The Empty Man EXPLAINED [Breakdown & Analysis]

My breakdown & analysis of The Empty Man, a 2020 supernatural horror thriller film written, directed, and edited by David Prior. The movie stars James Badge Dale, Marin Ireland, Stephen Root, and Sasha Frolova. It follows an ex-cop who, upon an investigation into a missing girl, discovers a secret cult.
#theemptyman
#2021movies
#hbomax
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🔥 Intro Music: Robert Slump, "Industrial FPS DOOM Metal Trailer"
Fair Use Disclaimer: I do not own any pictures/videos contained within this video.
"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

[@masterlessamurai]

My explanation is different, James was manipulated into becoming the Empty Mans’ new vessel because just like the other characters he played the bottle flute, had the encounters and finally died (like the others who were killed by the Empty Man instead of literally committing suicide). He let himself go (no longer taking meds) and Empty Man took over his body by transferring himself. The last few scenes of James’ memory was him being transferred into Paul in the hospital bed because he then saw some of Paul’s perspective back at the cave. Empty Man was then able to inhabit James’ body (black eyes), with help from Amanda and Empty Man shot his former vessel with James’ consciousness now inside. Side note, the “we made you three days ago” was a lie, sort of. The detectives knew of James around the office because of his family’s death and subsequent leaving the force. I think the 3 days we made you was the fact that Amanda went to him, fled to ensure he would try to find her, and James performed the Empty Man ritual. The Pontifax group manifested him to perform all those actions using their will, intention, cult and made him more guilty in his dreams/ minds eye etc but the “Flesh” was just a rattled man, with no family, and a guilty conscious who about to commit suicide anyway, a true Empty Man.

[@joshua2814]

That actually sounds like you and the video agree.

[@chandradeepkumar7750]

Going by your theory. If the cop recognised him, then why doesn't Amanda's mom on that phone call?

[@clanechelon]

@@chandradeepkumar7750 What makes you believe Amanda's mom is not in the cult? It's rare you will see a young kid or teenager join a cult. They were usually born and raised in it by their parent. It's not far fetch assumption by any means

[@chandradeepkumar7750]

@@clanechelon Yeah totally plausible

[@saintejeannedarc9460]

When I saw all the cops in the precinct looking at James in that odd (cultlike) way, I said that at least one of them had to be cult members, and maybe all? Except I didn';t think the chief was in on it, as he was genuinely pissed, as he would be, that James might be blowing their investigation. I thought, at that time, that's how they knew his address to leave the teddy bear.

[@michaelruffalo5875]

Pontifex is Latin for "Bridge builder", in case anyone wanted to know.

[@DifferentTake]

Yet, another bridge in this movie 😆 Great info! Thanks for the heads up!

[@zenithnight5488]

It can also mean high priest. Julius Caesar was appointed the Pontifex Maxmius of the Roman Empire. Who else to be the high priest but the Empty Man? The Empty Man Institute.

[@jaimepe4765]

@@zenithnight5488 It's because a High Priest (Pontífice in Spanish) is a bridge between mankind and a divinity.

[@QuitRuiningMyRecommendations]

The empty man is not the entity. The empty man is James. James was a manifested tulpa. Nora never met him. His last name Lasombra literally means the shadow. The middle events of the movie were all a made up backstory. That's why he finds a file of news clippings from other people's lives and they make up his entire personality. The "I'm from San franscisco" bit gets repeated because that's one of the characteristics they gave him. The cult manifested James, the empty man, to channel their entity. It was misdirection that led viewers to believe "The Empty Man" was the entity. As Amanda said, he wasn't actually doing anything on his "birthday". He was "born" three days ago.

[@DifferentTake]

So all of those interactions with nora on screen-at her house, with the cops, and at the hotel, didn't happen?

[@juanvaldes3208]

@@DifferentTake I really believe that they didn’t happen. It was all a figment of James created mind. Think about it, if the “truth” is that there’s no reality, and James was a manifestation of a collective hive mind/consciousness, they were able to fabricate James life and everything that was in it. When he calls Nora, Amanda smirks, almost laughs even. When Nora answers, she’s like who the hell is this?? Idk you.. James experience was all in his mind. His wife and children didn’t exist. That’s why Nora is able to finish his sentences in synchronicity at the end. His entire existence has been fabricated. He was created for the sole purpose of being a vessel for whatever higher entity was discovered by Paul.

[@bbmul1572]

That’s how I interpreted it. The events in the middle of the movie were him experiencing the backstory that had been created for him, and existing in the reality that had been set up for him and therefore around him. Only at the very end of the movie does he break the barrier between the reality that he was imagined into and the reality that the people who imagined him really exist in. Think about the three stages that the characters describe the empty man as existing in: First you can’t stop thinking about him, then you see him, then you feel him. First, the cultists continually and repetitively envision him, conjuring up the image of him within their minds. Then, when they see him during the session where he gets caught watching them, they see him, having manifested him into visibility via their collective belief. Finally, at the hospital, his reality collides with theirs fully and he is manifested into physical being as evidenced by his ability to kill Paul. Therefore, he can be ‘felt’.

[@CinceTheDay]

please tell me this: why do the other cops know him (they confirm he's an ex-cop) if he's made up?

