"Metaphors are everywhere."
After jotting that down, Kevin Thomas wasn't satisfied and set down his pen, continuing to watch the big screen.
The lead, Chris, a smoker, couldn't sleep at night. He snuck out behind his girlfriend Rose's back to smoke, only to encounter the black male servant fleeing like a madman.
When he turned in shock, an even weirder sight appeared at the window—the always-smiling maid now had her face pressed against the glass, staring intently at Chris.
"What the fuck!"
"Damn, that scared me."
"Oh my God!"
The film had been building tension for so long; this sudden jolt was incredibly striking.
This abrupt shot truly startled quite a few people.
The plot on the big screen, the atmosphere instantly turned eerie. Chris felt this place was downright creepy and decided to head back to the room quickly, but no sooner had he returned than Rose's mom called him over.
Rose's mom had Chris come sit with her for a bit.
She explained her hypnosis method, using a focal point to guide into a highly suggestible state. After, she asked about Chris's mother.
Chris frowned, not wanting to answer.
At that moment, the audience saw Rose's mom, behind Chris, curl her lips into a creepy smile.
Then she began gently tapping her spoon against the coffee cup.
Ding ding ding~~~!
After the tapping sounds rang for a while, Chris actually started talking about his mother on his own.
Clearly, he'd been hypnotized!
Under his girlfriend's mom's hypnosis, Chris recalled the painful experience of his mom's death as a child, even mimicking his childhood actions, tears streaming uncontrollably.
Rose's mom watched him coldly, and after confirming Chris had no parents, she ended the interrogation, plunging Chris into darkness!
Chris felt himself falling into a black void. He struggled, but found he couldn't move!
Waking up, Chris found himself in bed, doubting himself.
Was everything last night a dream?
But later, chatting with the black gardener, he learned he had indeed talked with his girlfriend's mom last night. If that was real, what was this psychiatrist up to?
By now, the lead felt Rose's mom was a bit terrifying, and the black people in this house acted strangely at times.
And the audience was unwittingly drawn in.
Though the film so far had no stimulating visuals, the horror atmosphere had seeped into everyone's hearts.
Then, Rose's dad chatted with Chris in the garden about his own father—Rose's grandfather.
He said: "Rose's grandfather was an Olympic sprinter. He loved running, loved competing. Sadly, he lost to a non-seed in the Olympics, so he always resented his body..."
At this point, some quicker-thinking viewers connected it to the black male servant running in the yard last night, guessing something.
No way...
By this point in the film, engrossed Kevin Thomas felt chills from the plot, suddenly realizing something.
Wait, the girlfriend's mom's earlier behavior seemed like another metaphor?!
Excitement surged, briefly dispelling the bodily chill.
He wrote in his notebook: "Rose's mom often uses the silver spoon clinking on the teacup to hypnotize the lead Chris. This prop choice has implications—because 'silver spoon' is synonymous with 'privilege' implying white people have certain privileges."
"No, not just that—the hypnosis method itself, could it imply something? Like media reports on psychological suggestion, with brainwashing effects, processing news to make recipients more receptive, consolidating ideological control..."
The plot continued.
The family was hosting a gathering; old neighbors drove over to Rose's house. They hugged the black gardener one by one, seeming, as the girlfriend said, like everyone here had no prejudice against non-whites.
This was a party Rose's family threw to welcome Chris, except all the guests were old folks.
Everyone cheered Chris, saying his eyes were beautiful, his build strong, eyeing him like market pork, even reaching out to touch him.
At this point, Kevin Thomas spotted another hint Martin planted: "In the film, nearly every white character is noticeably taller than the black lead Chris. This height difference isn't just an unconscious psychological bias but also implies unequal status between the races."
Kevin Thomas's interest grew; it felt like solving a puzzle, unraveling Martin's hidden metaphors and hints bit by bit, giving him immense satisfaction.
At the party, the lead suddenly spotted a black guy he knew from before, but oddly, this black guy seemed to have forgotten him.
Moreover, this black guy's behavior was utterly strange—every move unlike a black person, as if force-fed white etiquette.
When Chris extended a fist for a black greeting, the other paused, then reached out and gripped his fist like a handshake!
This guy, aside from black skin, had zero black vibe!
Chris felt uneasy and went upstairs alone to rest.
Behind him, the chatting whites all stopped, watching his movements.
This scene was incredibly eerie, adding to the film's horror feel.
What followed was even weirder.
In the room, he found his camera charger unplugged, with signs of use.
He'd just seen the maid leave; it must've been her.
After telling his girlfriend, soon the maid came to apologize.
As she apologized, she tried to smile, but the stiff grin barely formed before tears streamed from one eye!
This classic scene appeared, and the previously quiet theater suddenly buzzed—a second ago silent, now many viewers yelped in fright.
This maid was too unnatural; that smile, mixed with tears yet beaming, made everyone squirm!
The lead Chris shuddered from the maid's smile; he didn't want to face this black maid anymore, so he went downstairs for air.
Then, chatting with the black guy Logan, something bizarre happened.
He forgot to turn off his camera flash—snap—and the creepy part unfolded.
Logan's expression froze, blood trickling from his nose.
A second later, he lunged at Chris, grabbing his collar, roaring like a madman for him to get out, to leave this place fast!