No Country For Old Men Explained: The Rule of Fire

Thank you all for watching! I've wanted to do this for a while and am glad I have the ability to do so now. You all are the best! Also, the clips have been mirrored to pass yt's claims, sorry if images seem off.
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[@AlexCLifts]

My favorite part is when Anton Chigurh says, “Lewellyn, don’t you realize this is no country for old men?” And he starts chigurhing all over the place.

[@ultimatehope549]

Anton: (bleeding out after getting hit by the car) Damn, I guess this really is no country for old men. (Roll credits)

[@roblesius1413]

Why is there always a comment like yours on every video about movies I like? 😂

[@WilliamAfton524]

Carla Jean: No, I ain’t gonna call it Anton: This really is no country for old men

[@danielgrigg9501]

Or when Judge Holden said “I’ll be the judge of that “ then proceeds to Holden all over the place.

[@AngeloAnarchyAntuna]

Why is your profile pic of a dead ex bodybuilder…..

[@rhetiq9989]

The best part about Anton is the way he managed to instill fear into the audience in literally every scene he's in despite his walking around ominously and shamelessly with a Lord Farquaad haircut

[@aaronmoore6275]

Do you REALLY want to clown on this guy's hairdo?

[@brunop.8745]

not to his face I'll tell you that much

[@jmoney7289]

@@brunop.8745 he would most likely respect it and find it worthy of a chuckle and a murder pass. Only if he had seen Shrek somehow however if not he'd just scalp you with buckshot.

[@grunkythegrandpaofcheese5241]

@@jmoney7289 The fact that you already assumed what you think he'd do is your first mistake

[@Deathstro]

@@jmoney7289 did you make this joke before finishing the video

[@bennybadfish]

A detail that was left out in the film that was in the book is that the Sheriff fought in World War 2 and abandoned his troop during an attack and was the only survivor. He did the dishonorable thing and survived while Llewelyn tried to be a good man and help the dying man in the truck and his life ended as a result. In the end, the Sheriff walks away once again and gets to survive while the man who attempted to fight dies.

[@cousin_chet]

So ther sheriffs rule leads to survival. While the others lead to “live by the sword, die by the sword” and “no good deed goes unpunished”

[@saintroddy]

Bell's squad were all dead or dying, he was the lone survivor, and he already had to fight off one German assault singlehandedly. If he stayed to try and help, even though there was probably nothing he could do for his men, the Germans would eventually come back and pick him off in the night. Bell took the logical option of slipping away, but the shame of leaving his men behind always stayed with him.

[@Tw0Dots]

@@cousin_chetyea the cowards way

[@user-on5fq4km9w]

I would love to see a scene when Anton is truly vulnerable! Somebody else has the gun on him while he is helpless. I wonder if he would try to negotiate for his life being put in that situation.

[@nativeamericanUSArmy]

​@@user-on5fq4km9wyes

[@LAHFaust]

I appreciate how the Sheriff's brother calls him out for being all morose about this "new evil." The evil isn't new. Its as old as time. Their uncle bled to death in his own doorway as the men who shot him sat on their horses and watched him bleed. The evil is new to HIM.

[@Plaine9]

We hear stories as kids but only see the weight of the evil as we grow older. I remember hearing stories of kids getting hurt or dying and not until growing up and understanding how tragic those deaths are.

[@kujojotarostandoceanman2641]

Damn that sound terribly like a scene in Blood Meridian

[@crimsondynamo615]

@@kujojotarostandoceanman2641it’s because both are the same author.

[@toddgaak422]

@@crimsondynamo615 Coens directed that one too.

[@youwannabuysomedeathsticks585]

@@toddgaak422blood meridian does not have a movie

[@cavemanzach9475]

The scene where Carla tells Anton that she won't call the coin toss is my favorite in the movie. In that moment she forced Anton to make a decision on his own and it caused him to get so frazzled that he almost died in a car accident. He portrayed himself as an agent of inevitability, but Carla informs him that his nature isn't inevitable and that he's just a fucking psycho

[@LemonsAndSalt69]

She does play. She picks heads and loses. Read the book.

[@cavemanzach9475]

@@LemonsAndSalt69 Sorry I thought we were talking about the movie.

[@joebloe8994]

@@LemonsAndSalt69 YEAH... WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MOVIE YOU DUMB CUNT. STFU.

[@omarthehandsome2968]

@@LemonsAndSalt69 the movie isn’t an exact replication of the book

[@W47689]

@@LemonsAndSalt69 I think the Coen Brothers wanted to go with a different direction and make the character not choose at all and make said Anton choose. There is no fate there is no law there is only a psycho with a God complex and a coin

[@hispanicatthedisco3989]

"Good doesn't just exist to change the world, but in spite of it." I love that line

[@Wendigoon]

Thanks my man I still love your artwork

[@Wendigoon]

꧁༒ⱤɨCʞƔ༒꧂ people often do the right thing to change the world and when the world doesn’t bend they give up, while the only real good comes from those who are good for the sake of what’s right, not those who become discouraged when things don’t go their way.

[@sjtv6565]

@꧁༒ⱤɨCʞƔ༒꧂ Do you know what "integrity" means? It means to do the right thing, even when nobody is looking, even when there are no consequences for failing to do the right thing. Not because it needs to be done, but because it must be done. The lawmen in No Country understand that crimes and criminals get worse every day, maybe to the point that the world is overrun, yet despite that, they keep order. It's a small example, but picking up a piece of trash and throwing it away even though you will neither be rewarded nor punished for doing so, but just because it's what is right

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

@@sjtv6565 This is my new mindset now, I almost lost it

[@johntrains1317]

I teared up man.

[@A-FrameWedge]

Lewellyn had 2 close calls with death and every time it was a very dramatic and suspenseful scene, but his death was nothing but a cinematic footnote.

[@criticaljacques2237]

I still kinda hate the way the film completely glosses over what exactly happened to Moss, a central character to the story (at that point anyhow)... I get that he screwed up involving his wife and mother-in-law and ended up dying as a result, but it would have been better to see how the fight went down.

[@dope8878]

@@criticaljacques2237it doesn’t show what happens in the book either. Thats kind of the point. Remember the end of the movie. “It’s not all waiting on you. That’s called vanity” he’s not a hero and he’s not the good guy. He’s a poor schmuck who fell prey to the evil the world has to offer like many’s other before him.

[@Gannoh]

​@@dope8878It's also a good means of accentuating the pervasive thing haunting Bell throughout the film, that he's simply too old and slow to keep up with the change Anton brings.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

That's on purpose.

[@Luke101]

“If the rule you follow brought you here, of what use was the rule?” Ironic of Anton to say that, since it perfectly applies to his final scene of the movie. He has absolutely no reason to kill Carla. He’s only there because he wants to be true to his word. He has the money, Moss is dead, but he said he’d kill his wife if he didn’t deliver him the money personally. He even says “this is the best I can do” when he brings out the coin as if he’s showing mercy. The best he could do is to not be there at all. It goes back to what Carson says about Anton’s “principles”. Nobody could possibly understand them except Anton. But he would have never been hit by that car if he chose to leave Carla be. His own vanity and hypocrisy was his downfall, and proved that even he wasn’t immune to chance. But knowing how Anton operates, this won’t be a wake up call for him. The same way his leg injury wasn’t. He begrudgingly licked his wounds and carried on, barely acknowledging his own vulnerability. He could never critique himself the way he does others.

[@manolgeorgiev9664]

Anton would only consider changing if the events of the car crash went against his philosophy, but they are perfectly in line with it. His action lead to random chance that happened to be unfavorable for him. Technically the car crash could have happened anywhere at any time and there would be no rime or reason to it, regardless of Anton's personal choices. When he says "If your rule brought you to this, what good is the rule", he is referring to the other guy fighting against fate and chasing money, bargaining for his life, etc. The reason why this quote works is because in stead of embracing the fair cruelty of randomness, they try to fight it in order to escape it, while ending up screwed regardless. Anton on the other hand goes with it and I think if he died due to random chance, he'd be fine with it, as it's in line with his philosophy. Anton values his life to an extent that he'd fight to preserve it if possible, but if the world wanted him dead, he'd be dead, not injured. I think that's how he can justify being an agent of the world, while still preserving his life after getting shot and the car crash.

