Don’t Move arrived on Netflix as a gripping, anxiety-filled thriller that tests the limits of survival. Directed by Adam Schindler and Brian Netto and produced by horror legend Sam Raimi, the film immediately struck a nerve with audiences.
The story centers on Iris, played by Kelsey Asbille, a mother overwhelmed with grief after the tragic death of her young son, Mateo.
This devastating loss has driven her into despair, and she now stands at the edge of life itself, weighed down by guilt and sorrow. Just as Iris seems ready to give up, she encounters Richard, portrayed by Finn Wittrock.
On the surface, Richard seems to be a kind stranger, one who even shares his own experience with loss. However, it soon becomes clear that his kindness is just a mask hiding something far darker.
Richard reveals his true intentions by kidnapping Iris and injecting her with a drug that leaves her paralyzed.
Trapped and terrified, Iris must confront her worst fears as she fights to survive. Along the way, she not only battles this killer but also wrestles with the pain and guilt from her past, ultimately finding a renewed will to live.
The film’s tension, unsettling twists, and intense psychological battles make it a memorable horror thriller, one that goes beyond simple scares to show complex themes of grief, resilience, and self-acceptance.
Don’t Move captures a raw and terrifying journey that forces its main character to confront her trauma head-on, making it a film that resonates long after the credits roll.
Setting the Stage: A Mother’s Grief and a Sinister Encounter
The story begins with Iris returning to a cliff where her son Mateo died in a tragic accident. She blames herself for not watching him closely, and the weight of this guilt has consumed her. She stands at the cliff’s edge, contemplating ending her own life, feeling there is no way forward.
This setting—a high, solitary cliff overlooking a bleak view—immediately conveys the depth of her despair and isolation. Iris feels alone in her grief, burdened by her responsibility in her son’s death. She’s haunted by memories of that day, unable to let go of the guilt that has taken over her life.
At this vulnerable moment, Richard appears, approaching Iris as if by chance. He seems friendly and empathetic, and he starts a conversation that draws her in.
As they talk, Richard shares his own story of loss, explaining how he also lost a loved one in a tragic accident.
His girlfriend, Chloe, died in a car crash that he caused, and he spent months recovering from his injuries in a hospital.
This shared experience of loss and regret creates a brief, fragile bond between them. For a moment, Iris feels understood, and Richard’s words give her pause.
However, there are subtle signs that Richard is not what he seems. He speaks calmly, but there’s an unsettling undertone in his manner, a quiet intensity that hints at something darker beneath the surface.
When he tells Iris, “Broken doesn’t have to mean hopeless,” it seems like an encouragement, a reminder that there’s a way forward.
This message resonates with Iris, leading her to reconsider her decision to end her life. She turns away from the cliff’s edge, feeling perhaps that she can find some strength to go on.
The True Nature of Richard Revealed
As Iris follows Richard back to the parking lot, she notices his car is parked right next to hers. This detail seems small at first, but it becomes alarming when she sees he’s using his side mirror to block her from opening her car door. Suddenly, the calm stranger she thought she could trust reveals his true intentions.
Before Iris can react, Richard attacks her with a taser disguised as an umbrella, leaving her helpless. He injects her with a drug that paralyzes her, rendering her unable to move or speak.
Iris quickly realizes she is in grave danger, trapped with a man who has sinister plans. Richard’s kind demeanor was nothing more than a façade, a lure to draw her in.
Now, she finds herself completely at his mercy, unable to scream or fight back. The drug paralyzes her, turning her into a prisoner in her own body. Her worst fears have come true; just when she was ready to let go of her pain, she is thrust into a new nightmare.
This drug-induced paralysis is both terrifying and symbolic. Iris, who felt frozen in her grief, is now literally immobilized, forced to face her fear and helplessness in a physical way.
She has no control over her situation, much like she felt no control over her emotions after Mateo’s death. Richard’s cruelty forces her into a state of vulnerability, pushing her to the brink as she struggles to survive.
