I really saw the film as a challenge to horror movie makers and the horror audience at large. It was homage and indictment all at once. Whedon et al. believes the current system is broken so much so that it may not even be fixable and it might be time to just scrap it all and try something new. That was the story that was told.
On one level the movie takes themes and concepts from Whedon's earlier works on the small screen and simply places them in a new and possibly expanded context (much like the sequelthat's not a true sequelThe Wicker Tree). Ancient, almost Lovecraftian Gods, Hellmouths, government involvement and acceptance of the supernatural, etc. Certainly they are "to be continued" ideas that Whedon hasn't quite found suitable answers to and will probably continue to toy with for a while anyway.
Then on the "meta" level it's straight up commentary.
My interpretation: We the jaded, "seen it all" horror movie audience are the "ancient gods". We are to be offered sacrifice. This sacrifice are movies themselves as consumable product. Said sacrifice must follow our specific cultural clichés. And while the ante certainly has been upped over the yearsso-called "torture porn" and the likewe still expect what we expect and the sacrifice must not deviate too far. We are to be assuaged and made complacent. Thus, we are lulled back to sleep, at least for a little while, 'til our base appetites stirs once more.
The government "Puppeteers" (for lack of better description) are the directors and writers who in this case are figuratively and literally altering the narrative to force an outcome. They realize that though they control the puppets (the actors), We, the audience, control them. Or at least they are afraid we do. In fact, so much so that they will try their damnedest to give us what they (and we) think we want to see. For we can make or break their very careers, which as far as they are concerned might as well be their very existence. Now it's gotten to the point of rote repetition and blind allegiance to genre rules and stereotypes ensuring a sacrifice the will be palatable. Caught in the middle, they've done this for so long they've practically forgotten the 'whys'. Now it's just another job that puts food on the table (and baby-proof locks on the cabinets apparently).
And of course there are the puppets. Thoughtful and multidimensional people who, by way of the puppeteers and our expectations, are reduced to archetypes and storyline cannon fodder. They'll alter their looks, dumb themselves down, whatever it takes to fit into the preconceived notions that the role requires. And boy do we love to watch them get slaughtered just for following the rules we set up and force them to abide by (that last bit could be taken even further to our cannibal celebrity culture as well).
In the end, it all comes crashing down. And from that chaos Whedon hopes something new and better will come and take its place. I for one hope that's the case. But then again meet the new boss
At least that's my first viewing idea of the flick. I might go see it again with other friends and see what they thought. Definitely a thumbs up and it gives me great hope for The Avengers.
Oh, and finally there are numerous jokes/references to cult and mainstream horror movies sprinkled throughout. If you're a horror movie fan of any kind that should be a welcomed nod and be entertaining in and of itself.