[@juliusfishman7222]

He didn't get the money the Mexicans did

[@chanceDdog2009]

The use of the rule is that you have to be able to suffer for it. No matter the consequences. The morality of your rule is separate.

[@RAAM855]

There is no rule. Thats Antons rule. He's a fatalist. Whatever happens was fate. Fate made him make the promise to be there for Carla's blood, fate made him get into the crash. Fate is not conformed to rules of man. If anything, each time he is harmed only cements his belief. For not even Fate's agent is exempt from its unpredictable nature. Thus proving there is no rule controlling it, or Anton

[@viciousKev]

​@manolgeorgiev9664 Yes, giving her the chance to call the coin toss contradicted his rule in the first place. Her fate was already sealed. When he did this he put up his own fate as well and paid a price.

[@HarryDLowe]

so to recap we have an MCR, SCP, conspiracy theory, bible, philosophical dilemma, and now movie ANALYSIS. you might be the coolest channel on youtube.

[@jevinday]

and to top it off his storytelling ability is top notch. his channel is gonna keep blowing up for awhile. just watch.

[@aguycalledwasd]

@@jevinday I really hope it doesn't just "blow up for a while", cause he really deserves a lot more, this channel is amazing and I'm extremely glad to stumble upon it again after losing sigh of it after watching the stairs in the wood video and forgetting to subscribe

[@GuyParson]

@@aguycalledwasd yeah , add to that , his name doesnt appear in the youtube search

[@mousethenoisymice6151]

Yes!

[@se7enthsoul]

The epitome

[@HarmonicGray]

I read a post somewhere about how smart of a villain Anton is. He rents a hotel room near the one he's planning on attacking instead of just barging in guns blazing. He studies the room to see the thickness of the walls so he knows what he can shoot through or not, he notes the lightswitch locations as well as possible spots somebody could be hiding in, and furthermore he takes his shoes off to hide the sound of his footsteps. As he's confronting Llewelyn in the second hotel, he walks PAST the room first and then turns off the hall light so Llewelyn can't tell exactly when he's standing in front of the door from the shadow beneath it. Later in the movie, he knows exactly how to distract everyone nearby so he can walk in and take what he needs to mend his injuries from a pharmacy, and he also knows what to look for and how to use it. This is the opposite to how most villains are written nowadays where they are 'smart' just because the characters tell us they are, despite the audience never seeing this level of depth. Anton is actively shown to be intelligent and it is proven on-screen, we don't just hear about how he's clever, it is shown.

[@mikeysaint4368]

I'm reminded of Better Call Saul, where the writers have people say how smart and brilliant Kim Wexler is. Yet we, the audience, never see any acts of brilliance from Kim in about sixty episodes.

[@blazzuris7219]

@@mikeysaint4368 bruh did you actually watch Better Call Saul wdym we were never shown Kim's brilliance?

[@b_delta9725]

@@mikeysaint4368 Because at first, she's in a good firm and is a clean lawyer, so when they say she's smart, they just mean she doesn't lose cases, and when she confronts Chuck in season 2, its clear that she's smart and knows well how to see people's weaknesses. They don't need to show her doing insane plotting because that's not what they meant... until they do it anyway (the chuck battery, the fake church, the plot to take down howard, she helped a lot in those three)

[@mikeysaint4368]

@@b_delta9725 Good reply, but her brilliance is mostly anecdotal.

[@burp3322]

@@mikeysaint4368 did we watch the same show?

[@rogergreen9861]

Water is an elemental feature as well. First mentioned by the dying driver of course, Moss returns with it (as you note in another context) and this is the primary inciting incident. A river saves him from gunfire and the hunting dog. The sound of a toilet flushing saves the woman at the trailer park. The tension in the service station began with the man asking specifically whether there had been rain. The Rio Grande provides Moss with immediate safety (so much so that he sleeps in the open), and he later is told by Chigurh that he knows he is in the "hospital across the river", yet he had not tried to cross it apparently. When Wells crosses back to the US, checking the bag on the way, he loses the protection of the river and is trapped. There is the hosing out of the chicken feathers after the unseen human carnage, and the motel pool before another bout. I cannot help but feel that the juxtaposition of deadly desert setting and pacifying water was intended.

[@suckithardnfast]

When the man dying in the truck asks for water. “I ain’t got no agua” Good analysis!

[@IulianZaharia]

You are smart @rogergreen9861

[@borakeskin7872]

Eloquently laid out, nice.

[@diodoxystar]

Not to mention antons leg under the water, managing to bring someone of even his mental state, some comfort.

[@MachiriReviews]

The ending of the film perfectly brought Chigurh back down to everyone else's level. Lewellyn's wife defying him and then the car wreck made him out to be just as at the mercy of the world as everyone else in the story.

[@VinzentDk]

I’ve always wondered if Chigurh breaking his rule is what caused the world “to turn on him”. When he exits the house he checks his shoes, implying that he made a decision to kill Llewellyn’s wife even though she wouldn’t call out the coin toss. Thus, Chigurh breaks from his rule and is immediately punished for it (being hit by a car).

[@dope8878]

@@VinzentDkin the book she answers the coin toss and he kills her for it.

[@VinzentDk]

@@dope8878 Ok, thanks. Coen’s just decided to leave it ambiguous in the film then.

[@dope8878]

@@VinzentDk yes, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they shot the full scene and decided to cut it to leave it more sinister and ambiguous. He basically forces her to make a decision and she makes the wrong one and dies for it.

[@_V.Va_]

@@VinzentDkHe checks his boots for blood after he performs his kills. Which he did after leaving Carla's home.

[@explosion5022]

I love the fact that the sheriff, despite diving head first into danger somehow avoids it completely, but Llewelyn who is constantly trying to hide from danger ended up dead. Anton calculated every move then almost died in a car crash he never knew was coming. Carla has no place in any of the events and still gets killed. The world from the story is unpredictable and unfair, people can't have everything go their way, it's even sadder that this is exactly the world we are living in

[@stevenhetzel6483]

"The world is unpredictable and unfair" true. But the world isn't what our characters are fighting in the movie. They're fighting humans, who are ACTIVELY unfair, as opposed to the world, which is INHERENTLY unfair. If a boulder slides off a cliff and crushes your friend you might be devastated, but you'll heal. You won't want revenge against the face of a mountain. If a man comes along and kills him it's different. You can't just eventually accept that the man was a force of blind, uncaring nature. You do want revenge, or justice. Yet in spite of these blazingly obvious differences people still say Life, or the World are unfair, and childishly lump people in with those concepts, almost excusing humans as being unable to control themselves as anything more than boulders falling off of a cliff face.

[@k.c.r.5974]

Carla wasn't killed. That's why he was so distracted and ended up getting hit by the car...she was the first he intended to kill and didn't...and he never killed again.

[@jeremyh6686]

Old comment i know but I just wanted to let you know I read this the first time as "the sheriff despite giving head"

[@fazetune2176]

@@k.c.r.5974Anton killed Carla, that’s why he checks his shoes after leaving the house.

[@k.c.r.5974]

@@fazetune2176 sorry that's simply not true. She went on to live a rich and full life. She remarried and had children but kept Llewellyns last name. The killer however never killed again and was never the same after that. It's why he got into the car accident and became a very generous and loving man. The only debate is wether or not it was because he let Carla live or because of the traumatic brain injury he suffered in the accident. He was a completely different person after that. And honestly...who could kill such a charming hottie like Carla?

[@jeffreysovel6257]

I think you missed the point of the scene where the sheriff drives up to the taped-off rooms. 2 doors - just like the 2 sides of a coin. It is a coin-flip. Chigur WAS there in the dark, but not in the room that the sheriff chose. The sheriff won the coin toss and got to live.

