If you just finished Saltburn, you are probably doing one of two things: staring blankly at your TV screen or frantically searching “What did I just watch?” Emerald Fennell’s satirical thriller is a fever dream of wealth, obsession, and bodily fluids, but that final dance sequence left a lot of questions unanswered.
Let’s cut through the chaos. Here is exactly what happened to the Catton family, and whether Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is a genius or just a monster.
The Long Con Revealed
The ending reveals that nothing was accidental. Oliver wasn’t a scholarship student who stumbled into luxury; he was a predator who hunted his prey.
- The Bike Flat: Oliver slashed Felix’s tire to ensure they would meet.
- The Poisoning: He didn’t just “find” Felix dead; he orchestrated the overdose.
- The Ventilator: Yes, he manually disconnected Elspeth’s life support.
The “Vampire” Metaphor
Why the grave scene? Why the bathtub? The movie isn’t just about being rich; it’s about consuming the rich. Oliver doesn’t just want to be Felix; he wants to absorb him. The final scene, where he dances naked through the empty mansion to “Murder on the Dancefloor,” is his victory lap. He has stripped the family of their lives, their wealth, and finally, their dignity.
The Verdict
Oliver “won” the game, but he is king of a graveyard. He owns Saltburn, but he is entirely alone. It is a hollow victory for a hollow man. The film suggests that the British class system is so rigid that the only way to climb it is to burn it down—literally.
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
Known for his “no-nonsense” approach, Jordan pays for his own tickets and refuses to attend press junkets, ensuring his loyalty belongs only to the fans. If a movie is a cash grab, he’ll say it. If it’s a masterpiece, he’ll explain why technically.
Specialty: VFX Breakdowns, Script Analysis, Hidden Details.
Motto: “Cinema doesn’t lie, but marketing does.”
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