[@5wm562]

@@DifferentTake Yes they did happen; Nora, Amanda, everyone in the town is an actor in a play and part of the experiment, why no one seemed to notice or was looking away when James kidnapped Garrett, why no one recognized or knew Amanda and closed their door in James' face, and how Paul's hospital bills get paid to begin with. Garrett made clear that the scope of Pontifex is broader than some hippy cult, possibly global; _everyone is receiving the signal, and everyone _has to maintain the equation_ Thought+Concentration+Time=Flesh in order to even see the Tulpa, James.

[@Gallard-002]

Side note: his name is James Lasombra, and in Spanish "La Sombra" means "The Shadow", which was mindblowing for me. Pretty cool movie, I'd love to see a sequel where all hell breaks loose and that "blood bath" the guy was talking about finally happens.

[@take_a_quaalude6948]

That’s what’s wrong with film now, they all have sequels. Films like this don’t need sequels. That was the downfall of SAW and Candyman, two great original films that stood on their own perfectly fine until greed got involved.

[@Nonresponder01]

No, no sequel. It's great as is. It's psychological. Psychological movies don't have good sequels because that's not where the story was meant to go.

[@edwardx4979]

One thing I couldn't figure out was that Amanda started the Empty Man blowing ritual on the bridge with all her friends and each one died, but why is Amanda spared after blowing into the bottle then and also in the room with the other worshipers in the building. Is Amanda special in some way?!? Things also don't make sense in that the protagonist was able to find the camp in the forest with no proper map or guide - was it because he knew it there in some kind of manifested way?

[@jonfreeman9682]

She's one of the chosen cult members who will carry out cult duties so was spared. James was the chosen one so he was planned from the outset to discover all those files and he heard noise outside so followed the sound to the cult gathering.

[@MaryRose86]

The intro feels like a short film It would be cool if they released it to get more people interested in this hidden gem. It’s a future cult classic in my opinion

[@markseino7858]

After watching Chris Stuckmann's review I agree completely.

[@vashnigovind1528]

Was better than the rest of the movie.

[@johnkeithwatson8036]

I’ve watched The Empty Man twice and I still have a few questions. In the cabin when character James watches the video of a manifestation, what exactly were we watching? Who was that man, and at one point, it looked like he was digging into his own gut and finger painting his blood on the wall? Needless to say, it was so eerie. I was fascinated with the odd phrases connected abs how the thought of the cult was a circle of contradictions. We heard, “does the brain itch”, and at times, the filming was done with a blurry, hypnotic vibration; that idea made me think of ASMR. Thank you for the video. This movie has made my mind go in overdrive about everything and nothing.

[@Harry-ts2qo]

At the start of the cabin video those men sitting around the table were chanting to create a tulpa. They succeeded but the Tulpa they made was week and dysfunctional because he was not made of fear and guilt. It still clearly had some sort of magical ability or power because it painted the image of the current host, Paul, being killed by the future host, James. Once they figured out how to make a tulpa w guilt and fear they made James and put him through the events of the movie to prime him for being the best version of an empty man, so then the evil spirit could come into him and he could be their new antenna.

[@happiness6746]

remember the part where james went to the lecture "pontifex" or sumthing as soon as he walked in.. a man was looking at him from the top balcony but his face wasn't shown and it was not the lecturer who do you think it was?!

[@skruffytiger2002]

@@happiness6746 it was james

[@KairoK]

What I don't understand is why some people die after blowing in the bottle and others don't. Why were Amanda and others at the institute spared?

[@AbsurdistJiffu]

1. James' surname, Lasombra, actually means "the shadow" in Spanish. 2. Pontifex means "bridge maker". 3. One of the folders in Camp Elsewhere is named "Quail/A" (Amanda Quail) which may also pertain to the concept of qualia - a term use to describe the nature or content of our subjective experiences.

[@MrMegatron85]

This movie is criminally underrated. As a horror hound, this movie is easily in my top 5 of all time. Directing, cinematography, music, sound design is all top notch. Can't wait to see more from David Prior

[@sebastiandrexler9552]

Same here. Made it even in my top 3 and I've been watching A LOT of horror flicks.

[@ethanstanley9083]

this is not too five. it’s not explained at all and it wasn’t scary. It was confusing. I liked it but it’s overrated. 70 something on rotten tomatoes. Pshh.

[@freethrall]

This was my take too. It's either/or. He could be an "empty man", a vessel manifest through thought experiments or just another victim of the empty man meme.

[@krisbonet]

The kids’ high school is called ‘Jacques Derrida High School.’ This French philosopher invented ‘deconstruction’ which is basically dismantling everything considered truth. When he is at the institute all the crazy sentences he reads are examples of deconstruction.

[@joshua2814]

I laughed when I saw that just because I can’t imagine a public school in Missouri being named after Derrida.

[@bananainacup]

Someone read the imdb trivia page…

[@SaintVodou]

Two theories, after two views: A) Paul is a human who’s transformed into Emptyman. But James is only a conjured invention until he replaces Paul. His three-day “transformation” is really Amanda’s creation process, and only in his head. He finally enters our world by becoming Emptyman himself. B) James is human with a real past, and some of the three days is “real” too, happening in our world. James is manipulated into killing Paul, and we’re left to decide where his reality ends and ours starts. Supporting this theory: some scenes happen out ofJames’s sight, and aren’t seen through his eyes-a movie clue as to what’s in and out of a character’s mind. Each theory has pros and cons, so when I tried to pick one I’d find contradictions. In such a careful movie I can only think these are there to put us in James’s shoes, wondering what is and isn’t “real”. Even his name toys with you: it can mean a physical shadow or a “somber one”-namely death…

[@pauljamilkowski3672]

I think the message of this movie is about how people's minds can be manipulated when they're vulnerable. Groupthink can be used to control people when they're scared or confused.

