Abhiroop Das
Directed by Romain Gavras, Netflix’s ‘Sacrifice’ follows the aftermath of a hostage situation at an elite gala. Disgraced actor Mike Tyler attends the billionaire Ben Bracken’s fundraising event in hopes of squeezing his way back into the world of celebs and making his comeback. However, the last thing he expects is to become part of a ritual planned by an eco-terrorist group that believes that the world is about to end and only the sacrifice of three prophetically chosen people can stop it: Mike, Ben, and a dance artist named Katie. The group, led by Joan, then takes them on a morbid journey to a volcanic island, where the selected three await their deaths. As the dark comedy reaches its climax, Mike’s perspective on life and himself undergoes a major change, culminating in a decision that shocks the world. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sacrifice Plot Synopsis
‘Sacrifice’ begins with an environmental charity gala in Greece, where many of the world’s most famous and powerful people seem to have come together. Among these is Ben Bracken, the wealthiest man in the world, who also happens to be the one funding this gala. Also present is Mike Tyler, an aging actor still holding on to fame and vanity. Life hasn’t been good for him since he lost his dad, and most recently he went through a psychological breakdown during the promotion of his film ‘Octavius: The Last Centurion.’ When he learns that Ben is using the gala to soft launch his ocean mining company, Poseidon Alliance, Mike cannot take it anymore and walks out after delivering a heated speech. In the time he is away, though, the gala gets taken over by a band of eco-terrorists, led by a girl named Joan.
Rather than targeting Ben and other authorities, Joan reveals that her group has a rather unique goal: to choose three people who are going to be sacrificed before the arrival of the next red moon. These sacrifices, she believes, are the only way to avoid the end of the world, and require selection on the basis of three archetypes. For the role of the evil king, Joan’s younger sister, Louise, picks up Ben, whereas her younger brother, Arthur, chooses a dancer named Katie for the role of a lover. Lastly, Joan chooses Mike for the role of the hero, and all three of them are forced onto a boat and taken to the edge of a volcano. Joan’s goal is to drop the three of them into the volcano as part of the ritual, but her faith soon comes under challenge from Ben and the others, as well as by the circumstances themselves.
Sacrifice Ending: Is Mike Dead? Why Does He Jump?
At the end of ‘Sacrifice,’ Mike defies all expectations to take a leap of faith, perishing inside the volcano as the entire world watches on. This action isn’t necessarily spurred by a desperation to save the world from an apocalypse, though, as something else also goes through his mind in the last few moments of his life. Right before his own turn, Mike watches Ben Bracken being pushed into the blazing crater, before Joan, too, is met with the same fate at the hands of her loved ones, and by now what is really in question isn’t whether they are right in doing so, but whether their belief is powerful enough to let them see it through. Mike is likely stricken with a similar sensation, and while there is no singular explanation as to why he jumps, it almost certainly has nothing to do with whether he believes in the prophecy.
A major detail the film hammers home is that Mike is an actor and has had a rather synthetic relationship with his life. The chance of becoming a prophetic hero, then, doesn’t feel too dissimilar from starring as the lead, at first glance. However, in the short time he spends with Joan and her band of eco-terrorists, Mike ends up unveiling an entirely different dimension of his life. The fact that he is an actor doesn’t necessarily mean he can only lead a life of insincerity, as that is a selfish perspective on himself. Instead, the real power of his craft is that he can, at least momentarily, step into the shoes of an entirely different person, and in his final moments, that person is simultaneously Joan and the hero she wanted him to be.
Another, more pessimistic reading of Mike’s leap is that he was acting on a suicidal desire, and finally found a way, made-up or otherwise, by which his death could have meaning. Prior to this moment, we see several scenes in which he is haunted by nearly every facet of his past, be it the death of his father, his own bygone youth, or, particularly, the role of Octavius in his last film. Notably, Octavius was the former name of Emperor Augustus, one of the most significant leaders in history and a subject of extensive mythologization. In playing that character, Mike cannot help but feel the weight in his own life. The only respite in all of this comes from Joan, who reveals that it is ultimately Mike’s choice to jump or not to jump. While his agency in that moment does lead to his death, it’s also, perhaps paradoxically, when he feels the most alive.
Does the Volcano Explode? Was the Prophecy Real?
While ‘Sacrifice’ leaves the fate of the world relatively ambiguous, we do see some visual cues that point towards an answer. Seconds after Mike jumps and completes the prophecy, the lava pouring out of the volcano recedes, seemingly ending the threat of geological collapse right there. Ironically, this comes moments after television channels declare that scientists are working on a solution to stop the explosion, but are coming up empty-handed. The juxtaposition at play is likely intentional, and effectively confirms that Joan’s plan, as twisted as it was, might have been correct all along. However, it is just as likely that this was just a coincidence, as the volcano might just have receded for natural causes, and we will never know.
The uncertainties surrounding the ending seem to be an intentional choice by the writing team, as it allows both camps to have something to hold on to, both in-universe and among the viewers. The goal here is not to avoid answering the question altogether, though, as director Romain Gavras believes that the ending is a nod to the modern disillusionment with myths of rescue and salvation. “I feel like we’ve tried everything,” he explained in a conversation with Netflix, “We’ve tried every political system, we’ve tried every religion. I don’t think technology is going to save us. So maybe if we throw the right three people in a volcano, the world is going to be a better place. Who knows?” The director himself believes that Joan was right in her prophecy, but has maintained that there is no one correct answer.
Although the three sacrifices do coincide with the stopping of the volcano, there is another detail in the movie that casts doubt on the overarching prophecy. Convinced that Mike is her savior, Joan braves a volley of arrows with the assumption that none of them will hit. She is sorely proven wrong, however, when one makes it to her liver, shattering her illusions. From there, we see her have a long crisis of faith, one that ends with her being sacrificed against her will. However, despite it all, a part of Joan still chooses to believe in the prophecy, as it is the only thing she has ever known. Having been psychologically tormented by her family since birth, she has had no choice but to mythologize her own suffering as a coping mechanism, and while this recolors her prophecy in a subjective light, it doesn’t outright disprove it either.
What Does Louise’s Dance Mean? Why is Gunnar Killed?
The final moments of the film seemingly step away from the narrative altogether, and instead follow Louise as she performs a solitary ritual dance atop a volcanic peak. It is unclear whether the scene is set in reality, as by now she should be arrested by authorities. Regardless, the scene draws its strengths from the symbolism of the dance, as well as her surroundings. While broadly reminiscent of ritual performances that are designed to either earn a deity’s blessings or avoid their wrath, Louise’s rendition of the dance appears to be one of mourning, as the survival of the world cannot be a thing of celebration when the very people she loved are no longer with her. Though she is able to live to tell the tale, it can hardly be called a victory.
The tragedy of Louise’s arc is also conveyed through her surroundings, as we see a flock of birds encircle her from above. While birds are generally associated with freedom and community, in Louise’s case they represent everything that she no longer has. The image also directly contrasts the photograph of a herd of sheep in Gunnar’s house, sheep that stopped running to the volcano as the climate catastrophe took over. During the credits sequence, we see Gunnar get burnt to death as per Joan’s wishes, signaling the end of one era and the start of another. However, whether these sacrifices are actually successful in delaying the end of the world remains a question without a clear answer.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s Sacrifice Filmed?
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