[@bighomiebean1355]

That makes sense

[@michaelsledge3904]

Nice

[@goncaloalmeida5301]

Could be both options tbh, that's the great thing about this movie

[@tapset]

Also Wells wasn't a federal agent

[@emersonmartelle7011]

na

[@0xeb-]

In Cormac McCarthy's novel "No Country for Old Men," Carson Wells is depicted as a former lieutenant colonel who has become a hitman. He is hired by the people who lost the money to find Llewelyn Moss and recover the suitcase full of cash. Wells is familiar with Anton Chigurh, the primary antagonist, and understands the extreme danger Chigurh presents. Despite this, he underestimates Chigurh's cunning and ruthlessness, which proves to be a fatal mistake. In the novel, Wells serves as a secondary character whose role and perspective highlight Chigurh's brutal and unyielding nature.

[@Unpainted_Huffhines]

No, no, no, Carson Wells is a character in Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men." He is a seasoned and intelligent hitman who is hired to track down Llewelyn Moss and recover the stolen drug money. Wells is initially portrayed as a calm and collected professional who seems to have the upper hand over the ruthless Anton Chigurh, the other hitman pursuing Moss. Throughout the story, Wells undergoes a character arc that reveals his moral conflict and growing unease with the violent and unpredictable nature of Chigurh. He realizes the extent of Chigurh's ruthlessness and becomes increasingly cautious. His character arc culminates in a tense confrontation with Chigurh, which results in his ultimate demise, highlighting the brutal and unforgiving world depicted in the novel. Wells' character arc serves to underscore the overarching themes of the novel, including the idea that the old order of law and morality is no longer effective in the face of modern violence and chaos.

[@DonutGuard]

The two dreams that the Sheriff had were perfectly symbolic of not only the solution to the problem he faced throughout the whole movie, but also why he felt the way he did. His father was the reason he felt the world was better than it actually was. His father was his hero, and when he lost him, the light his father carried died with him. The son was incapable or unaware of the fact that the light was always his to carry on.

[@straight-uppodcast3834]

The idea that No Country for Old Men is just the sheriff trying to piece together what happens which explains Chigurh’s invincibility, why our main character is so perfect, and how things seem to randomly happen is such a well thought up concept that it MUST be true

[@aikikaname6508]

How is he perfect? He’s got good points, but he is foolish enough to steal the cartel/gangster money with no real plan, gets himself way over his head, puts his wife in danger and made her an accessory, was gonna have her leave her mother behind. He’s just a man with some good qualities who takes some money without thinking through his ability to deal with the fallout, and was not prepared for what he faced

[@chipdiesel9788]

He isn't invincible and he knows he isn't, both he and the sheriff avoid a fight, Anton knew he'd die in the fight, he was just as afraid as the sheriff

[@Luke101]

Anton isn’t invincible. On the surface he’s this unstoppable cold killing machine, but we see him vulnerable numerous times. Moss wounds him, and he gets into a car crash at the end because even he isn’t immune to chance. He’s just a man

[@mitchellwhiteford1589]

The sheriff is the main character

[@b_delta9725]

@@aikikaname6508 But he lives for a rule. All rules for how to live can be easily broken, the sheriff believes he must act good even if it's risky, but lies to himself about whether he really needs to pick that money for example, he follows the easy path by breaking his own rule without ever noticing it. Continuing that rule was what made Anton keep following him, he could just accept the fear and prioritize a good escape instead of all the stuff he does in the movie, take the loss and still keep going forward instead of feeling responsible by the world's punishment by putting it all in your shoulders. So Wendi's point still stands.

[@jessefinnigan662]

I always saw the car crash with Anton as a demonstration of his own line about "if the rule you follow got you here, what's the point of the rule?" If he IS a real character who sees himself as an agent of the rules of the world, then the coin flip is his rule. It's his justification for killing any innocent or non-threat to himself. He never once stops to believe that someone would simply refuse the coin flip. His rule is broken by someone else, and it permanently changes him. He may have killed Carol, but his rule, and as such his skill and resolve have been rendered imperfect. His armor is stripped away and he almost instantly succumbs to a harm that he has no chance of fully recovering from. He can't go to a doctor or a hospital, so his wounds will never heal correctly. He will no longer be the perfectly efficient killer he has become in order to survive the world. His future immediately becomes uncertain, the same way each of his victims must have felt just before calling the coin flip. He becomes just as vulnerable and harmless as they all were. Even someone who attempts to follow the rules of a cruel world cannot escape its wrath forever.

[@yungsinnxr5397]

Man shut up

[@undvined]

In other words: just as others are beholden to chance, so too is he.

[@dumpstercast-refuseradio8429]

I don't believe a limping Anton Chigurh is one you can really describe as "harmless". He's still a savant at serial killing, and should definitely remain to be considered dangerous. It says a lot about him that instead of having a third act breakdown and freaking the fuck out and getting picked up by the authorities when he gets T-boned out of nowhere, he immediately gets up, patches his wounds to the best of his ability, and wanders off on a protruding shin. Even when misfortune strikes him like a falling piano, he's still in his element, because he himself is jinxed and always has been. He's like a wandering vortex of bad luck.

[@johnl9361]

This analysis is correct. In the book, Chigurh predicts something bad will happen to him. This is because he allows himself to get arrested by the deputy in the beginning. He admits he does this as an act of arrogance. He simply wanted to see if he can break himself out. He knows he acted foolishly and he expects the universe to punish him for his arrogance, and it does when he gets hit by the drunk driver at the intersection.

[@gigiarmany4332]

nice

[@lessiewilhoit1811]

I'm glad someone finally explained this film to me. I love the movie and have watched it many times but never fully understood the meaning behind it. After watching your video I am reminded of something I was told many years ago and it seems to apply to life even now. "You win some, you lose some, and sometimes you get rained out" thank you for your time and the creation of this video

[@jeffbeck8993]

More apt is, if you come across a suitcase full of money in some random place, chances are it belongs to people who'll want it back. If you find the suitcase full of money at the scene of a drug deal gone bad, chances are it belongs to people who'll want it back.

[@Saints779]

@@jeffbeck8993yeah that was so stupid in my opinion. Dude knows it’s a cartel crime scene, takes the money anyways. Barely shows empathy until some random moment at night where he’s like “I’m gonna go save a gang member tonight that’s probably already dead from his wounds and dehydration knowing the cartel is probably gonna be looking for their money”

[@Gannoh]

​​​​@@Saints779 It isn't random at all, every time in the story Llewellyn shows his morality or follows his principles, it backfires on him. This is literally what gets him killed, as he chose not to cheat on his wife and stayed in his motel room instead. He was dead the second he took the money, just because of the kind of man he is.

[@o0bananaman0o]

"It can't be bargained with, it can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop.. until you are dead" the T800, cyberdyne systems model 101

[@christisking7778]

Exactly 💯

[@drowned309]

I remember my brother showing me this movie, and talking about how you don't know if Anton killed Llewellyn's wife. Years later, upon watching it again, I noticed that he checks his shoes for blood when leaving the house.

[@XefDice]

There has to be a reason for the movie not showing us her dying, and I belive it´s got to be more than just keeping the suspense, but I just can´t be certain what of what it might be.

[@ChaiKarl]

Anton sees himself as an angel of fate- choosing to not play the game of the coin flip is an automatic loss. Of course he killed her because she refused to play the game, his game.

[@mr.onethirtyeight5088]

Oh yeah she dead

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

It's not what the movie is about. It's just inevitable in the movie, so there's no point in showing it, just like Llewellyn's death. A brilliant double feature with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

[@NtoTheM]

It's only logical that he killed her anyway. He's a very straight-forward guy who follows through with what he says. He told Llewellyn that he'd kill his wife if he didn't bring him the money. And despite the guy dying and not being able to do so anyway, Anton keeps to his promise, just out of principle. It's the same reason he did NOT kill the accountant earlier in the movie. He wouldn't say "Depends. Do you see me?" for fun only, so it's a legitimate offer of mercy to someone whose lack of begging and small talk he appreciated.