A Battle of Wits and Survival: Iris vs. Richard
Despite her paralysis, Iris refuses to give up. She uses every bit of her remaining strength to outsmart Richard, managing to evade him several times, even while under the effects of the drug.
Each attempt to escape brings a new wave of tension, as Richard becomes more relentless, showing just how determined he is to complete his twisted mission.
Even when an attentive police officer arrives, it is only a brief moment of hope. Richard brutally murders the officer, leaving Iris with even fewer chances of rescue.
Gradually, the effects of the drug begin to wear off, allowing Iris to regain some movement and the ability to speak.
He explains that after Chloe’s death, he experienced a sense of clarity he had never felt before. He describes feeling disconnected from others throughout his life, but watching Chloe die brought him a sense of connection.
This moment of witnessing someone’s death, he says, allowed him to feel “like God.”
The months Richard spent confined to his hospital bed only deepened this twisted sense of self-importance. He came to believe he wasn’t just connected to God; he was God.
His desire to watch others suffer and die became an obsession, a high he continually chases. In a disturbing revelation, he admits that he never intended to save Iris on the cliff.
He only wanted to bring her back so he could be the one to end her life, feeding his need for control and power.
This exchange reveals Richard’s complex and horrifying psychology. His God complex, born from tragedy, has turned him into a serial killer who sees himself as all-powerful. Iris’s refusal to submit becomes a direct challenge to Richard’s delusion.
Her resilience undermines his belief in his superiority, as he realizes she won’t be an easy victim. Each moment she fights back, she chips away at his control, slowly eroding his confidence in his own power.
The Turning Point: Iris’s Fight for Freedom
Richard’s plan takes an unexpected turn when he learns that his family is on their way to the cabin where he had intended to take Iris. This forces him to change course, and he drags her onto a rowboat with the intent of dumping her body in a lake.
As the boat drifts in the water, Iris realizes this may truly be the end. In this moment of desperation, she feels a surge of emotion she hasn’t allowed herself since Mateo’s death. She begins to cry, letting out her pent-up sorrow and fear.
For Richard, these tears are a fascinating reaction. He remarks that this is the first time Iris has cried since losing her son.
Her grief, which had held her back for so long, now becomes a tool for survival. She uses her tears to appeal to Richard’s twisted sense of sympathy, asking him to save Mateo’s toy boat, a keepsake she had carried with her since her son’s death.
By focusing on this small, sentimental item, she tries to humanize herself in Richard’s eyes, hoping it might soften him or at least buy her a few precious seconds.
This moment marks a significant turning point for Iris. Her tears represent a release of emotions she has held inside, but they also signify her determination to survive. Her desperation to save the toy boat mirrors her rekindled desire to live.
Still from the movie (Netflix)
Despite everything she has been through, she finds a way to channel her pain into a fierce will to survive. This moment of vulnerability becomes a source of strength, allowing her to face her fear head-on.
Iris’s Revenge and the Final Confrontation
In a last-ditch effort, Iris seizes an opportunity to turn the tables on Richard. Summoning all her remaining strength, she manages to stab him with a knife he had tucked into his pants.
She then grabs his gun and shoots him, wounding him severely. The boat, now filled with bullet holes, begins to sink, and Iris fights her way to the shore.
But even as she reaches the shore, the struggle isn’t over. Richard, barely alive, crawls to the edge of the water, gasping for breath. Instead of finishing him off, Iris stands over him, looking down with a calm expression.
She echoes his own words, saying, “Thank you,” giving him a taste of his own twisted philosophy. By doing so, she reverses the power dynamic, showing Richard that he is not invincible or all-powerful.
Her decision not to kill Richard outright is a symbolic gesture that carries deep meaning. Iris turns his words back on him, a final act of defiance that leaves Richard with the agony he intended for her.
She doesn’t deliver a merciful death; instead, she lets him suffer, paralyzed and helpless, as she and countless other victims had suffered at his hands.
This powerful moment illustrates how she has not only survived physically but has taken control of her life and her trauma, refusing to let Richard be the one to define her fate.
