The Review (Spoiler Free)
“The Devil’s Pass,” directed by Renny Harlin, is a found-footage horror film that takes viewers on a harrowing journey inspired by the real-life Dyatlov Pass Incident. The movie follows a group of American students who set out to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths of nine Russian hikers in 1959. As they delve deeper into the Ural Mountains, they encounter more than they bargained for, leading to a series of chilling events that question the fabric of reality.
The film’s strength lies in its ability to blend historical intrigue with supernatural elements, creating a narrative that is both compelling and terrifying. The found-footage style, while not novel, is executed with a level of craft that keeps the audience engaged, especially when the plot twists into the realm of the fantastical. The portrayal of the students’ descent into the unknown is gripping, and the film does an excellent job of building tension and atmosphere.
One of the most intriguing aspects of “The Devil’s Pass” is its exploration of time travel and alternate dimensions. The ending, which has sparked much discussion and confusion among viewers, suggests a complex interplay of time loops and otherworldly forces. The film proposes that the original hikers and the documentary filmmakers both stumbled upon a portal that sent them back in time, leading to a cycle of events that ultimately seals their fate.
The performances by the cast are commendable, with each actor bringing a sense of authenticity to their roles. The characters’ interactions and reactions to the increasingly bizarre circumstances help ground the story, even as it ventures into speculative territory. The dynamic between the group members adds a layer of human drama to the supernatural thriller, making their journey all the more relatable.
Despite its engaging premise and moments of genuine suspense, “The Devil’s Pass” is not without its flaws. Some viewers may find the film’s pacing uneven, and the reliance on genre tropes can feel derivative at times. Additionally, the ending, while bold in its conceptual ambition, may leave some audiences unsatisfied with its lack of clear resolution.
Overall, “The Devil’s Pass” is a worthwhile watch for fans of horror and mystery. It offers a unique take on the found-footage genre and presents a chilling interpretation of one of the 20th century’s most enduring mysteries. Whether you’re a horror aficionado or a newcomer to the genre, “The Devil’s Pass” is sure to provide a thought-provoking and spine-tingling experience.
For those interested in delving deeper into the film’s complex ending, discussions and theories abound online, offering various explanations for the film’s final moments. The movie’s ability to inspire such conversation is a testament to its intriguing premise and the lasting impact of the Dyatlov Pass Incident on popular culture. Whether you seek answers or enjoy the thrill of the unknown, “The Devil’s Pass” invites you to explore the limits of reality and the darkness that lies beyond.
Spoiler Ending (Spoiler Alert!)
The Devil’s Pass has very creative theory about that happened to the nine Russian hikers in the northern Ural Mountains. The theory is that the Russians have discovered a time portal deep inside the mountain. The Russians were studying this time portal trying use it as advantage during the Cold War against United States. In order to study the time portal, they have sent people through the portal. From the experiment, they have discovered that these people are turning into dangerous creature with super strength, and it became very dangerous. So eventually, they have shut down the experiment and hide the time portal from the world. Until these 5 American students discovered it by accident.
First sign of trouble for these 5 American students was the avalanche and two Russians who are shooting at them. This tells us that the current Russian government knows about this hidden bunker and they are trying to scare them away from the bunker.
The movie gets very intense when the students discovered the hidden bunker deep inside the mountains. First strange thing that they discovered inside the bunker is the camera. It turned out to be the same camera that they are using to film. This was the first hint that the movie has time travel elements in it.
Eventually everyone dies except for the two students. At the end, they are trapped inside the room with the time portal. They had no choice but to go through the time portal since if they leave the room, they are going to get killed by the monsters. So they went inside the portal not knowing what is going to happened to them.
It turned out that they have travelled back in time to 1950’s when the Russian were experimenting with the time portal. Also their body has mutilated. The Russians brought them back inside the bunker with their video camera. This is the same video camera that they found inside the bunker earlier.
So they have been locked in the bunker for many years until these American students have discovered the the bunker. The mind blowing surprise is that these students were basically attacked by them.