[@armoredmilkman3288]

the "what use was the rule?" scene i think applies to the scene where a bleeding, injured lwellyn comes across a group of 3 friends, and they treat him poorly in contrast to the aftermath of anton's car crash, where the kid rejects money, choosing to help him. lwellyn's moral "good" and anton's evil didn't have any effect on how they were treated. the rule, i.e morality, was of no use.

[@ilyabykov2437]

It's not good to take money that do not belong to you.

[@ninurtaacha8641]

"what can it do for me" isn't the point of morality though?

[@robertdolcetti450]

True. The point of the rule is to be holy. The rule is worth following in and of itself. It’s not about having people treat you better. That’s prosperity Gospel.

[@adamantiiispencespence4012]

Except for Anton it was. That same rule or sense of morality is what drove a young boy to help an injured stranger. Sometimes you have to risk that you're picking up a snake in reaching out to help another human being. Hopefully, you don't get bitten.

[@corpsethorn882]

I forgot this video exists. This is my all time favorite movie as well Wendi. Look at you now though, man. You said, “I just passed 100,000 subscribers, which is a milestone I thought I would never see in any regard”. My man, you deserve every single sub that you have got along this journey. I have been watching you pretty much since the beginning, you are the one that got me into icebergs. Never stop man! Never stop! 💪🏻

[@mikefatrouni5759]

Amazing presentation

[@bystanderprod]

I always saw the ending a little bit differently. I see him saying "and then I woke up" and the look on his face before we cut to black as him metaphorically saying that it's all just a dream. That his father being there with the fire at the end of the trail is just a dream. Waking up from this dream and realizing that he will never know if that fire is waiting for him is the final gut punch of the film for me.

[@jackieboy1606]

Something to add onto the point about how Sheriff Bell tries to interpret the situation: Anton is dressed in black, and in classic westerns, the bad guys are always dressed in black, signifying their lack of morality. On the other hand, Llewelyn wears a white cowboy hat, and to go back to western symbolism, the good guy always wears white. The sheriff tried to paint this story out like a classic western tale of cowboys facing outlaws, but in reality, it was never like that.

[@merdaciilyas7057]

24y

[@ChuckSneedly]

It never is in reality

[@guadalahonky4002]

Correct. His cousin Ellis tells Ed Tom that the story wasn't all about Ed Tom at-all, that assuming so is vanity. The most important lesson Ellis leaves him with is a meditation on forgiveness, because not letting go of the the past, as Ed Tom was doing, he was letting time slip out the door that he could never regain.

[@martingrey2231]

@@merdaciilyas7057 Black is the color of Saturn. Saturn is the god of judgement and death. That is why judges, priests and police wear black.

[@joelbrooks3198]

@@martingrey2231 Saturn is yellow.

[@letskeepintouch]

Also when you realize if Llewelyn accepted the "beer" in the lady's room at the motel and been selfish, he could've avoided the cartel entirely and as a result not died. Or at least get the chance to live a little longer. But instead he did the selfless act of being loyal, which is what got him killed. By both refraining from accepting the beer, and taking the money in the beginning which eventually lead to his wife's mother accidentally telling the cartel where he was.

[@Gabrielzinho7891235]

Did he accept it? pretty sure that we see her dead in the pool, he was there waiting his wife

[@elbergalarga4500]

@LP J so she accidentally told them where he was

[@elbergalarga4500]

@LP J thats fair i dislike her as well

[@elbergalarga4500]

@@Gabrielzinho7891235 he didn’t, which lead to his death or rather it made his death come quicker than if he had accepted it

[@unholydiver1095]

Moral of the story: Adultery is worth it fellas! Go ahead! Joking btw

[@TimDownsAnimation]

I just recently rewatched Se7en, and I think the takeaway you get from this movie/novel points to something similar. I think it'd be really awesome to hear your take on Se7en because of it. They both have a lot to do with misanthropy and despair versus perseverance and altruism. Like, the more I think about it, the more I see similarities between Tommy Lee Jones's character in No Country and Morgan Freeman's in Se7en. They both try to retire out of sheer fatigue from what they witness, but they also both realize that in spite of how awful the world can be, it's still worthwhile to be better in spite of it. The bar scene in Se7en has a line that FLOORS Freeman's character, "I don't think you're quitting because you believe these things (people suck, the world sucks, etc). .... I think you want to believe them, because you're quitting." Tommy Lee Jones's character here has tried to convince himself that he can't go on trying to save the day, that it's hopeless, until he gets his own smack in the face with wisdom, telling him that the evil he's seen is nothing new, but neither is the good. Like, I think Se7en and No Country are two mixes of the same song, both MASTERPIECES. Sorry for typing a whole essay here on a 2 year old video lol. Just hope it maybe inspires a video analyzing Se7en, or is just food for thought.

[@bencarlson4300]

Well said. Some of my favorite films revolve around the concept of the nature of evil and the sort of innate, lingering maliciousness in man. No Country, Se7en, Apocalypse Now, There Will Be Blood, Prisoners. Korean films like The Wailing and I Saw the Devil take a much more direct approach to demonstrating the inevitability of evil’s victory (often even in defeat). A film I recently discovered, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure, goes into this idea that evil lives on even if its originator is not the one wielding it. Scariest movie I’ve ever seen because the true source doesn’t matter, it’s unstoppable like a force of nature. Cut off one head, two more will take its place.

[@TimDownsAnimation]

@@bencarlson4300 ooooh yeah all good movies and good comparisons! I just watched Cure for the first time recently and I agree. Horrifying in the most unique way I’ve ever seen

[@SquashyNO.1]

That was beautifully covered man! I think you're 100% spot on with all of your assessments of the situation of storytelling and what they're trying to do with the movie. It really is genius. Thank you for the great video

[@ewigsarecool]

Javier Bardem really did an outstanding job playing Chigurh. His hollowness and calm yet unsettling demeanor really channel the embodiment of evil that Cormac McCarthy created. A very well deserved oscar

[@joshgroban5291]

One of the few times where the actor actually looks pretty different from from the character he plays in both appearances and voice, I love that. Him and Christian Bale are some of my favorite actors for that reason

[@grindhouseradio1418]

"In a world filled with misery and uncertainty, it is great comfort to know that, in the end, there is light in the darkness." -The Burned Man, Joshua Graham

[@kortomor8003]

A lot of good quotes from the burned Man

[@ronkledonkanusmoncher564]

“I do not enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it is a chore like any other.”

[@sjtv6565]

"I survived because the fire inside me burned greater than the fire around me."

[@sjtv6565]

And my personal favorite "We can't expect God to do *all* the work." *Racks pistol*

[@matthewlucas4142]

All time classic game

[@rchan09]

Amazing analysis! This is one of the few that didn't just discuss the homages of the film (western v noir) but actually gave analysis for the PLOT and CHARACTERS. IDK if am explaining it well or not but damn this was fantastic!! I love and can totally see this being told from the perspective of the sheriff. His small minded view of good v evil and to have it be so anti climatic makes sense and for him to retire because its a systematic world issue not a villain of the week scenario. Great work!!

[@connortracey4536]

awesome video. i love this movie too. i knew i loved it for the obvious reasons, the acting, the setting, the writing, the cinematography, the action, the pacing,-- but i always knew there was another reason that sort penetrated my conscious and i think the way you broke it down in this video did a great job showing whats great about this movie that some people couldn't quite put their finger on.

[@NorthEevee]

The thing I love most about this film is how menacing Anton Chigurh really is. Every time he appears on screen, this primal fear washes over you. You know he wants something, and he'll achieve it by all means. Without any regards for whoever might stand in his way. And yet, he does not live by any code besides one: If he is in any position to decide your fate, he'll leave it to luck. These aspects combined make for one of the most terrifying antagonists in fiction. One that you wish you'd never run across.

