Fresh Movie Ending Breakdown

The horror-comedy Fresh delves into the dangers of online dating through its storyline. Sebastian Stan plays Steve, the charming new boyfriend of Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who is fed up with the disappointments of online dating. Noa's bad experiences, like a rude date who insults her and steals her food, lead her to vent to her friend Mollie (Jonica T. Gibbs) about her dating woes. Mollie advises her to adopt a carefree attitude.

Their advice seems to work when Noa meets Steve at a grocery store and they immediately hit it off. They begin a relationship, but it takes a dark turn when Noa discovers Steve's gruesome secret. Steve is a cannibal who kidnaps women, cuts off their body parts to sell as meat, and keeps them alive to maintain freshness. Noa, Mollie, and another victim named Penny (Andrea Bang) must band together to escape Steve's clutches before the horrifying conclusion of Fresh.

Fresh's Ending Explained

Noa Turns The Tables On Steve Using His Own Tactics

Noa and Steve dancing in Fresh - Noa Turns The Tables On Steve Using His Own Tactics - Fresh's Ending Explained

In the Fresh ending, Steve uses his charm and good looks to charm women, intending to sell them to wealthy clients as meat. Noa, realizing that Steve is interested in her, decides to play along and pretends to reciprocate his feelings, even though he has captured her with the intention of selling her body.

Noa decides to turn the tables on Steve by using his own tactics against him as a way to regain control of the situation. In the movie, Steve, the charming serial killer, takes her on a special "date" where he shows her the wall of "trophies" he keeps from his victims, including Mollie's cell phone.

During the evening, Noa seduces Steve, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When his guard is down, she surprises him by biting off part of his penis, a move inspired by his own violent behavior. Seizing the opportunity to escape, Noa manages to rescue Mollie and Penny before they all make a run for it to safety.

Noa takes back her power by using Steve's own tactics against him, as seen in the ending of Fresh. He treats her and the other kidnapped women like objects. Noa, Mollie, and Penny symbolize women who have suffered assault by men. When they incapacitate Steve in the kitchen and later eliminate him and his wife Ana, who supports his disturbing actions, it serves as a form of justice for victims of abuse.

The conclusion of Fresh is similar to the conclusion of Get Out, where Chris manages to escape the Armitages before they can harm him. Steve, like the Armitages, dehumanizes the women in Fresh by literally turning Noa's body parts into commodities for sale. Just like Chris, Noa and the other women must confront and defeat their oppressors in order to secure their freedom and survival.

How Does Steve Choose His Victims?

The Killer In Fresh Finds Women Without Strong Family Ties

Noa at the grocery store in Fresh - The Killer In Fresh Finds Women Without Strong Family Ties - How Does Steve Choose His Victims?

When Steve first meets Noa at the grocery store, she is standing under a sign that reads "fresh meats." This is a playful reference to his goal of finding fresh meat at the store. Noa, the type of person Steve targets, shares with him that she has no family as her father has passed away and she is estranged from her mother. This information hints to Steve that nobody will come looking for her, a chilling similarity to Sweeney Todd, who turns his victims into meat pies.

Steve's targets are women that few people would miss, which has allowed him to make a career out of being a "human butcher."

Steve also makes sure that Noa hasn't told anyone much about him and seems satisfied that she only told her best friend Mollie that she met a guy. While being held hostage at Steve's house in the woods, Noa learns that Penny, the woman who Steve was holding in the cell next to hers, was seduced in a similar way and also doesn't have anyone in her life to sound the alarm when she goes missing.

Why Is Ann Working With Steve?

Ann Is A Classic Case Of Stockholm Syndrome

- Ann Is A Classic Case Of Stockholm Syndrome - Why Is Ann Working With Steve?

In the Fresh ending, Mollie discovers that Steve's wife, Ann, is missing a leg when she visits their house looking for Noa. It is revealed that Ann is assisting Steve with his cannibalistic activities and may have been a victim herself in the past. Steve gives Noa magazines while keeping her captive, and one of the magazines contains a note from a previous victim implying that giving her the magazines is a sign of affection.

There is no proof that the note was written by Ann, but it does suggest that Steve has had romantic relationships with his victims before. Ann is portrayed as a victim who chooses to support the oppressor and even brings others down to benefit herself. She was once in a similar situation as Noa, being held captive and harmed by someone she trusted.