[@cornbread70s4]

Thank you for this video! You tied things up that I didn’t understand in the movie. From the guy in the beginning who fell in the crack that had scars on his wrists, to the blank folder now having content & meds no longer being taken….the power of positive thinking & the power of negative thinking.

[@kangarookangaroo702]

Yoooo, just realised that the crevasse, the hole in the top of the mountain that james fell through, was making that sound from the wind blowing over it maybe? So it was like the bottle on the bridge thing

[@drewgovier]

I loved this movie! I was definitely getting cosmic horror/LoveCraft vibes! The final form of The Empty Man reminded me of Nyarlathotep.

[@dextherion1]

Good eye...thought the same

[@meyoanseneviratne5356]

Man, thnx for this. Really eased my mind. Not many videos have this much simpler, clearer explanations. Keep up the good work! Cheers!

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you! I'm glad it helped! Thank you again for positive feedback!

[@dude10432]

I actually had a really hard time understanding the meaning behind this movie, thanks for making this video. I couldn't really find any explanation video about this movie except for this one

[@sharpiegelpens3439]

So beyond helpful and made me think more than I anticipated. Thanks for your help and awesome video!

[@patrickmckenna5812]

I'm late to the party on this masterpiece, and I could honestly write a goddamn thesis on it! So, I'll just try and sum it up because the ending tells you all you need to know ( in my opinion), and then the great fun is seeing how the movie is telling you what's really going on as it shifts from one horror sub genre to another. The Empty Man isn't the entity in the cave at the start. There is a supernatural creature, and it needs a vessel to work it's dark magic in our world....an EMPTY vessel!!! Paul becomes that vessel at the beginning, and thus becomes the empty man. But Paul is merely human, and being the vessel has drained him, so the cult have of course created James so that he can be the new empty man, or vessel for the dark entity. The question is, who is the entity? This is where you need to know your Lovecraft. The entity is Nyarlathotep, who is an elder god looking to bring about the end of humanity by using/manipulating others. He can take on many forms, and we see two of them in the movie. His most common form is a humanoid creature with a giant tentacle for a head. We see this just before he enters James at the end. He's also referred to as the Crawling Chaos, and at one point the cult do mention that title. There is another scene where if you listen carefully one of the cult members actually whispers "Nyarlathotep".

[@lucyc3026]

💯

[@whitedragoness23]

Does the cut know he wants to end humanity?

[@espnflnew9959]

It’s also the same process as Get Out….hypnotize a man a enough to empty him out for space for another spirit. The Egyptians were masters of this ritual they created human shells for ancient spirits

[@clairealley4739]

The movie was confusing but the sounds and imagery were extremely disturbing. It was well made

[@mundanemorselsmundanemorse7028]

Love the editing. The Mario pipe sound effect cracked me up!

[@DifferentTake]

🤣 thank you! I'm glad some people appreciated the humor paired with analysis 😁

[@crdberry1]

@@DifferentTake I liked it too, really great analysis video! Thanks for helping me get my head around this film, I watched it for a second time last night and it was starting to make a bit more sense, but this has helped a lot!

[@SodaPopCurtis808]

Funny, yet on the spot accurate analysis. Subscribed. Cheers friend!

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you so much! And thank you for subscribing! I look forward to talking movies with you! Cheers!

[@ddudley26]

Great review. I like his take and the idea of the perception of the audience viewing the movie is what the movie means to them. Bravo

[@Momentai.]

Hi I really like the background audio you used. How can I find it. great review by the way! really helped me understand

[@kathryngordon5115]

You came back! And this was brillilant.

[@outfeeder6322]

I found this video after another "explanation" video which was twice the length but with half the depth. Made me wish this video was longer! Im glad I'm not the onlly one who noticed the visual parallels happening here. Thanks for sharing!

[@mekkar3d17]

This review was EPIC!! GREAT JOB! The movie was thought 💭 provoking 😂

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you so much! It definitely was thought provoking for sure! Did you like the movie?

[@rowb2118]

Good explanation!! I definitely needed that.

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you! I'm glad i could help!

[@Daniel-oj7bx]

i´m in conflict with this movie ..someohow great visuals acting and sound but the philosphie mix up ist trying to hard to be fancy and unique..

[@Smd249]

This movie just pissed me tf off, the bowel cut the weird ass whispering and pacing was terrible too

[@DifferentTake]

It definitely was a lot of ideas all in one movie: horror, suspense/mystery, crime/noir, philosophical themes explored, etc. I'll say this, it didn't feel like a directors debut. It felt like an experienced director with a complex story that was trying to do a lot in one movie. Given that it's his first, i can see him learning from it and applying that to his future films. I'm excited to see his future films.

[@sarahphyllis5782]

The movie is disturbing sadly... Its more like Antichrist and Illuminati group taking control of reality

[@funkrobot9762]

All of the videos I’ve found “explaining” this film seem to be made by people that saw the movie once, thought about it for five minutes, and made the video. It’s actually quite funny.