Understanding Iris’s Transformation and Her Final Words
Earlier in the film, Iris questioned Richard about why he didn’t just let her end her life on the cliff. Now, in her final act, she understands that Richard’s intentions were never rooted in kindness or understanding.
He wanted to manipulate her choice, to take control of her life by deciding her fate himself. This decision to talk her down from the ledge only so he could kill her himself reflects his immense need for dominance, feeding his God complex.
In this climactic moment, Iris strips Richard of that power. By refusing to kill him, she denies him any control over her, rejecting the role of helpless victim he tried to cast her in. Her words, “Thank you,” become a triumphant statement, reclaiming her autonomy.
Through this harrowing experience, Iris realizes that she no longer wishes to die. In her fight for survival, she has come to terms with her guilt, confronting and letting go of the self-blame she harbored over Mateo’s death.
Richard’s actions force her to tap into her inner strength, and her survival becomes a testament to her newfound resolve to live.
Themes of Resilience and Renewal
The final scenes of Don’t Move are powerful not only for the intense physical struggle but for what they represent emotionally. Iris’s journey is one of transformation, where she confronts her deepest fears and overcomes them.
By the end of the film, she no longer sees herself as the grieving, guilt-ridden mother on the cliff’s edge. Instead, she emerges as a survivor who has reclaimed her life, free from the hold that grief and self-blame had over her.
This transformation is symbolized in the final shot, where Iris walks away from the lake and into the light. The choice of Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” as the ending song underscores her newfound sense of independence and strength.
The lyrics reflect her determination to live on her own terms, free from the control of her grief or the trauma Richard inflicted. Iris is no longer defined by her pain; she is a survivor, taking her life back in a symbolic rebirth.
Don’t Move: A Unique Approach to Horror
While Don’t Move is undeniably a horror thriller, it distinguishes itself by blending intense psychological themes with raw survival horror.
The film goes beyond the typical horror genre by focusing deeply on Iris’s emotional journey, making her growth and resilience as significant as her physical survival.
Still from the movie (Netflix)
Her battle against Richard is terrifying, but it’s her internal struggle with guilt and grief that adds a profound layer to the story.
By framing the horror within Iris’s battle to overcome her own trauma, Don’t Move delivers an experience that resonates emotionally, showing the healing power of resilience.
The film’s ending is not just about escaping a killer; it’s about rediscovering a will to live and embracing a future no longer overshadowed by the past.
For viewers, Iris’s journey offers a gripping story of strength and self-acceptance, transforming a simple survival story into a moving tale of personal redemption.
Don’t Move leaves a lasting impact as both a horror story and an emotional journey. Through her harrowing ordeal, Iris evolves from a mother paralyzed by grief to a fierce survivor who reclaims control of her life.
The film’s scheme of trauma and survival offers more than just scares; it paints a picture of a woman’s rebirth, her journey from despair to strength.
In the end, Don’t Move stands out as a horror thriller with heart, resonating deeply with those who understand the painful path to self-acceptance and the power of resilience.
Netflix’s Territory centers on Marianne Station, Australia’s largest cattle station, and the fierce struggles that unfold among the Lawson family as they vie for control over this prized land.
Blending elements from shows like Yellowstone and Succession, Territory goes deep into family drama, power struggles, and betrayal.
This story covers more than just family feuds, drawing in rival farmers, mining magnates, Indigenous communities, and even gangsters. Each group has its motives, raising the stakes as the Lawsons try to defend Marianne Station from all sides.
In just six episodes, Territory manages to cover complex relationships, alliances, betrayals, and unexpected twists that keep viewers on edge.
As the show progresses, it becomes clear that the fight for Marianne Station isn’t just about land but about legacy, family loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect what they love.
Here, we’ll go through each major storyline, character arcs, and how Territory creates a compelling narrative filled with action, intrigue, and heartfelt moments.
The Lawson Family and the Tragedy of Susie’s Death
The story begins with Susie Lawson (Philippa Northeast), daughter of Emily (Anna Torv) and Graham (Michael Dorman), who returns to Marianne Station after the death of her brother Daniel (Jake Ryan).
