Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Run Rabbit’ Run’ is a horror thriller film starring Sarah Snook (‘Succession‘) as Sarah, an experienced fertility doctor whose life turns upside down because of the increasingly strange behavior of her 7-year-old daughter, Mia, who claims to have memories of another life. The movie takes viewers deep into Sarah’s past through her relationship with Mia, creating a tense and chilling atmosphere that elevates the horror of the mother-daughter’s situation. As a result, viewers must be curious to learn about the meaning behind the film’s title and the significance of the Rabbit Mask worn by Mia in ‘Run Rabbit’ Run.’ SPOILERS AHEAD!
Run Rabbit Run Title is a Metaphor
‘Run Rabbit Run’ tells the story of Sarah, a single mother whose daughter, Mia, starts depicting strange behavioral patterns after her seventh birthday. Mia’s strange behavior starts after she finds a stray rabbit on her doorstep, which she insists on adopting. The rabbit is referenced in the movie’s title and directly linked to Mia’s strange behavior. Moreover, the rabbit in the title can also reference Mia’s nickname, “Bunny.” The movie is filled with suspense and horror as the mystery around Mia’s strange behavior and Sarah’s past deepens with the narrative moving forward. The title perfectly captures the fear and anxiety of Sarah’s situation. Thus, the title ‘Run Rabbit Run’ can mean a call to Mia to escape the horrors of Sarah’s past, which she inadvertently discovers.
The film shares its title with the 1939 song “Run Rabbit, Run,” performed by Flanagan and Allen. Similarly, the rabbit could also reference the children’s novel ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll. The book features a young girl named Alice who is led down a rabbit hole by the appearance of a rabbit, leading into a strange new world. In Mia’s case, the rabbit triggers her strange behavior, leading her and Sarah down a metaphorical rabbit hole of past traumas, unresolved guilt, and undealt anxieties. All things said, ‘Run Rabbit Run’ is a well-rounded title for a film that uses rabbits as a metaphor for victimhood. It allows the viewers to immerse themselves in the unsettling aspects of the story while also keeping them in the dark about the true victim of the story.
The Rabbit Mask Amplifies the Metaphor
In the movie, the significance of Rabbit Mask is never actually explained, but several clues hint at the answer. After finding the rabbit, Mia starts wearing a Rabbit Mask over her face, which signals a change in her behavior. As the narrative progresses, Mia starts claiming that she is Alice, Sarah’s long-lost sister who disappeared long ago. Eventually, it is revealed that Alice is dead and Sarah is responsible for her sister’s death. Alice was fond of stray animals and often looked after them like Mia did for the rabbit. Hence, Mia likely wears the mask to feel close to her new pet. However, the reason behind Mia wearing the Rabbit Mask goes deeper than love for the creatures.
Mia believes she is a reincarnation of Alice and pesters her mother to share more about Alice. As a result, Sarah’s guilt over her sister’s death unravels, causing hallucinations and manifests in the form of several inexplicable events. Thus, Sarah also starts mistaking Mia for Alice, especially after they move into Sarah’s childhood home. The Rabbit Mask could represent the uncertainty and intrigue around Mia, who claims to be Alice. As a result, the Rabbit Mask helps mask the truth about whether or not Mia is actually a reborn Alice. Similarly, seeing how the film uses rabbits as a metaphor for victimhood, the Rabbit Mask holds a great narrative significance as it foreshadows the reveal of Alice being a victim of her sister’s dislike for her. It also showcases how Mia is a victim of her mother’s monstrous behavior and anxieties resulting from Alice’s death.
Read More: Is Run Rabbit Run Based on a True Story?