[@KairoK]

Also, when he's talking to the nurse his hands are in the same weird position as the skeleton...it almost felt as if she was being hypnotised.

[@patrickmackay2965]

Great video! You deserve more views 💪💪

[@wlh4christ]

How’d I just find you? This was great! Just subbed

[@5DeepHustla]

This is why you can’t empty your mind in meditation because interdenominational entities will enter into your house (body). This movie is about the second heaven (cosmos) and the entities (what we know as UFO’s which are fallen angels and debatably demons) that inhabit them. There’s a lot of dots to connect to truly understand what I’m saying, but once you understand you’ll see it clear as day.

[@johntrujillo848]

This review just scratched the itch in my brain

[@joshua2814]

I agree with this general take and that there's ambiguity. You can't take it all literally. If Amanda is right that they literally manifested James (physically and entirely) then we can't trust almost anything we saw in Missouri because his interactions with Nora and the cops are all false. On the other hand, his house was empty and that file did show his life, so Pontifex did 'manifest' something about James and how he became the vessel.

[@DifferentTake]

true, but he wasn't actually at the house, he was at the hospital and the empty man was starting to make his way in.

[@rosihantu1]

That file shows news clippings of other people's events which they used to construct his life.

[@pattywolford]

Thanks. Good insights. I needed that!

[@DifferentTake]

No problem! Thanks for watching!

[@icyija]

"..who the hell can afford a sauna?" Well, it was a spa, but come here in Finland and you'll be able to afford one.

[@regan.8077]

This movie needs more attention. Great explanation.

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you! Much appreciated!

[@ir0nMonKie]

Thank you for this. Makes way more sense now. Just finished watching the movie and felt cheated like it wasn’t fitting

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you! I'm glad i could help!

[@bananainacup]

@@Dany_Stormborn this wasn’t a slasher at all and I never had any thoughts that it was…

[@jamienicole2122]

That’s so funny that you said the whispering sound was driving you crazy because it was driving me bonkers too. It was like nails on a chalkboard or someone smacking their mouth while eating! Oof! 😬

[@Leocap619]

movie was insanely confusing, explanation and the comments helped a lot!

[@DifferentTake]

I'm glad the video was helpful! Thanks!

[@CynsCorner]

Great video. I just finished this movie. Didn't care for it, but I liked your breakdown/analysis.

[@DifferentTake]

Thanks! Hey at least you're honest. I'm glad you at least liked my breakdown/analysis!

[@3xzsucof]

Haven't seen the movie yet, wanted to see a movie review of it, chose you video because of the phillies hat! 👍

[@DifferentTake]

Thanks! Go Phils, even though they unfortunately missed the playoffs...AGAIN, but hopefully they make some front office and player development changes and they can right the ship.

[@retro9173]

If I’d never seen this movie with the explanation and sound effects of this, I’d think it’s a brilliant comedy

[@DifferentTake]

😂😂😂

[@misterarkadin]

I love this. You’ve come closer than anyone to the real nugget of the thing. Bravo.

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I did feel like i wasn't all the way there, but at least enough to give some understanding to people who needed some clarification. Sayyyy, you wouldn't happen to be THE David Prior - as in, writer, director and editor David Prior? Would you?

[@jraddd3477]

If you are the director you did an amazing job, love this flick! We need more horrors that are actually creative and make you think, but unfortunately the population is to dumbed down to think or challenge themselves. Everybody wants everything laid out black and white. Sad

[@misterarkadin]

@@jraddd3477 Thank you Jradd, very much. I hope the audience for the kind of movies I want to make won't be dwindling forever, but I'm glad to have at least reached a few. Best wishes, and thanks again.

[@misterarkadin]

@@DifferentTake Yes, it's me. Key to the intention of the movie was to provide a stimulating series of questions, not necessarily answers. And while I had to have my own answers in order to properly orient the thing, to undermine anyone else's interpretation would undermine the whole point. That said, among the many notions I've come across, some wilder than anything I ever thought of, yours has been one of the closest to my own. Cheers, and thanks again.

[@jraddd3477]

@@misterarkadin do you have an instagram?

[@dinoatcharterdotnet]

One thing I didn't get, at the end it is revealed when he is sneaking arount the cult headquarters and startles the group sitting in a circle blowing into bottles, it's revealed there are two of him and it seems like two timelines diverged? I didn't get that part.

[@s.marshian8455]

Just finished it, I think the one up top is the actual James, and at the end when he comes he comes out of the room is the Tulpa. Lol it’s f’n weird, but that’s my take.

[@DifferentTake]

It could've been an out of body experience/vision, because it was after The Empty Man entered James is when he had those visions. It was when James was losing it and became empty and The Empty Man started to consume him.

[@bananainacup]

@@DifferentTake but the sounds that the “lower” James made when he fell backwards into something metallic and tapped his ring on the metal, were heard by the “upper” James when we first see this scene. What do you think of that?

[@ethanstanley9083]

@@bananainacup I agree it’s like one couldn’t have happened with out the other. top James hears bottom James. makes no sense

[@MrMegatron85]

Oh yeah just want to add, I think the video James watches at the camp, is actually James being conjured.

[@jorgech11]

This is the best breakdown/analysis of this movie. Great job! Also, this is such an underrated movie

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you! Much appreciated 🙏 I agree! Very underrated! Were you getting some David Fincher vibes from this movie too?