Her presence introduces viewers to the Lawson family’s dynamics, especially the tension between Emily and her daughter.
Susie, who has an instinct for working with cattle and agriculture, decides to stay at the station instead of continuing college, much to Emily’s initial resistance.
After some convincing, Emily allows Susie to take on responsibilities at Marianne, showing her confidence in her daughter’s abilities despite their differences.
Susie’s return also introduces a romance subplot when she meets Lachie Kirby (Joe Klocek), the son of wealthy businesswoman Sandra Kirby (Sara Wiseman).
Lachie, who initially seems like a city kid from a privileged background, quickly proves his willingness to adapt to ranch life to win Susie’s admiration.
Their chemistry grows over several encounters, including a memorable bar brawl that brings them closer. However, their budding romance is cut short when Lachie’s mother, Sandra, intervenes.
Sandra warns Lachie about the potential complications of dating a member of the Lawson family, especially one that’s been marginalized by the patriarch, Colin Lawson (Robert Taylor).
Susie feels hurt that Lachie would allow political concerns to affect their relationship, leading to a breakup in Episode 4.
In Episode 5, viewers see Lachie struggling with his feelings for Susie. Encouraged by his friend Ethan Hodge (Connor Merrigan-Turner), Lachie goes to Marianne Station to apologize, but it’s too late.
Susie is fed up and reluctant to reconcile, causing tension that escalates when her brother, Marshall (Sam Corbett), gets involved.
In an unfortunate turn of events, a nearby bull charges at Susie during the confrontation, fatally injuring her.
Her death becomes a major turning point, deeply affecting the Lawson family and creating feelings of guilt and grief, especially for Marshall, who believes his involvement led to her tragic end.
The Power Struggle Over Marianne Station
After Daniel Lawson’s sudden death, the question of who will lead Marianne Station becomes central to the plot.
Colin, the head of the Lawson family, is deeply affected by the loss of Daniel, whom he saw as the ideal leader for the station. In Colin’s eyes, no other family member could measure up to Daniel’s legacy.
This attitude fuels his unwillingness to consider other potential successors, creating tension within the family. His favoritism also strains his relationship with Emily, whom he holds responsible for Daniel’s death due to her family’s history of cattle theft.
The other potential heirs to Marianne are also ineligible in Colin’s eyes. Graham struggles with alcoholism, which undermines his credibility, and Susie is quickly dismissed due to her close association with Emily.
While Colin initially considers Marshall as a possible successor, Marshall’s resentment towards his father’s harsh treatment complicates the decision.
Meanwhile, other stakeholders are eyeing Marianne Station, intensifying the conflict. Sandra Kirby, a powerful mining magnate, represents one of the biggest threats to the Lawson family’s control over the station.
Sandra’s interest in the land has nothing to do with cattle or agriculture; she is focused on exploiting the area’s natural resources.
From the beginning, Sandra employs underhanded tactics to undermine the Lawsons, leveraging her influence and wealth to form alliances with other landowners and rivals, such as Nolan Brannock (Clarence Ryan) and Campbell Miller (Jay Ryan).
Her goal is not just to take control of Marianne but to reshape the entire region according to her business interests.
Sandra’s plans become more sinister as she collaborates with Campbell and even attempts to manipulate Emily into joining her business ventures.
She also persuades Nolan to grant her access to a port along the coastline, a strategic move that hints at her larger ambitions.
The revelation of Sandra’s true intentions – using the land for uranium enrichment and radioactive waste disposal – horrifies Lachie, who decides to expose his mother’s plans.
This shocking disclosure adds another layer of urgency to the Lawsons’ efforts to protect Marianne Station, as the potential environmental impact could devastate their cattle business and disrupt the lives of the Indigenous community connected to the land.
Defending Marianne Station Against Powerful Enemies
As Sandra and her allies close in, the Lawson family must set aside their differences to protect Marianne Station. Colin, Emily, Marshall, and Nolan all play crucial roles in the defense, with each character taking on specific tasks.