[@Wendigoon]

Bro thts the exact point I’m talking about

[@carcar5984]

@@Wendigoon Anton has Aspergers. People say he's an alien yada yada, that's way off and kinda dumb. This movie is so grounded in every way, a plot twist like that is too far left field. Aspergers explains Anton. He has zero concern for anyone that isn't useful to him in some way. Is unamused by most everything. Only finds amusement in the 'chance' of the universe and the reaction of humans in stressful situations. He enjoys toying with victims before offing them when situation permits. There's many more key links, way too many to go over in a comment. But look into it. I have Aspergers so I see it clear as day.

[@NorthEevee]

@@carcar5984 As someone with autism, and knowing people with Aspergers, bruh.

[@carcar5984]

@@NorthEevee makes sense now, doesn't it?

[@NorthEevee]

@@carcar5984 I don't think you know what "Bruh" means.

[@dannyboylan5926]

Crazy to hear him thank for 100k subs. This wasn't even 2 years ago and he's almost at 2 million. that's insane growth!

[@ArDeeMee]

2.08m now. I‘m pretty sure a few weeks ago (when I subbed) he was still below 2m. Gosh, they grow up so fast. ^^

[@user-mb4jv4yk3r]

@@ArDeeMee 2 and a half a million now

[@egios9466]

Same

[@Shel-fu9jb]

Wow he’s already at 43 billion subs, time flies!

[@jakeybby8527]

@@Shel-fu9jb coming up on 69 billion the first true meme lord

[@ryanwilson2124]

I've been watching Wendigoon videos for years now, but somehow missed this video cuz No Country For Old Men is one of my favorite movies and really hits home as I too get older everyday. Once again I'm reminded of why this is one of my favorite channels. Even introduced me to Flaw Peacock's channel, which is also dope

[@cece6469]

Wendigoon, pleeeeaaase do more film analysis videos. You do so well breaking down and analyzing the lore of and history of things and cryptic stuff, please do more about films & movies like this. Because you did an amazing job at analyzing & breaking this film down. Love your channel & content.

[@bluetoon1499]

As others have already stated, this is the only videos on the film I've seen that truly understands two deeper meanings behind this movie: 1) That the entire film, including scenes in which he is not present, are told through Sherriff Bell's highly subjective perspective. That explains why Llewellyn (a guy who stole a briefcase full of money from the Cartel and skipped town) is portrayed as a selfless American hero and why the forces trying to hunt down Llewellyn and claim the money are manifested as Anton, a lone, unstoppable killing machine. This portrayal of events is a way for the Sheriff to attempt to understand a cold, immoral world that seems foreign to him. In reality, both Llewellyn and the forces hunting him could be seen as greedy, but neutral rather than pure evil. They both are motivated by something logical: money. All their actions are in pursuit of that money. They are doing what most people in their situation would probably do and their actions make sense, even if they involve crime. 2) The Sherriff is the only character who goes through a genuine character arc. While Llewellyn makes choices and those choices lead to his demise, he doesn't change as a character. Anton obviously is consistent throughout the film, and the only major event in his journey is his encounter with Carla Jean and the car crash which follows it. While these scenes are intense and fascinating, aside from challenging Anton, they don't CHANGE him. Ultimately, he gets away with his crimes and his philosophy. The Sherriff does change, from a man who hearkens back to better times, confronts the truth that evil can't be simplified into one villain he can defeat, retires as Sherriff, realizes the golden age he yearned for never existed, and finally (through his dreams) discovers the only way to fight evil is the same way his heroes (like his deceased father) did: be good in spite of the world, the light in the darkness. You can't defeat evil, it will always exist and it always has existed, but you don't have to defeat it or join it: you can simply be different.

[@bradleydean1610]

well said

[@NovusIgnis]

@Brandon Tran Except capitalism is strictly the most moral system. No system is perfect as long as we're in control of it, because we're not perfect. Communism is subject to greed, and it always has led to it. Socialism is subject to greed and it always has led to it. Capitalism is the only system that forces you to contribute. I want what you have, you want what i have let's make a trade. Capitalism is the only system that provides this even footing. If you leave yourself open to exploitation then that's on you. Someone strong arming you or forcing you into making a transaction you don't want to make isn't part of capitalism anymore, that's just straight up might makes right. Capitalism is the best system we as humans will ever be able to live with. When God comes to free us of our sinful natures, that's when we can look into communism, with God at the head of that government.

[@NovusIgnis]

@Brandon Tran Lmao no you're the deluded one. Capitalism is the only system that forestalls greed by enforcing trade. If you weren't trading someone else for the food and medicine you need, then you'd be doing that work yourself. You'd have to learn both how to hunt/gather and how to treat injuries and illnesses. It's claled the division of labor. Currency is representative of work. I have performed this much work and been compensated this much for the value of that labor. I will trade this many labor currencies for the results of someone else's labor. You don't need to be specialized in all aspects of life like we used to before currencies. You have a woefully limited understanding of how economics works.

[@NovusIgnis]

@Brandon Tran Sure kid, whatever you say. Here, you don't like private ownership of property, then I'll believe you when you live by your own ideals and stop owning clothes, or the device that you're replying to me from. I'm done with you. There's no talking sense into someone that's so entrenched in false ideas like you. You don't believe half of what you say. You're just mad that you aren't good enough at anything to thrive in a capitalistic society. You have to steal in order to do well.

[@dawnderhenker]

@@NovusIgnis absolute right. Critics always think, socialism would be the "better solution". But we all have seen enough examples, how this goes

[@_Imsosorry_]

Psychiatrist have said Anton is the best representation of a psychopathic serial killer in any movie ever created The way he moves, talks, thinks. Everything about him.

[@schulzscheie4175]

You got the psychopath part right, but not the serial killer part. He’s a contract killer which is considered vastly different from a serial killer by both psychologists and law enforcement.

[@randomfactsthatdontmatter3466]

@@schulzscheie4175 what about all the other people he murdered that had nothing to do with contracts? He's both.

[@bivyb6249]

Really more of a sociopath, he doesn't seem to have feelings.

[@AtomicFlounder42]

It makes sense, to be the perfect serial killer, you have to completely lack empathy, and with anton being a metaphor for the world, that isn't conscious and therefore cant have empathy, it makes sense m

[@aboveyou686]

Only a psychopathic serial killer can write a psychopathic serial killer

[@blakesims5748]

Wow. This video is so well put together. Has me contemplating my own choices and paths in life with the themes and symbolism presented and it somehow makes me feel better. Seen the movie and was kinda left confused at the end. With your breakdown it has me wanting to read the books. Got a little into the blood miridian video and wanted to stop to read it myself.

[@Satsui_No_Hado]

One of the most impactful videos, I've ever seen . Hands down. Thank you , this impacted me heavily.

[@superking208]

I know it's a little thing in the grand scheme of things, but the sound design in every little moment of this film is just spellbinding, and good thing too considering the near-lack of scoring. Great to watch with headphones on, the film just gets tenser the more detail you can hear :)

[@Wendigoon]

The ability to create auditory tension with no artificial noise is insane.

[@superking208]

The Coen brothers never stop flexing 🙏

[@jevinday]

the lack of a score definitely works in the movie's benefit. the lack of music, especially during the last scene, really threw me off (in a good way).

[@k-ondoomer]

The part where lualen is being shot from the distance was insane in terms of sound design

[@millsykooksy4863]

Llewelyn’s wife is the hero of the story. She refuses to bend to Chigurr. She is brave in the face of devastation. (OK I actually read the book, the film follows the book very closely and this is one of those rare cases where the film is actually better than the book, in my humble opinion..... but the Coen brothers gave Llewellyn‘s wife a better ending than the author, I’ll just leave it at that)

[@arforafro5523]

"True bravery is not facing your fears, its facing your fears even if you know you'll lose"

[@sjtv6565]

Very well said. Chigurh likely respected her. She was pure, much like Hank in Breaking Bad.

[@Q-lays]

Never Compromise, Not even in the Face of Armageddon.

[@sjtv6565]

@@Q-lays More like especially. RIP rorschach

[@yes1234]

It's better that she doesn't make it. Chigurh is an embodiment of inevitability and death and no one is exempt from that, though she faces it with dignity and that's the best anyone could have done

[@rustoleum.bandit]

After i stumbled upon your channel this week, i was ecstatic to see “No country for old men” pop up as a video title. This has always been my favorite movie. Thank you for breaking it down!