[@aaronwallis5545]

@@DifferentTake Before David Prior directed this, he made all those special features on DVD's, like the good ones, shadowing people and watching them craft a movie. He worked on fight club - he was with Fincher everyday, this cannot be a coincidence.

[@fredos4289]

I just watch this movie because my friend recommend it; I think 'Empty Man' is not the skeletal figure or the shadow that we see haunting the characters. The skeletal figure is an Ancient Being, A spirit, A Mind invading Conscience that NEED an 'EMPTY MAN' as a VESSEL to live on. ( if its empty, its easy to get inside it, get it? EMPTY-MAn for an ancient spirit to possessed) Remember they say; ' It's easier to penetrate someone who knows Pain, regret, or tragedy. " we know that GREG in the first act has something BAD going on and tried to kill himself many times before. PAUL also has something in common, make him an easy target for the EXPERIMENT. WHich bring us to the video in the cabin. the experiment and all the ritual of blowing bottle they did. well I think, they did calling The ancient being / TULPA, first they believe that TULPA is coming to them through vision or dream, with time, concentration, and repetition it could all be real. BUT NOT ALL THE VESSELS ARE COMPATIBLE!! - That's why the man in the video went all Exorcist MAd - that's why some people who tried summoning the TULPA died... They just can't handle the mind invader and went crazy and eventually kill themselves. (The writing on the bridge, 'the empty man made me do it' is actually referring to GREG that was still the Empty Man when the teenagers died, so as GREG/ The Empty Man sees them unfit, he simply erase them.) ANd So we come to the last arc, where we got a question; is Paul real? is he fabricated? does AMANDA even real!? this has a lot of possibility: - We showed that The Pontifex has folders full of Paul's Bio. (could be planted, or could be a proof that Paul is really being experimented) - Amanda's mom didn't know Paul, AManda didn't appear in the last scene, his house is EMPTY, a naked picture of him in the basement (all solid proofs for me that Paul's past was fabricated!) - As paul become overwhelmed by all these information, the TULPA used this chance to possessed Paul and finally got a new and healthy body for himself. some great point; Paul said he's from san fransisco many times, but as he said it over and over again, It loses its meaning and got me thinking 'so what!?', just like the movie said that if you say something too much, it'll become gibberish and loses its meaning.

[@eveee892]

Wow.... Thanks for sharing your perspective 😯

[@justluckkyyy]

Awesome video dude

[@bboye36]

So i watched this last night and fell asleep after. at 3:00am on the dot, my google speaker Randomly started talking. I was home alone. Definitely freaked me out haha

[@elizabeth6154]

Hey, Joe. Hope you are doing well. Will you have any reviews coming up soon? It would be nice to have some horror selections leading up to Halloween. And then, of course, “Halloween Kills” when (if?) it is finally released. ☺️

[@DifferentTake]

Hey Elizabeth! I hope you are doing well too! I'm hanging in there- there was a death in the family recently, on top of some personal issues before that I'm trying to sort out. So, that slowed me down a little bit and i had to take a break and put my mental health first. I have some time planned tomorrow to record a few videos i have planned. One is a "top horror movies of 2021 [so far] it may be a 2 part video. So hopefully, everything goes well and i can get that recorded, edited and uploaded this week. And yes, hopefully 🤞Halloween Kills comes out 🤞 we also have the night house, candyman, malignant, antlers and a few others that are still yet to come out 🙂. Thanks for checking in! It means a lot! 🙂

[@elizabeth6154]

@@DifferentTake I am so very sorry to hear about your loss and that the past few months have been difficult for you. I am glad to know that you are prioritizing your mental health. I look forward to seeing another video whenever you are ready. Until then, please take all the time you need. P..S. Those review ideas sound great. 🎃 😉

[@DifferentTake]

I really appreciate the support 🙏 things are starting to go in the right direction, so i was finally able to at least attempt to start filming and shake the rust off 🙂 thank you for being understanding and for all of the kind words and support, it really means a lot! 🙂

[@carlosRodriguez-vz3ho]

Questions: what's the purpose of the killings? what's do this society gain from all of this really? what does he and his mom going over the bridge as a kid means?

[@Tonabillity]

My same question

[@napoleondynamite4148]

Why in the hell do they not evaluate the four armed skeletons origins? Worst movie ever made! Fr fuck this time wasting ass shit.

[@Tonabillity]

@@napoleondynamite4148 WHO? WHAT? WHY? Does the movie ever answer those 3 questions?

[@napoleondynamite4148]

@@Tonabillity never 👎

[@Tonabillity]

@@napoleondynamite4148 I just want the film to make sense. If everyone that evokes EM dies, exactly what is it that’s keeping the cult members alive? Why haven’t they all killed themselves? What am I missing?