Screenwriter Lauryn Kahn believes that Ann symbolizes women who do not stand by other women.

Noa's desire for self-preservation leads her to plan her escape. On the other hand, Ann seems to have developed twisted feelings for her captor. She not only sympathizes with Steve but also marries him and has children with him. Additionally, she actively assists him in harming other victims. According to Fresh screenwriter Lauryn Kahn in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ann embodies women who do not support other women.

Despite being a victim of Steve herself, Ann has chosen to stand by him. She even attempts to eliminate Noa for killing him, prioritizing Steve's happiness over the well-being of the other women he has harmed and killed.

Who Are The Men At The Table?

Steve Is Part Of A Network Of Male Cannibals

- Steve Is Part Of A Network Of Male Cannibals - Who Are The Men At The Table?

In the ending of Fresh, Steve sells his human meat to wealthy clients who are willing to pay a high price for this "exotic" product. During the mid-credits, we catch a glimpse of these clients - men gathered around a table with a pile of bloody human meat in the center. Some are in fancy suits while others are completely nude, highlighting the extreme depths of their depravity. This brief scene serves to emphasize that Steve is just a small part of a much larger issue.

This visual representation in the film shows how some men see women as mere objects, like "pieces of meat." They are using women for their own consumption, and for some, this even turns into a sexual fetish. In the eyes of many powerful men, women are seen as objects to be traded and used as commodities.

The Real Meaning Of Fresh's Ending

The 2022 Horror Movie's Finale Drives Home Its Themes Of The Perils Of Online Dating

Steve talking in Fresh - The 2022 Horror Movie's Finale Drives Home Its Themes Of The Perils Of Online Dating - The Real Meaning Of Fresh's Ending

Fresh is a social satire that falls in line with the social commentary seen in horror movies of the 21st century. The movie at its core criticizes the modern dating scene, shedding light on the risks faced by young, single women. While there are certainly good men out there, there are also many dangers lurking in the dating world, with some dates potentially posing harm. The film also effectively highlights the issue of men in power disregarding women's bodily autonomy and feeling entitled to control their bodies.

On a brighter note, the conclusion of Fresh highlights the strength of women working together to reclaim their power. Three women who have suffered at the hands of a man regain control by taking decisive action against their abuser.

The key to their survival lies in the bond shared between Noa and Mollie, emphasizing the importance of female solidarity over relying on a romantic relationship with a man.

The women are left to save themselves when Paul, Mollie's friend, drives away from the cabin instead of helping them after hearing a gunshot. Despite what Steve has taken from them, the women manage to free themselves by supporting each other. In the end, it is the bond between Noa and Mollie that ultimately saves them, rather than relying on a romantic connection with a man.

The message is clear at the conclusion of Fresh when Noa receives a text from Chad, her disastrous date from the beginning of the film, that simply says "You up?" Even though the horror of Noa's experience with Steve is behind her, she still faces the ongoing challenges of modern dating and being perceived as nothing more than a metaphorical piece of meat.

Why The Fresh Ending Worked So Well

Noa's Decisions Are The True Genius Behind The Fresh Ending

Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar Jones in Fresh - Noa's Decisions Are The True Genius Behind The Fresh Ending - Why The Fresh Ending Worked So Well

The Fresh ending not only explained its overarching meaning clearly but also stood out for other reasons. Daisy Edgar-Jones shines in her role as Noa, a resourceful final girl who realizes that teaming up with Steve's victims is the key to survival. Fresh stands out as a horror movie that is both sophisticated and gruesome, skillfully weaving its themes into an easily understandable narrative. The intense climax delivers a satisfying conclusion as Noa manages to escape, and Chad's message subtly hints that the challenges faced by single women are far from over.

Fresh is a movie that brings something new to the table, with its high stakes leading to a satisfying and explosive ending. The casting is spot-on, especially with Sebastian Stan stepping outside his typical superhero roles. Fresh can be seen as a female version of Get Out, and its ending is memorable for its uniqueness while still staying grounded in reality.

Editor's P/S:

"Fresh" is a horror-comedy that explores the dangers of online dating and the objectification of women. The film follows Noa, a young woman