[@brabhamfreaman166]

Awesome video, man. You’re an excellent analyst and awesome storyteller, and the ideas are put together so incredibly well. You spin these tender, strategic, and powerful yarns, then tie the loose ends just beautifully in the final analysis. I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts. Subscribed!

[@sesanto]

i love when people talk about this movie and i think this is the best video i've seen on it

[@Wendigoon]

Awwww thanks man that means a lot

[@chonkydoggo2006]

@@Wendigoon ooga booga boog oog

[@jesusoftheapes]

not bad . Still not on the nose though .

[@Diggz24]

Lessons from The Screenplay has about the best analysis on this film I've ever seen. Very in depth!

[@justinsidious9772]

Except Carson isn’t a federal agent.

[@brooksbanister]

That final scene where Tommy Lee recounts the dreams always breaks my heart. The dreams themselves aren't really sad, but something about it just tears me up inside.

[@randy25rhoads]

Oh god me too.

[@Lazuli901]

I feel like there's a certain poignancy to seeing a father that you outlived in a dream. Even though he's older than his father and has experienced more, he still has this sense of awe when he talks about how he saw him in the dream. It makes you think about how in some ways time doesn't alter your perception of people that much in some cases.

[@nahometesfay1112]

@@Lazuli901 Yeah the "older man" bit sticks with me. My father is older than his father ever was. Raising a child is informed by your own upbringing. Our own parental guardians are the standard we try to uphold and/or rectify. My grandfather died before my father was even in elementary school, so I wonder what my dad upholds and what he rectifies.

[@ryandozier8053]

Once you lose your father you realize just how sad the dream is, unfortunately I would know. You’re right though, it’s brilliant how dream isn’t necessarily a clichéd sad one, save for the mention of the father dying younger than the sheriff son grew up to be, and the setting of cold darkness- definitely a teary scene indeed.

[@rachelr.290]

Dreaming of deceased loved ones - especially memories of earlier, possibly happy, times with them - has a special kind of bittersweet quality. I’d imagine even more so when it’s a deceased parent. “And I knew that whenever I got there, he’d be there” (and the “…and then I woke up” that follows) always hits me especially hard.

[@OnlyAfter]

Javier Bardem was the perfect actor for this role. Seriously. Facial & Body Expression, Voice, and Presence on the screen. Immaculate

[@keeganlutzke4441]

You are the best, I used this to help write a paper for a theme analysis of this movie and it helped a lot

[@Taylor-jv5od]

My dad loved no country for old men. He passed a couple years ago but he would watch it over and over and recite all the lines it makes me so happy to see you appreciate it as much as he did.

[@caseyh2115]

Same Taylor.. I found a father figure in an old man I worked with, we spent many almost silent nights sharing a couple of 30 packs of beer and trading stories with... lots... of pauses... as we both served. I copied this movie off for him, we watched it a couple of times, he said he met a couple of Chigurs. For a trained assassin, he was a very gentle and caring man. He died a couple of years ago, alone but not... his daughter as beautiful as you, became a famous new anchor in S California, she was his pride and joy and seemed the same in return, spoke like you, which is very uncommon for people your age... his wife died early in her life, there might have been a time where they raised one another just a little. You are a very good woman Taylor, you remind me of her, and why I wrote you. Thank you for being you. Know that he is very proud of you.

[@xokirei]

@@caseyh2115 that's a nice story

[@gusvogt-shields4689]

This is exactly like my father. He always referenced this movie and loved it along with a lot of the coen brother movies and he also passed a few years ago.

[@hazwoollz]

my dad thought the movie was shit it upset me

[@caseyh2115]

@@hazwoollz maybe he liked it, but struck too many nerves with him, and couldnt tell you that or show it to you... maybe he didnt want you, his beloved son, to see his pain.... to instead continue being strong for you. I have done similar with my daughter... told little lies, as I loved her so much I didnt want her to see weakness in me... likely same for him... that he loves you the same way.. give him another chance, and more of your attention Harry... parent/child relationship is a give and take too my friend.

[@redheadboyyy123]

One thing i never noticed until this video is that when Sheriff Bell is talking to his wife at the end of the movie he has a crow statue next to him. The same bird Anton attempted to shoot but missed even though Anton shouldn’t have

[@dlloydy5356]

Brilliant review. I found your episode & channel by chance yet was talking about this film last week!

[@FlipFlibbo]

Beautiful explanation! I love this!❤ NOW I'm going to re-watch it, re-read it, and re-watch The Road & read that again! Thank you very much

[@millsykooksy4863]

My favorite scene is when he stops at the gas station. “You married into it!” 😂😂😂

[@blksheep176]

And chokes on the peanut

[@Forbiddensirenz]

I love how that’s the only scene in the movie with music. It’s super subtle and more like subliminal so you feel it while in the theater or got some good surround sound at home. But it’s a quiet intense music of moment.

[@redriderbbgun8018]

@@blksheep176 one of the only times Chigurh shows some emotion 😂😂

[@rhetiq9989]

@@blksheep176 Imagine if he just straight up dies because of choking, right there at the station at the very beginning of the movie

[@section7764]

Anton's eye twitch when he says that is probably his biggest reaction in the whole film.

[@ryurc3033]

"It ain't all waiting on you.....that's vanity" that one hit me harder than any movie ever did. First time I saw this movie, there was a solid 20 minutes I couldn't really say much of anything.

[@frankgarcia7184]

Thats my favorite scene in the movie. I think every person feels a great sense of responsibility that really isnt ours to begin with.

[@a.j.carter2294]

I feel the ways people react to this movie/story reveal a lot about their character

[@jackiep2042]

@@andrewchristie2970 that’s not even the message of the film lmao

[@nicolaimoholt2699]

AMAZZZING work!!! keep this going, your are so creative and intelligent here, your understanding is next level, carry the torch

[@ThePatriotParadox]

This is one of my favorite movies as well, and your breakdown is so well done. You nailed it, everything most people do not see and will not understand.

[@christinatuttle8442]

I always thought of Anton Chigur as like the grim reaper. How they say when he fixates on you everything is hopeless and death is absolute. The grim reaper is death incarnate. You can't escape it, and everyone succumbs sooner or later. Death is a force of nature, as is Anton in this film.

[@darkchild130]

They literally designed him to be the reaper, even the haircut was designed to look like a silhouette of a hood, framing his pale face.

[@CreamyDreamybull]

I genuinely think this is one of the best movie adaptations of a book, ever. I read the book back in high school because I loved the movie so much, only to find it was almost page for page exactly like the film. The Coen Brothers are so damn good

[@Appleblade]

Same for True Grit.

[@jesesleevenstein4597]

Awesome, awesome job, man! I really struggle to put together the abstract meanings of movies like this - or pull it out of my subconscious, but can sense when it’s there. I felt like I really liked this movie; now I know why.

[@AlexHickok-xf3js]

I come back to this video at least once a year, you really make the best videos of all time thank you

[@buffalo8839]

I’m proud of how far you’ve come with your content. One of my favorite KZbinrs. Congratulations on the well deserved 100K subs

[@Shynoh971]

Same i legit subbed after his disturbing film when he had like 50K subs and im suprised he grew so quickly and im happy for him

[@buffalo8839]

Yeah he’s definitely on the rise, it’s wholesome too see aha

[@17weeeeeep]

i subbed on his first conspiracy ice berg 🥲 they grow up so fast

[@ianrehmel4245]

mans closer to 1 mil now its, crazy that this was 9 months ago

[@jaysosilly]

as a huge fan of this movie as well as well as mcarthy's work, i have to say this is hands down my FAVORITE interpretation on the story. it really shows how passionate you are about this topic. keep doing the videos YOU want to do, wendigoon. something special always comes from youtubers who do what they want, as opposed to what the algorithm wants.