[@5wm562]

The concept of the film is influenced or in some way derived from the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin who coined the term 'Noosphere' which is mentioned as the source of the Empty Man's essence 1. That James is the Empty Man, besides being a vessel for whatever is in the Noosphere, suggests from the start he, as was Paul himself is responsible for or influencing the suicides and thus only discovering (as does Harry Angel in Angel Heart) his own handiwork, or rather subjecting himself to fear trauma, a state that has to be maintained in order for the nothingness of the Noosphere to creep in. 2. The idea of repetition is consistent with the visual hints of Eastern Philosophical influences over the course of at least 500 years, everything from Vedic, to Buddhism to Islam, even Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Yoga) where the focus on Mantras and the repetition of words, movements or vocalization of sounds to induce altered states of mind or empty the mind of intrusive thoughts to achieve a 'flow state' of awareness that is carried by some perpetual media; OM for example. 3. The bridge motif suggests the idea of 'crossing the abyss' , i.e. (Psalm 23) or bridging the infinite gap between any polarity (0 and 1 for example relative to the innumerable permutations computer systems use to communicate ideas, synonymous with divination and therefore 'prophecy', seeing or soothsaying 4. The multi-limbed humanoid fossil in the cave could be any number of things; A:The remains of a human mutation with many limbs that served as the actual 'thing' from which Vedec dieties such as Indra, Shiva and Kali were worshiped and still in India today such persons are regarded as avatars thereof B: Some type of inorganic humanoid being that emerged from the Noosphere, or the Astral Plane, captured or buried or died there, as anomalous artifacts with odd properties are buried in ancient tombs C: This however not being the true form of that entity and otherwise an appropriate vehicle for the entity to possess, that being the tentacled shape shifting i.e. formless thing that possessed Paul and crawled into James' body. Take whatever Lovecraftian thing you'd like: Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth (blind idiot god of chaos), Nyarlhotep...the crawling chaos, the Thing on the Doorstep (Teddy Bear), The Whisperer in the Darkness etc. 5. The Tulpa or empty man is 'just' flesh and an automaton in spite of it seeming to have real self awareness, is no less a Golem, an experiment ( Frankenstein's Monster) incapable of distinguishing its reality from its own awareness of reality. The early attempts at creating the Tulpa were temporary and either dissolved or were burned, one we see mindlessly uses its own viscera to paint an image that communicates a future event (NOTE: The Golem or Tulpa is aware of itself but not its false reality and control of it can be lost- it can become violent and destructive tear itself apart, or do harm to others, hence the Wiki article about the Pontifex members found dead in the cabin. The artle never states how they died, since the thought form left no evidence). This is why James' nose bleeds and he coughs up blood, as a result of breaks in the equation Thought +Concentration+Time = Flesh.

[@jessicafeeney3996]

This movie made my head hurt & was way too long. I love the cinematography & some of the visuals but there was a way easier way of getting the message of nothing matters/means anything across.

[@johntrujillo848]

And so I’m watching this movie with a 101 fever I can’t shake with body aches and a sore throat sweating profusely I just kept thinking how much I want to feel better again this was literally day 3 I was this sick and after watching it after two hours and some change I actually felt a lot better after, weird idk maybe I just sweated everything out with the negative thoughts. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@cornbread70s4]

“Now hes a philosiphisor” lol

[@antfromtashkent1647]

When he got to the hospital in the end, I thought I looked down on my phone for a second too long and missed the entire story of the movie… he can’t be manifested since they showed the final memory in the end to tell you that he got got, but it was too late for him to do anything. The empty house since it was all in his head was the completion of the take over.

[@DifferentTake]

I agree 100%. He became empty, only because he was so ridden with guilt, loss, etc that he list his sense of self.

[@JamieLua]

James badge dale is James from San Francisco “excuse me what is this ? Oh yeah I’m from San Francisco 😂😂😂”

[@damfam4918]

This movie is basically the incarnation of solipsism and the impacts thereof

[@RicZalewski]

I noticed the name of the school Derrida, because I know who he was, but little that I knew that was the clue to the whole meaning of the movie, very clever. My only doubt still remains, was he a person borned and then mind emptied or was he manifested into flesh a few days before, or a year before? This splits into two possibilities is there a 'supernatural' element, alien, demon or whatever? or it is all a psychological manipulation well within the realm of the natural, psychosis induced narrative? the only element that can hint at the existence of a real entity is the skeleton at the beginning, that thing was real and not human, hence...the supernatural is enacting its will so creating a being from nothing is within the realm of this movie, I am starting to lose it myself, I am not sure if I am making sense anymore, but if you followed I am proving the point the girl mentioned.. it is contagious :)

[@whitedragoness23]

I think he was fully manifested

[@SinisterMuzic]

Hell ya good shit

[@MrDrezzy007]

The nurse lady at the end is a terrific actress, she seem possessed.

[@thatdarnkitteh]

Fucksakes that noise also drove me insane.

[@AFFTFOMSICHTS]

I just don’t understand the killing themselves disguised as the empty man or the killings in general.

[@DifferentTake]

I'm with you there. That, i still haven't figured out.

[@spiritconsumer]

It's Nyarlathotep - He screws with humans because he is some weird cosmic being that loves messing with humanity.

[@gregpeck8]

So was the empty man skeleton at the beginning an alien? And this is an alien entity the whole time influencing this cult?

[@DifferentTake]

I think it's more a spiritual entity

[@happiness6746]

you forgot where paul told his friend not to touch him because he will die.. his friend does and carries him out

[@joefore4]

It’s in your heaaaaaaad!

[@DifferentTake]

Are you a "zombie" guy or a "linger" guy?? (A movie reference, also a legit question 😆)

[@mcoupe69]

Need more from ya brother love your work ✌️

[@DifferentTake]

Thank you so much dude! I had some life stuff get in the way but i got a bunch of stuff lined up and i can't wait to start putting it out! Thank you for the positivity and the support man! It means the world to me! 🙏

[@user-up9jf1jq2w]

The philosophy in this movie is very destructive. It allows people do worst things believing nothing matters anyway.

