What is the Meaning of ‘The Wrath of God’ Title?

‘The Wrath of God’ (Original Spanish title: ‘La Ira de Dios’) is an Argentinian thriller that follows a young woman who is convinced her family is hunted by a famous author. As members of Luciana’s family die in sudden and tragic ways, she sees the hand of the author in each of the crimes. However, a lack of proof and the author’s popular standing results in most people scoffing at the young woman’s claims.

The maddening mystery continues for over a decade, and the film ends on an unsettling note. Much like the antagonist, Kloster, the film’s title is also enigmatic and could refer to a number of aspects of the story. Let’s try and unravel the multiple meanings of the title of ‘The Wrath of God.’

What is the Meaning of The Wrath of God?

‘The Wrath of God,’ first and foremost, conjures up biblical metaphors that refer to the anger or vengeance of a powerful or vastly superior being. The name seems to be used ironically to signify how the antagonist, Kloster, sees himself. Despite there being a distinct lack of proof, the author is known to have a strong motive to seek revenge on Luciana. He claims as much, blaming the young woman for the death of his wife and young daughter.

Thus, Kloster, with his elaborate, decades-long plot to kill off Luciana’s family, essentially sees himself as a god. In a way, he does act like a vengeful overlord as he slowly eats away at Luciana until she commits suicide. Moments before she kills herself, Kloster explains to an adoring audience how his newest book centers on divine justice and divine vengeance. This is perhaps the closest that a character from the film comes to actually acknowledging the title. However, it is clear just who the title refers to.

Incidentally, the film’s original Spanish title literally translates to “The God’s anger” and, as such, holds a similar significance as the English title. However, the film is based on a book titled ‘La muerte lenta de Luciana B,’ which translates to ‘The slow death of Luciana B,’ by Guillermo Martínez. The book title is easier to decipher and essentially refers to Kloster’s drawn-out revenge plot, which, over a decade, results not only in Luciana’s death but in the demise of most of her family as well.

Ultimately, the film’s title discards the title of its sourcebook and instead picks one of the story’s major themes. To be precise, the film’s title refers to Kloster’s god complex and how he essentially takes control of Luciana’s life out of a sense of revenge. The antagonist’s speech at the end clears any doubts about exactly how he pictures himself, and seeing as how he even appears to have plans for Luciana’s younger sister, the last surviving member of the family, his vengeance is absolute. Considering the extent of Kloster’s apparent scheme, ‘The Wrath of God’ begins to feel like an apt title that isn’t mere hyperbole.

Read More: Where Was The Wrath of God Filmed?