who suggests hypnotic treatment. While the sessions appear to help her, she begins experiencing memory loss. The cast has Kate Siegel, Jason O’Mara, Dulé Hill, and Lucie Guest in leading roles, and they’ve done a great job. The movie is somewhat predictable and makes you wish the climax was executed differently. I’ve received many requests for this film, so I thought I’d put together a small article. Here’s the plot and ending of the movie Hypnotic explained; spoilers ahead.
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Contents
Here are links to the key aspects of the movie:
- – Plot Explained
- – What is Jenn and Brian’s backstory?
- – Who is Dr Collin Meade, and what does he want?
- – How does Dr Collin Meade kill his victims?
- – Who is Dr Xavier Sullivan?
- – How is Detective Wade Rollins connected?
- – Why does Dr Meade kill Gina?
- – What does Dr Stella Graham do?
- – Ending Explained
- – Final Thoughts
Hypnotic Movie: Plot Explained
What is Jenn and Brian’s backstory?
Jenn and Brian were engaged and were expecting a child. Jenn gave birth to a stillborn and, as a result, isolated herself from everybody. She broke her engagement and gave up her job as a successful software engineer. Jenn is, however, still in touch with her sister, Gina.
Who is Dr Collin Meade, and what does he want?
Dr Meade was once married happily to the love of his life, Amy, who died, and Dr Meade couldn’t move on. Over the years, he was on the lookout for women who resembled Amy so that he could use hypnotism to wipe their minds and make them believe they were Amy. In his opinion, his first two attempts turned out to be not perfect, so he kills the two ladies. The film’s opening shows one of Dr Meade’s victims die in a lift due to a cardiac arrest. His latest focus is Jenn.
Realizing Jenn and Brian still have feelings for each other, Dr Meade asks Jenn to call Brian over to her home for dinner. Later that day, Dr Meade uses a hypnotic trigger to get Jenn to buy sesame oil to cook for Brian, who has a fatal response to sesame. Jenn snaps out of her trance to realize that Brian has collapsed on her bathroom floor and rushes him to the hospital, but by then, Brian enters a state of coma.
How does Dr Collin Meade kill his victims? (This is how the world ends!)
Dr Meade uses post-hypnotic suggestions on his victims to allow him to use a trigger word to force the women to do as he commands at any time he wants. E.g., “Sleep” or “Stop”. Dr Meade identifies his victim’s deepest fears and uses the trigger phrase “this is how the world ends” to make their phobias appear real, resulting in their deaths. In the opening scene, that lady has claustrophobia. When Dr Meade uses the trigger phrase, she imagines the walls closing in on her, causing a cardiac arrest.
Who is Dr Xavier Sullivan?
Dr Xavier Sullivan is Dr Meade’s father, who worked with the CIA in the 60s to help plant false memories in people. He mentors his son and teaches him everything he knows. Dr Meade doesn’t have a registered address as he lives in an undisclosed property that his father once owned. And officially, there are no records that link the two as father and son.
How is Detective Wade Rollins connected?
Wade was working with Dr Meade’s previous victim, Andrea, who had come to him for help claiming she had pockets of missing memory. Now, Jenn has come to him with the very same claims, and Wade is convinced that Dr Meade is behind the deaths of the other two women who were his patients.
Why does Dr Meade kill Gina?
When Gina and Jenn approach the cops, he decides to convince Gina to try hypnotic therapy, and she does. After that, Dr Meade uses an opportune moment when Gina is driving with her husband to use the trigger phrase on her. Gina has arachnophobia, and she visualizes a spider on her. In her panic, she hits the accelerator, cuts a light, and their car gets hit by a truck and Gina and her husband die.
This scene could have been thought through better. Dr Meade didn’t know if Gina was on a highway or stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Had it been the latter, Gina might have gotten out of the car and perhaps died of some other reason. But it would have left behind her husband, who was witness to her last conversation with Dr Meade on speakerphone speaking his trigger phrase.
What does Dr Stella Graham do?
Dr Graham realizes that Dr Meade has placed a fail-safe that prevents someone else’s hypnotic sessions from discovering what Dr Meade has been up to with Jenn. But, Dr Graham inserts a post-hypnotic suggestion of her own in Jenn’s head – if Dr Meade uses the phrase “my love”, Jenn will no longer respond to any of Dr Meade’s trigger phrases.
Hypnotic Movie Ending Explained
Jenn’s memories making out with Dr Meade are false memories (experiences with Amy) implanted by Dr Meade in the attempt to wipe Jenn’s brain and make her believe that she’s Amy. Jenn remembers an address from one such memory which is actually a trap placed by Dr Meade to lure Jenn to his house and execute the last step of his plan. Lucky for her, she calls and mentions the address to Wade before going over.
Before Dr Meade can complete this plan, Wade interrupts, and the two break into a fight. Jenn, through sheer willpower, breaks the hold that Dr Meade has applied on her only to be instructed to fall asleep by the evil doc. Before she goes unconscious, she picks up a fallen gun and fires in the direction of Dr Meade and Wade, who are still fighting.
The ending of the movie Hypnotic reveals that Jenn actually shot Wade, and Dr Meade is now projecting an image in Jenn’s mind that he is Wade and is comforting her. When Dr Meade says “my love”, it triggers Dr Graham counter that breaks Jenn free of Dr Meade’s commands. Jenn kicks herself free and finds Wade, who points her to his ankle gun. Jenn shoots Dr Meade dead, and backup arrives to save Wade. A month passes, and Jenn finally gets back to a regular life and hopes Brian will soon wake up from his coma as the film comes to a close.
Hypnotic Movie: Final Thoughts
What could have been more interesting to watch is Jenn outsmarting Dr Meade at his own game at the end rather than a loose grip on her ankle allowing her to run away and be helped by Wade. Perhaps luring Dr Meade to use the phrase “my love” to free herself from his will and then faking her obedience to get the upper hand. Then, the quick flashback to what Dr Graham actually did would have nicely finished the puzzle. That said, art is subjective; what’s interesting to me could be stereotypical to others.
What did you think about the plot and ending of the movie Hypnotic? Do leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Barry is a technologist who helps start-ups build successful products. His love for movies and production has led him to write his well-received film explanation and analysis articles to help everyone appreciate the films better. He’s regularly available for a chat conversation on his website and consults on storyboarding from time to time.
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