[@Tchernobog]

this is how jesus was created. they had a baby and told him from birth that he's the vessel of god and he grew up believing it and so did others around

[@DifferentTake]

😂😂😂

[@JamieLua]

After your complete explanation I manifested you as Bryce Harper with a 15” hardon and won 2 World Series titles

[@thatdarnkitteh]

I also think James was real but manipulated. They just broke his mind. I like that this movie made me think...but yeah it could have been executed in a better way. Ironically it left me feeling pretty empty at the end. My reaction to the end was: SO WHAT? Suppose when nihilism is the message you're bound to feel that way at the end.

[@happiness6746]

i was so confused i am re watching it and i am still a bit confused

[@scottc78]

Took me a long time to finally get around to watching The Empty Man. I'm glad I did. Very creepy, and especially excellent for the first film by the director! I really appreciate your take on the film. I feel like there's a lot of gaslighting of James going on by Pontifex. If he's only "3 days old" and his history is a lie, why bother showing the events of his wife/son's death? Technically that never happened. How had the cop ever heard of him before? I'm just not buying that it was all manifested and fictitious. I think he was broken down mentally in order for him to become a vessel. What's truly a mystery to me, is that skeleton. Look how large that skull is, the number of arms, the amount of fingers. It doesn't seem human. So what is it, where is it from? How was it the previous vessel 500 years ago? Very thought provoking film, and I enjoyed the video.

[@wetdewlap8741]

Yep our perception is our reality influence by the perceptions of others as to who we are

[@DifferentTake]

yup! you nailed it! well said! 👏 👏

[@outfeeder6322]

Also - also: one other reviewer stated that Pontifex was translated to 'bridgebuilder' and to me, Pontifex just sounds like pontification - thinking, lamenting, considering

[@jcqlnr464]

Hey, I have that same Scream t-shirt!!

[@DifferentTake]

You have great taste! It's such a cool shirt!

[@jcqlnr464]

@@DifferentTake Thanks! I got mine at Scare Fest in Lexington a couple years ago.

[@DifferentTake]

That's awesome! I wish i had a cool Horror con near me. When i was living in Philly there was a bunch in the philly area and nj, but i moved to the bay area a couple years ago and there's nothing even close...like NOTHING. It sucks.

[@jcqlnr464]

@@DifferentTake I wish you could come to Scare Fest in Lexington. Its supposed to happen this year in October if its not canceled. There are going to be a lot of celebs there! And it's cool because even if you don't pay to meet them and get an autograph, they are just sitting right there at their tables so you can still see them and get very close (hope that didn't sound creepy lol). When I went a few years ago, I got to talk to the guy that played Art the clown from the 2nd Terrifier movie. It's an awesome event!

[@DifferentTake]

That's awesome that you got to talk to him! That's really cool! I wish i could come! I think i remember hearing about scare fest a few times, that's the real big horror con, right?

[@thatdarnkitteh]

Feels like the philosophical arguments/explanations could have been delivered better in the script. Not sure how exactly, but somehow the Monologue of it all didn't work for me.

[@DifferentTake]

Thanks for commenting. I agree that the explanations could've been delivered a little better in the script. It felt like a lot of ideas were being explored. Overall i felt like there was more good than bad with the movie. Did you like it at all? Or did it just not work for you?

[@KaliBear_]

Finally a strait forward explanation, the guy who made a 35 minute over exaggerated explanation got on my nerves.

[@ScratchthechalkBoard]

Amanda had Pulp Fiction vibes. Zeds dead baby, Zeds dead

[@DreamwalkerTenesha]

I was so confused lol

[@suziohug]

Bridges : what would be the bridge between the demon entity and the cult members ? That’s correct “ The Empty Man “ .

[@elizabeth6154]

14:28 I lost it when the Ewoks started worshipping C-3PO . . . 😂

[@DifferentTake]

🤣 i couldn't help

[@DifferentTake]

🤣 i couldn't help but think of that when they were all bowing to him 🤣

[@DifferentTake]

What's your take on The Empty Man?

[@jraddd3477]

Remember a human can only handle the kind of energy needed to broadcast as an antenna for so long, thats why they had to make him, he was a Tulpa. Look up what a Tulpa is, thats why that word was showed in so many things he read and researched. Remember all the manifestations before him he watched on the tapes that killed themselves, they were Tupla's to. Also thats why Walter said "glad you came back, hope you stay longer this time." and he said "I've never been here before." He knew he was a newly created Tupla. I just don't understand why all those kids died after blowing in the bottle, was the Ancient Consciousness trying to see if they could handle to power to transmit? And they couldn't that's why he killed them, or why they possibly killed themselves?

[@DifferentTake]

@@jraddd3477 not sure. They were doing it as a spoof-a game, whereas Amanda had intent. She knew exactly what she was doing and what they were getting into. I think there's something to be said about the friends of Paul getting killed and by Ruthie, then Ruthie falling off of the cliff being the last one to die = and the friends of Amanda dying, then Davara getting killed (maybe self inflicted like Ruthie?). Maybe Davara killed the friends like Ruthie? I think there's some symbolism there.

