We’ve seen other movies and TV shows before in which a small child has freakish, unexplained powers that can control others – but they’re usually horror stories. There’s the classic Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life,” and more appropriately, The Omen, the classic film about a small kid who turns out to be the spawn of Satan – which, incidentally, also features a storyline where a child’s birthday party goes awry thanks to his ability to control others.
So doesn’t it then seem conceivable that Max … is the Antichrist? It’s not like anyone else’s birthday wishes are spontaneously coming true, so frankly, this seems like as good an explanation as any.
Even by the end of the film, Max’s parents don’t seem all that concerned about investigating the supernatural cause of these disturbing events. And there’s no reason to think that Max’s powers will be contained to that one incident. At the end of the movie, we see Fletcher and his ex-wife kissing on Max’s 6th birthday – forcing them to immediately question whether or not the moment of passion was their own conscious choice or one of their son’s free will-defiling wishes.
Which, even regardless of these significant theological suggestions we’ve discussed, is just a scary way to live your life. Imagine never knowing whether or not your actions were made freely or were willed into being by your kid. Sure, it turns out that he’s just wishing for some rollerblades, but wait until he gets older; like, does anyone want to see what horrors a 16-year-old with these powers could unleash on the world?
You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time you’re reading this).
Top Image: Universal Pictures