Colin, hoping to protect the land’s cultural and historical significance, rushes to have the Indigenous territory officially recognized as a sacred place.
Meanwhile, Emily, Marshall, Nolan, and Uncle Bryce (Hamilton Morris) make their way to the site, aiming to prevent Sandra’s crew from detonating explosives.
However, the Lawsons face a surprising new challenge when Marshall’s ex-partner, Rich (Sam Delich), reenters the scene, collaborating with Campbell to kill the Lawsons and seize control. Rich abducts Marshall and brings him to the Lawson home, where a violent confrontation ensues.
During the standoff, Campbell is wounded, but he retaliates by triggering the explosives. The resulting blast destroys the sacred land, deeply affecting Uncle Bryce, who cries out in anguish in his native Warlpiri language.
This moment highlights the devastating consequences of Sandra’s greed, not only for the Lawson family but for the cultural heritage tied to Marianne Station.
Nolan, infuriated by the destruction, confronts Campbell, pointing a gun at him. The episode leaves viewers uncertain about Campbell’s fate, adding suspense and leaving open questions about justice for the Lawson family and the Indigenous community.
The Aftermath and Uncertain Future of Marianne Station
Following the intense showdown, the family faces the aftermath of their failed efforts to defend Marianne. Colin and Marshall, badly injured in the clash with Rich, are forced to surrender their belongings, including the key to the safe.
Although the Lawsons manage to overpower Rich in a final struggle, Colin is left with lingering guilt and grief over Susie’s death and the recent violence.
Sharnie’s (Kylah Day) arrival brings a moment of relief, as she assists in subduing Rich, allowing Colin to fatally shoot him.
As tensions start to subside, the Lawson family is left to pick up the pieces. Marshall, overwhelmed by the tragedies and family strife, decides to leave Marianne in search of a fresh start.
His departure marks a significant change, as he distances himself from the conflicts that have consumed his life.
Meanwhile, Sandra remains undeterred, calling Nolan from her plane to continue pressing her agenda, despite the devastating consequences her plans have already had. Nolan’s disgust is evident, but Sandra’s persistence hints at further conflict to come.
Amid the fallout, Uncle Bryce, who was injured during the explosion, recovers and reconnects with the Indigenous community, emphasizing the enduring strength of cultural ties and resilience.
Emily and Graham’s Leadership of Marianne Station
In the closing scenes, Colin makes a quiet yet meaningful gesture by handing the keys to the Lawson home to Emily.
This act signifies a shift in power, suggesting that Emily and Graham may now take charge of Marianne Station. Their leadership marks a new chapter for the family, although it comes with uncertainty and unresolved tensions.
The final twist arrives when Elton (Matthew Sunderland), a drifter who witnessed Daniel’s death, returns to confront Emily and Colin. Elton’s presence raises questions about Emily’s role in Daniel’s demise, suggesting that she may have played a part in his tragic fate.
Still from Territory (Credit: Netflix)
Flashbacks reveal that Emily, frustrated by Daniel’s decision to sell Marianne Station to Sandra, shot his horse in a moment of anger, unintentionally leaving him vulnerable to wild dogs.
Elton’s return, with Daniel’s horse and bullets in hand, serves as a reminder of the unresolved past and hints at future confrontations.
The series concludes on an ambiguous note, leaving viewers to wonder about the fates of Emily, Graham, and the other characters.
Marianne Station remains a contested land, symbolizing the ongoing struggle for control, heritage, and survival in a world where power and loyalty are constantly tested.
Territory offers an engaging look at complex family dynamics, power struggles, and the impact of corporate greed on communities and the environment.
With a mix of heartfelt moments and intense drama, the show delivers a compelling narrative that resonates with viewers.
The Lawson family’s journey highlights the sacrifices, betrayals, and resilience required to protect what matters most.
Through its well-developed characters and suspenseful storyline, Territory captures the spirit of a family fighting to protect their legacy against all odds.