[@jraddd3477]

@@DifferentTake I guess we have to go off what the movie states, it doesn't matter one way or the other LOL

[@dashx1103]

@@jraddd3477 Yeah . . . I didn't even consider another angle at the end other than James LaSombra ("the Shadow") was a Tulpa manifested by the group. I thought that was fairly straight-forward. Amanda, with all her sorrow and grief, became a central figure for the group in manifesting James the Tulpa . . . that is why she had this relationship with him. I took most of James's "memories" to be false, likely pieced together at least partly by Amanda. As a Tulpa, James was the perfect vessel for the Ancient Consciousness in ways ordinary people could not be. He had it all, sorrow, grief, guilt and fear . . . all the qualities to be a good antenna, but without the human frailty.

[@zeeshannandi2604]

but why did the entity kill those kids

[@tatianapereira703]

Nice 👍

[@xeokym223]

There is no bridge.

[@gilbertodepiento8521]

This movie felt like a combination of fight club and midsomnar.

[@DifferentTake]

that's a pretty good description!

[@gilbertodepiento8521]

@@DifferentTake thank you

[@unluckyeddie6967]

10:50 u missing some good points, they start chasing him and he’s running and gets to his car and leaves, and he also was a ex cop too,

[@DifferentTake]

Yeah i thought i mentioned he was a cop earlier. And yeah they chased him and he ran and all that but i felt like if you've seen the movie then i didn't need to tell you that, so i left it out.

[@unluckyeddie6967]

@@DifferentTake I will say it’s very confusing 🤣 Half of the time I was like huh 🤨🧐

[@DifferentTake]

😆 my video or the movie?

[@Rachelof_arc]

im confused on the bear

[@DifferentTake]

You and me both! I'm completely lost on the bear. Maybe they were planting the bear to mess with his head? Originally i talked about the bear in the video and i said how I'm "lost" on the bear but i cut it out to save time because i literally had no answers 🤣

[@s.marshian8455]

@@DifferentTake It was James’ son’s bear right? Or fake son’s bear. Lol was James even a real dude who the tulpa was based off of, or was he just completely made up?

[@DifferentTake]

Technically it was his sons bear. But i swear i saw the bear move in the one shot, or the camera was just playing tricks on us. Then the bear was in the background of a shot, then it wasn't there 🤷‍♂️ then it shows up at his doorstep. The only thing I could potentially think of is that he saw the bear in a picture or file or something and that triggered his subconscious to think it's there when it's not. Then the cult sent the bear to his doorstep, further questioning what's real and whats not real etc etc. The bear is the thing that I'm still completely lost on 🤷‍♂️ Maybe it's like the matrix...there is no bear. The bear is relevant to James, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things 🤷‍♂️ i dunno, my head hurts now 😂

[@Sick_Boy.]

So was the suicide of the teenagers pretty much a filler ?

[@DifferentTake]

I'm sure there's some significance to it, i just haven't figured it out yet. The Empty Man could've tricked them into doing it. It seems like he might've done that with Davara. He tends to make people see and think things that aren't there until they become completely empty.

[@bostonstrongfan2436]

They sorta kinda tried to copy the ring to

[@jh125_hopefulelect]

@ Different Take This movie is really about Hegelian Dialectic, The Principle of Polarity, tethering, the embracement of Thelema, and the veneration of Pan. Psychological thrillers like Get Out, Us, and The Empty man is all about the fragility of the human psyche and the contradictions of ones own mind. This movie display the dichotomy of oscillating between Heaven and Hell yin and yang, dark and light and e.g. this phenomenon is known as Hegelian Dialectic. We see this displayed in this film through the contrived efforts of the character Amanda, who utilizes this framework for guiding James thoughts, and actions into conflicts that lead to a synthetic outcome once those being manipulated take a side that will advance the predetermined agenda. We also can see the Hegelian Dialectic take place in our own society, however most people are to spiritually dead to notice what's going on around them making them amenable to the powers that be. Also, often associated with the Hegelian Dialectic is the Hermetic/Kabbalistic Principles of Polarity, which poses that everything is dual and all paradoxes may be reconciled. Anyhow, the tethering in this film is quite evident, James and Paul are linked because of the control/power of persuasion from the dark entity of the air. Besides the focus on the coming together of opposites this movie wants the audience to embrace Thelema, which is basically the belief of do as thou wilt. The reason this film promotes the embracement of the empty man is because they wanted the masses to be down with carnality, and to believe there is no difference between good and evil. And, last but not least this movie is about the goat diety known in ancient Greece as Pan aka Satan, and the reason I know this is because they show some goats in the beginning to let those in the know what they worship. Ultimately, I believe this movie wants the audience to be nihilistic and to believe there is no true meaning to life, but to serve yourself and embrace your dark side bringing you closer to the Goat.

[@kaceyp7066]

So how did Amanda make the affair happen... was Nora part of the cult?

[@DifferentTake]

I don't think Nora was, because there were scenes where Nora was in scenes without James and she was acting normally, i think it was when Amanda went missing. If she was acting or faking it, there'd be no reason to do that without James there. I don't think Amanda made the affair happen, i just think James was in a vulnerable place and was breaking down mentally, physically, etc Amanda was telling him anything and everything to get him to break. But that's just my opinion, it's up for interpretation 🙂

[@sarahphyllis5782]

This movie reminded me of MGS V Phantom Pain

[@DifferentTake]

Great game!

[@sarahphyllis5782]

@@DifferentTake False Memories were put into Venom Snake (Medic) through hypnosia and brainwashing