“Hex”: what does the end of the movie considered the most terrifying on Netflix mean?

Last July 7, Netflix premiered “Hex”, the Taiwanese horror film that in ten days has become one of the platform’s favorite films of its genre.

Preceded by good reviews from critics and a box office that exceeded 5.7 million US dollars, “Hex” (Incantation) tells the story of a woman named Li Ronan who, along with her friends, violated a religious taboo six years ago. The woman’s companions died instantly due to looking directly into the malevolent deity’s face, while she, then pregnant, and her daughter were cursed due to Ronan reciting an incantation. Terrified by what is happening, Li has to protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions.

What does the end mean?

First of all, let’s put the final stretch of the film into context: In the past, as Ronan and his friends invoked the wrath of the ancient curse, Mother Buddha’s cave became a kind of house of terror, with hands reaching they protruded from the walls, objects crumbling and the whole cave came alive to face the humans who disturbed it.

Already in the present and with a sense of guilt for the fate of his daughter Dodo as a result of the curse that originated in the past, Ronan tries to break this spell to save the little girl’s life.

“Sorry Dodo, mommy won’t hurt you anymore”, Ronan tells his apparently dead daughter, while recording a video for the little girl. “If you manage to wake up, promise me you’ll forget my name… promise mom that when you open your eyes you’ll be happier than the rest…”, adds the woman between tears.

Immediately afterwards, Ronan, covered by the Buddhist writing that is seen and mentioned in the rituals of the film, teaches, looking at the camera and addressing whoever sees that video, the following phrase: “Hou-ho-xiu-yi, si -sei-wu-ma”. The idea is that as more people watch the video and repeat the phrase, they will supposedly be blessed.

“This is the complete translation of the Yunnan monk,” says the woman as she listens to the mysterious ritual. After this, we see two men explaining that the Hou-ho-xiu-yi spell is not actually a blessing in itself.

“It is a curse of sharing. It means that blessing and misfortune depend on each other. Reciting it as a mantra means that I want to share this curse by offering my name and as a great symbol I will let the curse spread among strangers. The more people carry the curse, the more it will spread and the more research is done on it, the more cursed you will be. The heart of this curse is found in the face of Mother Buddha, that is why it has been covered and we will not be able to look at it until eternity”, they both say.

We then see that these men they are talking to is Ronan in the past, when she was pregnant.

Again today, we return to Ronan looking at the camera: “Forgive me, I know there are things that should never be seen. However, it is the only way I have to save her. Maybe the curse can be lightened.” He says.

Seconds later, while crying and covering her eyes, she asks that she wish Dodo wasn’t her daughter because she has been a horrible mother to her. After that, she discovers Mother Buddha, asks her what her name is and thinking that she will not be affected by not looking at her, she is bewitched anyway, so she ends up hitting her head and dying on the spot.

The final moments of “Hex” show Dodo already recovered, although without her mother. The last scene made it clear that Ronan’s plan worked, proving that his theory of the curse was correct: the more they watch the video, the curse will spread among all of them but it will affect each one less, including Dodo.

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