[@Wendigoon]

Thanks my man that means a lot. The story has always been personal to me.

[@egg1645]

I love you wendigoon!! Every time my day is going terribly and I can't figure out how finish my projects, I get into bed and hope I'll do better tomorrow, then put on one of your videos and let my mind drift into a story that captivates me. Thank you!! Much love from california

[@Rayneworld]

Basically been following you for 2 years, but missed some of these older vids so going back to watch now. I would honestly love to see you do a video on The Road! After seeing Blood Meridian and I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream you honestly make videos covering books so so interesting. Usually it would be something I have trouble following but your content is very engaging! Obviously no pressure to make a vid on The Road ofc, but you seemed interested in it and honestly I'd be down to hear more about it. I did read it on my own in like middle school but it's been a long time and I don't remember everything.

[@tigglebiddys]

Anton was in the hotel room when sheriff bell came in, he was hiding behind the door after it swung open. The sheriff knew he was there also, you can see Anton's reflection in the brass lock. I believe that is why the sheriff retired, he learned at that moment that if he did not get involved he would get harmed, He was afraid of something he couldn't fight and found that moving on was his only option. Its like how his father moved on during his dream.

[@mefr5966]

He wasn't actually behind the door tho, rewatching the scene. At first I thought so too but the conclusion I came to was it was an illusion by the sheriff. I think the shot of Anton in the room is specifically hard to see/figure out where he is in the room because he's not their, it's the sheriff's head imagining the worst, most evil person waiting for him around a corner.

[@Mars-87]

Powerful message

[@randomfactsthatdontmatter3466]

@@mefr5966 but how could that be given the fact that the sherrif has no idea what Anton looks like?

[@braydonhartke577]

@@randomfactsthatdontmatter3466 because he made him up, he doesn't exist and was constructed in the sheriff's mind

[@randomfactsthatdontmatter3466]

@@braydonhartke577 what about the ending scene with the car accident and the wife who i cant remember the name of? As far as I can remember there is no real connection there between the sheriff and that scene. Bell had been following Antons moves up till that point so you could argue that he is just a boogeyman that spawned from Bells mind but if Bell didn't have anything to do with the final coin toss and car accident how would that situation come to be?

[@LaurenJacksonlocs29]

Seeing as No Country For Old Men is Cormac McCarthy classic, I highly recommend you check out Blood Meridian (that is if you haven’t already). Blood Meridian has a similar theme of the weight of evil on the world, and how violence and war is carved deep into this country. The “villian” of the story is called The Judge, and is single-handedly one of the most deeply disturbing characters I’ve ever read. Blood Meridian is a horrifyingly beautiful read. I can see it being great content for great channels such as yours. Thank you for sharing your fantastic videos.

[@shrumgus5608]

Nice telegraph

[@JRSRLN]

Prepare to be NOT disappointed! 😀

[@rose_qwq]

Lol

[@liberpolo5540]

COINCIDENTALLY….

[@ktcooki276]

So have you watched his blood meridian video now

[@tommypines1039]

You're insight gave more for me to chew in than other analyses have, thank you for that.

[@godspeedkill1015]

i finally watched this movie the other day and it was a wild ride, i’ve been watching you for about a year and a half, been waiting to watch this one, brother your videos are phenomenal

[@catbombshellttv]

I’ve honestly never heard someone say that Anton or the cowboy could be non-existent characters. That alone tells me how deep you get into these films which shows just how well your other film analysis vids will be. Keep up the good work 👌

[@gsmooth4279]

I always thought of this movie as an allegory for growing up. The sherif being portrayed as an old man is ironic, because in his beliefs he’s like a child. Or, more accurately, an adolescent, a child who is forced to face the world adults are exposed to. He’s naive, and thus can’t process how dark reality really is. The transition from the old world to the modern world is like the transition from childhood innocence (in which the world merely *seemed* more light) to adulthood, in which the individual becomes enlightened.

[@samwellick1706]

Interesting perspective. I can relate to it

[@docloop6240]

Bullshit.

[@alkezar9542]

@@docloop6240 just say you're not smart enough to comprehend any deeper meanings and move on

[@ryanoneal8480]

i mean yea, that is pretty explicitly spelled out one of the last scenes in both the book and movie. i love it, but its seriously on the nose by the end

[@icannotfly]

you have completely changed the way i look at this movie, thank you. now i need to go re-read and re-watch it

[@peperika7845]

Amazing Vid! I watched this movie after seeing an edit for it and I was so intrigued by it that I just had to watch it for myself. I don't know how to feel about it yet but I would definitely watch it again.

[@3ShotTGK]

I once read where the scene in the gas station, as soon as Anton puts the peanut wrapper on the counter and it uncrinkles, that sound is like that of a fuse being lit. That's when Anton starts to question the owners motives, actions, and then makes him call the coin flip. All while the wrapper is still making a sound, we're waiting for the inevitable conclusion.

[@coreytoomey7579]

The wrapper reminded me of a molting spider emerging from its old skin. Eerie.

[@bluegregory6239]

It was cashew nuts.

[@wolfe6819]

@@coreytoomey7579at first I read that as "molten" and it was an awesome visual.

[@Peppabot]

I felt that the peanut wrapper represented the absurdity of the scene. A man comes into a gas station and is contemplating killing him, we’re all invested in the movie but that wrapper crinkling brought us all back to reality and we now see that a crazy man may well kill this old man. I also saw it as a representation of the power Anton held over the man. He’s thinking over killing him while having a snack.

[@Josephpirro]

The wrapper was like a writhing victim. Crushed, twitching, dying.

[@zachschuster2713]

I've seen this movie over a dozen times, and I never even thought that Anton could just be fake. It's a fucking brilliant idea

[@matthewmcguire224]

I love it too lol

[@rhetiq9989]

I mean how couldn't he? Nobody walks around in broad daylight with that blasted haircut. Nobody

[@ilyabykov2437]

The story is focused on making Anton physical and beliavable human.

[@shrimpflea]

The only flaw with that theory is that he gets wounded and needs to steal meds to fix himself and then gets hurt in a car crash.. Why would that be the case if he was not real?

[@JL-lg9xs]

@@shrimpfleaWell if Anton is not literally alive, then it would be reasonable to conclude he does not literally die, either. According to Wendigoon's interpretation, Anton is a personification of "The Rule of World" - the idea that the only true way to live in a world full of evil is to become evil yourself. I think his death could be taken as a statement that The Rule of World fails as a solution.

[@mezla5455]

Been binging your content and I LOVE that NCFOM is also your favorite film EVER. Just started Blood Meridian because of your suggestion. Love love LOVE this film.

[@skitswithextramayo6371]

Excellent review, bud. You have brought up excellent deductions from the metaphors in this movie. One of the best movies I have ever seen. One of the best endings to a movie I have ever seen, despite arguments to the contrary from people who were angry that the film didn't hold their hand and explain to them who got the money at the end. I was lucky enough to pick the 11 A.M. showing for this movie on a Sunday with a bunch of old people and I couldn't hear a pin drop the entire run time of the film. Thanks, man!

[@skitswithextramayo6371]

I forgot to mention one aspect of the movie that is fucking amazing is the absence of a soundtrack, except for the mariachi band playing for about 10 seconds. My buddy who majored in film pointed this out to me and I was floored that I never noticed. The movie was so strong in story and intense that I didn't't even realize the void.

[@MrBakersdozen2020]

I am gonna need more of these introspective videos my guy

[@Wendigoon]

Oh don’t worry there will be

[@Zjombie]

I love this movie. Back then I didn't really understand why I liked it so much, something about the anti-climatic deaths and how there is no music in the background gave it such an eerie feeling. The coin flip scene is still one of my favorites. I never would have thought of Anton not being real, but damn that makes a lot of sense.

[@vincedonan30]

Great vid Wendagood....here after discovering your content on PKA. Cohen brothers ARE the next level of film making. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheJoStephan]

This is a really good analysis of the movie, but also on How to view Life!!! Well done. Huge inspiration from your analysis!