In the Nutshell
The Devil’s Passe is found footage horror with mind blowing ending. To maximize the enjoyment, it is best if you go into the movie completely blind. Don’t even watch the trailer. I give 5 out of 5 stars.
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I still do not get the ending. The camera goes completely incomprehensible (audio & visual). I understand there was some weird creatures due to the fact that the last two students that were walking & exploring the bunker tunnels found the weird inhuman skeletons. Military secrets & strange creature coverups, ok. I buy it. But what happens to the students that were walking around the tunnels? I enjoyed the movie until the ending scenes because I can’t clearly see nor hear what’s happening. Could you shed some light please? I did not know anything at all about this movie’s plot at all, so every bit of it was a surprise & all was going well….UNTIL the camera goes crazy at the end. Do the students die? How do they die?
Basically, the secret wormhole is where you can time travel back in time, but at the same time, it turns you into a monster. The last scene, the two survivors jump into the wormhole not knowing what will happen to them. They eventually went back in time were Russian were active in the tunnel. Russian captured them and put them in the cages. They been in the cages for very long time until, same two people came in the tunnel many years later… very cool ending.
Hi Sam
Thanks so much for that breakdown of the ending. I usually catch unconventional endings & prefer them. This time, so much happens in such a short time while the camera footage is almost ruined. I think they used that effect just a bit excessively at the end. I thought the movie was going to be mediocre (ok, maybe a little better than that), but I was very pleasantly surprised. Now that I know exactly what happens at the end, I like it even more. 🙂
Thanks for your time!!
Sheri
Hi Sam
Yeah.. I’m curious about this film. What’s with the ‘Eastern European’ lets go travel to and then disappear films all about? There’s been plenty. SHANT be going there any time soon.
I told my daughter about this film cos I was blown away watching it. I just about got ‘Back 2 the future’ and ‘Total recall’. How dense am I? But this film with your explanation. I totally get it.. Super cool film. But that GIRL was ANNOYING !!!! pardon my french. I Almost switched over cos of her. I just wanted to punch her.
Murder suicide or murder by someone from outside the group.
The girl with the tattoo is the girl who died in the avalanche, so where is the girl who crossed the portal with the guy?
The girl with the tattoo is the main character…not the girl from emmerdale!
Remember the old lady that said there were 11 bodies? Well thats tje two ppl. They went thru the time machine. And they made the 10th and 11th ppl. Time traveling. Its not that complicated. Thats why there camera was still there. They were the 2 extra bodies the old woman spoke of. They were there in 1959 also.
Awesome someone who actually put those 2 parts of the movie together I thought it was only me who knew that 9 + 2 with a strange machine added up to 11 explained a lot earlier in the movie
At the beginning the old lady talks about how the original 9 hikers went missing, but when she went looking they found 11 bodies. There was 2 extra bodies then there should’ve been. They were told that it didn’t happen and gaslit by the government Because they were hiding something. So the group of people doing the documentary on the original hikers eventually they find the original campsite and find a secret government bunker in the mountain. Being forced to go inside the bunker. Eventually only two are alive and the first weird thing they found is a camera, but it’s the camera they have in their hand with the same footage that they had just recorded. Those creatures opened the door that held the portal so that they were lured into it, leaving them no choice but to go through the portal. When the two people go through the portal they end up outside the door of the bunker but they are now 50 years in the past on the same day that the nine hikers bodies were found. Hence being why that lady said there was two extra bodies found. At the end you see the people who originally went to look and discovered the 9 dead hikers & noticed the two extra people and the government/military dragging them inside the bunker. The military hang them up on hooks to experiment on them because they are not human anymore. The unhuman creatures took over the military why the logs stopped the year that the original hikers died . The creatures that took over the secret government bunker are the same creatures that were attacking the last 2 survivors (them) while they were locked in the bunker, that is why the creatures cannot hurt them because they are the creatures.
That was why they had dreams Luring them to that mountain because really it already happened. When they time travelled it made it possible for them to exist for the last 50 years as the creatures in the bunker but also in the present when they made their way to the bunker just so they could find the portal again