Dhruv Trivedi
‘The Trip’ (original title: ‘I onde dager’) is a Norwegian action thriller that follows married couple Lisa and Lars on a weekend getaway to their cabin. Unbeknownst to either, they both harbor plans for killing their spouse and attempt to put them in play once they arrive at the cabin. When three escaped convicts get added to the mix, all manner of violent chaos ensues.
The couple finds themselves alternatively bickering with each other while also fighting for their lives, making the whole affair a tongue-in-cheek mix of sinister violence and dark humor. The film’s ending doubles down on its satirical tone and closes things in an unexpected way. If you think you missed some of the details from the film’s finale, here is ‘The Trip’ ending, explained. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Trip Plot Synopsis
The film opens by introducing us to television director Lars, who specializes in making cheesy soap operas. After being rebuked by his war veteran father for being soft and spoiled, Lars begins to pack for a weekend trip with his wife, Lisa. Before leaving, he also visits a hardware store and purchases a hammer, rope, and a saw, and hides them in his car. En route to their cabin in the woods, the couple argues briefly and eventually settles into a tense silence.
At the cabin, the two set things up and begin to cook dinner. Their attitudes tell us that they’ve been married a long time, but constant bickering also points towards deeper issues in their relationship. After a game of scrabble, over which they once again argue, Lisa goes to bed while Lars finishes his drink.
The next morning Lars collects rocks in a bag and leaves them on a boat. He then retrieves his new hammer and attempts to kill Lisa with it only to have her electrocute him first. When he comes around, Lars finds himself tied to a chair sitting across from Lisa. She laughs at his simple plan and outlines her own plot to make Lars’ death seem like a hunting accident. In the ensuing argument, the husband blames his wife for being unfaithful, while the latter retorts by saying that Lars has ruined them financially because of his gambling addiction. Just as Lisa is about to shoot Lars, she is attacked from behind by their simpleton gardener Viktor.
A scuffle eventually ensues in which Victor is killed, and the husband and wife fight for control of the gun. A shot is accidentally fired into the roof, which collapses to expose three men hiding in the attic. It is then revealed that the three men — Roy, Petter, and Dave — are escaped convicts that took shelter in the cabin hours before Lars and Lisa arrived. Now, they hold the couple hostage and threaten to kill them.
The Trip Ending: Are Lars and Lisa Dead or Alive?
Lisa eventually convinces the convicts to let them live until she can go to the bank the following day to get them the money. Tied and held hostage in the basement, the two are eventually able to overpower Roy and escape the house. A game of cat and mouse ensues between the convicts and the couple, and Roy is killed. At one point, when things seem hopeless for Lars, his father surprises them by arriving at the cabin and holds the convicts at bay. After a final showdown on their boat, Lars and Lisa are able to kill off Petter and return to their cabin.
That evening, the two sit together, and Lars mentions how all their financial problems still exist. However, Lisa seemingly has an idea, and we next see the couple on the news, animatedly recounting their life-threatening experience. They are subsequently featured on talk shows, and the film closes with scenes from the production of a movie based on their encounter with the convicts.
Hence, Lars and Lisa come out bruised, battered, but alive at the end. One of the film’s main gimmicks is to repeatedly put the central characters in situations where their death seems imminent, and so, on multiple occasions, it looks like either Lars or Lisa is about to die. Particularly memorable is the scene where Petter tries to push the husband’s face in the running blades of a lawnmower for want of murdering someone creatively for once.
However, the couple is able to overcome insurmountable odds repeatedly and lives to tell the tale, literally. Lars and Lisa seemingly benefit from being attacked by the convicts as their story of surviving the brutal crime catapults them to fame. Since no one can crosscheck their narrative, the two bend the facts of the tale to their benefit. In the film subsequently made based on their story, Lisa gets the lead role of herself and, though not mentioned, it seems like Lars is directing. Therefore, the husband and wife survive the ordeal and unexpectedly come out significantly better off because of it.
What Happens to Roy, Petter, and Dave?
The three hardened criminals that escape from prison and take shelter in Lars and Lisa’s cabin initially have the upper hand once they capture the couple. However, the film thrives on turning tables, and one by one, though completely outmatched, Lars and Lisa take down the convicts. Roy is the first to die when a shotgun accidentally goes off and splatters his head on a window. Dave is then shot in the leg by Lars’ father and killed by Lars as he tries to bandage his shattered leg.
Petter is the hardest to kill, and despite being stabbed with a pitchfork and run over by a car, he continues to hold Lisa hostage in order to get the money she promised him. Eventually, Petter’s arm is severed when Lars pushes him into the engine of their speedboat, and he is pushed overboard. The stones that Lars initially intended to use to drown his wife’s corpse are strung around Petter’s neck, and he is dragged down to a watery death.
Why Do Lars and Lisa Want to Kill Each Other?
Soon after they arrive at the cabin, it is revealed that Lars and Lisa want to kill each other. Both have formulated plans and alibis for their crimes but have failed to account for the other attempting something similar. As they hold each other hostage at gunpoint, their arguments reveal why they want to go to such drastic lengths.
Lars initially claims he is motivated by Lisa’s infidelity, but it is eventually revealed that he is interested in her life insurance payout. On the other hand, Lisa blames Lars for fettering away all their money on gambling and claims to want freedom from him. However, it is revealed that she, too, is after her husband’s life insurance.
Hence, in keeping with the film’s tone of dark humor, it is revealed that both husband and wife are equally selfish and want to kill their partner to get their life insurance payout. However, their ordeal, and the unexpected windfall that comes with it, seem to have solved their financial and marital problems, at least for the time being.
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