[@Kevinb1821]

Stuff like this is scarier to me than a horror movie because it feels real. It feels like this could happen to you

[@richardwadholm4019]

I always thought that the underlying story centered on a theological argument: Is the Devil actually evil? And if he is, does he know that he's evil? The Woody Harrelson character alludes to this in his conversation with his employer, when he compares Anton Chigurh to the black plague - Dangerous, and deadly. But would you call the plague "evil?" He moves through the story settling accounts with everyone who crosses his path. From the gas station owner, who has surrendered the vitality of his life for an existence of dismal security ("You married into this?") to Chigurh's own employers - bad men whom he murders. He seems more an agent of merciless Old Testament justice than a traditional "bad" man. By the end of the movie, he is driving around with two million dollars in his car. Yet he seems to have no use for this wealth. The only thing he pays for is the shirt that the boy gives to him as a sling for his broken arm. And when the boy starts to refuse the money, Chigurh in apparent panic tells him that he must take it. (Otherwise, the Devil would find himself in this boy's debt - which can never be.) Even then, he is still the Devil - sewing discord between the two boys who helped him even as he walks away from them. Likewise the scene with Tommy Lee Jones in the empty hotel room - in the unending struggle between good and evil, how can there ever be a final showdown? How can one side ever triumph over the other?

[@Alexander_Grant]

This is an awesome interpretation. I’m not religious, but I love theological interpretations. I think you are 100 percent correct, this whole story feels more theological than a story of fiction, but with the devil winning, which is what makes it my favorite story of all time.

[@richardwadholm4019]

​@@Alexander_Grant Thank you. I remember seeing this movie and just being knocked out by it. It is so refreshing in this age of spectacle to see a film that actually presumes some intelligence on the part of its audience.

[@christopherlowery3797]

@@richardwadholm4019 there are plenty of thoughtful, great films coming out, but they are a bit harder to come across nowadays, that I can agree on. What are some other films you dig on?

[@ilyabykov2437]

The answer to devil question: Yes, yes.

[@flamcheeseful]

Man I'd love to have you around my campfires.

[@sudoggs7178]

Excellent video. I've only ever had the chance of watching his Cormac's excellent work in film, but I'm very much interested into dropping into his novels. Though I will say it pains me to know he passed away this year. RIP to this wonderful man.

[@chriskingsleymusic]

Very cool. I love the movie and find the overlapping story elements peculiar to this author is reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut who blends plot details between his books masterfully and expresses his cynicism with rare eloquence. So it goes. Your commentary is spot on. Keep up the great work.

[@roosterthembones4475]

I don't know if it's acknowledged by the novelist but the title comes from Sailing to Byzantium by W.B.Yeats, the opening of which is " That is no country for old men, the young in one another's arms ". The poem is partially about the impossibility of romance in old age and one of his best.

[@joziroguszka2865]

That scene with Woody Harrelson is one of the best scenes of the film, performance-wise at least. Woody Harrelson is one of my all time favourite actors and he played that part perfectly especially in that scene. The sense of extreme anxiety (that he was desperately trying to suppress) was palpable. You can really sense extreme panic and fear that he's suppressing but it's just beneath the surface. But of course Javier Bardem is the MVP of the film, I just think Woody's performance in that particular scene was amazing.

[@WJPindar]

That scene in the book the dialogue is drawn out and is in my opinion an even better scene

[@marciasloan534]

Agree

[@alxthegr8t]

NCFOM is cemented in my top 3 favorite movies so I really enjoyed your analysis. Looking forward to revisiting this masterpiece again after listening to your video. Thank you for taking the time to share that!

[@themightymonarch5365]

This video is exactly what I needed right now. Thanks for making this.

[@scorba3]

to me Anton represented the idea that "the universe is random, life is an accidental outcome of millions of years, there is no god, there is no free will", which is such a scary concept that it can make you go really crazy if you truly believe it. When he said "the coin came here the same way I did" it meant to me that he sees everything as a result of preordained events in which humans don't really have a saying, every action is the result of the history of past events and your brain chemicals, you have no soul, just atoms inside your brain that dictate your actions. This concept is opposed by Carla who firmly believes people have a free will, or at least a "free won't", as some call it, the power to say no to your instincts out of humanity, which is a force that suggests there is something more in the universe outside of atoms and accidental happenstances. The Sheriff was also a man who wanted to believe in a God as opposed to the godless universe of Anton, and indeed he tells us in the final scene the basis for this idea, which is how humans have this inner urge to carry the light forward in the cold universe, which suggests that not everything is as chaotic and hopeless as Anton's worldview would make us believe.

[@Signal_in_the_noise]

Yep

[@bb5242]

I'm not sure I totally buy that. While it's true, our brains are made up of matter and chemicals do determine our behaviors, I can stop all that anytime I wish and that is free will. Do we have control over everything? No way. But we can choose our path. Also, life is an outcome of billions of years.

[@krypticunlimited6925]

I like this analysis a lot. I think it sends a message that a lot of people these days need to hear, especially people stuck in their own nihilistic perceptions of the world

[@MarkLewis...]

Yes, maybe... except for 1 thing for certain... we have free will. Every choice you make, or ever will make is made by free will. Voluntary or coerced, doesn't matter. Free will is the choice of the individual and not dictated by the circumstances or the consequences, as some sophists want you to believe. Everything you've ever chosen or will choose is done of your free will. Because either you made your choice willingly... or you willingly chose to acquiesce. There is only free will.

[@onionshavelayerz7965]

Seeing this guy grow is so nice one of the only youtubers that actually deserves to blow up. Keep up the work man!!

[@leodickens3202]

Stfu

[@allmight9840]

Windigoon is an inspiration to us all that anyone can make it.... With some help from icebergs 😂

[@jdae_1376]

@@leodickens3202 seeing this guy grow is so nice one of the only youtubers that actually deserves to blow up. Keep up the good work man!!!

[@POTATOEH81]

@@leodickens3202 seeing this guy grow is so nice one of the only KZbinrs that actually deserves to blow up. keep up the Work man!!

[@quadrata8382]

@@leodickens3202 Seeing this guy grow is so nice one of the only youtubers that actually deserves to blow up. Keep up the work man!!

[@SammyTheSituation]

Very indepth analysis. I had to go rewatch this classic again just for the analysis. Amazing..

[@Khorne_of_the_Hill]

I love this movie! Anton Chigurh actually inspired my thesis that The Misfit from "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is the personification of death in a paper I wrote in college; it's a wonderful short story by Flannery O'Connor if you haven't read it.

[@Reclusive247]

Fantastic explanation. The point about Anton, being a manifestation of the world through the protagonist eyes, backed up with the hiding in the shadow scene, is fascinating. Subbed for sure!

[@msdsez]

The Anton character represents the mercy that the world offers all sentient beings; none at all, but random luck may further a particular being's duration of survival longer than another's.

[@andyburr3142]

I forgot to comment the previous times I’ve watched this but I can’t explain how much this video and channel mean to me. This is also my favorite movie. So deep and soo much to read into it

[@sirreadsalot6654]

I find the slight differences between the book and the movie are really interesting. I totally agree with your interpretation of the movie, especially with the existence of Chigurh. However, I think more debate is required on his existence in the book

[@russsavage1611]

I love the layers of this movie. Not only narrative and symbolic layers but the visual and audio choices of the overexposed film look, the fact there’s no score. So amazing.

[@shade0636]

8:33 "Everybody's drunk on something." I've heard that line before. . .

[@Wendigoon]

Please no one else can know

[@yoshikagekirasfavoritehand4406]

I was thinking that I was the only one who made that connection

[@ComplexationStudios]

@@Wendigoon oi oi oi

[@muhhtayoo4892]

KEEEEENNNNNNYYYYYYYY

[@chucklebutt4470]

It's from a Japan Animation called Beat-Up of Large Men! Scary.....

[@jasonkuilan4924]

Happy milestone 🎉. Keep up the good work!

[@chrisdevargas3742]

Thank you for this post. My father and I enjoyed watching this movie a year or so before his passing.