The Bad Shepherd ending explained: What is the major twist in Geo Santini's 2024 thriller?

Geo Santini's The Bad Shepherd subtly sheds light on those words of wisdom that Dumbledore gave Harry when everyone at Hogwarts was grieving for Cedric Diggory,

"Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."

The film is about four friends who are entangled in a similar situation. They find a bag full of money after this woman dies after struggling to hold on to her life (and the bag). Now they are faced with a couple of choices: reporting what happened (right) or keeping the money for themselves (easy).

However, they are encountered by this mysterious man called Sidney and things are starting to get more complicated. Long story short, Sidney is revealed to be Satan at the end. Well, technically, it is revealed in the very beginning; just look at the title. If Jesus is the good shepherd, who is going to be the bad shepherd? in this case, Sidney.

Proof that Sidney is the Devil in The Bad Shepherd

We are all aware that no entity like a bad shepherd appears in sacred texts but it is very clear throughout the movie that The Bad Shepherd is indeed about the devil. Geo Santini himself plays Sidney, who has orchestrated the events we see there.

Money being his bait, he lures friends John, Leonard, Paul, and Travis using it. Not that they have chosen the easy path; he tries to manipulate them and this is where the first signs appear.

Sidney reveals that John has killed in the past; Travis was involved with Paul's wife and Paul's daughter, biologically speaking, isn't Paul's. A normal being cannot simply know that until he has investigated them secretly. Chaos ensues, deaths follow, and the devil sits there and enjoys the show.

Fans will notice that Sidney has a taste for blood and drinks something from red vials. Blood rituals are closely associated with Satanism, which cements the fact that he is indeed the devil. Some theories on the internet claim he is a vampire in The Bad Shepherd but then his acts raise him above any vampire or Dracula by a long shot.

And then there's that gunshot, which didn't affect him; what more proof does one need to deduce what kind of entity he is?

The Bad Shepherd was about a cycle that keeps on going

By the end of the film, as fans will realize that it is not a murder mystery but a supernatural movie where humans are simply pawns, it is revealed that this is all just a game and that cycle will begin again.

Paul is spared by the devil, but only after roping him in and now he is a part of this cycle. What we can say for sure is that he is not a human anymore. Sometimes. Being good comes at a cost, and Paul was the only good person at heart; it belongs to Sidney now.

The ultimate twist comes as Darlene returns as if nothing had happened to her, which clears out that she is already a part of the supernatural band. The ending is the beginning and Darlene goes on to bait whoever will come that way so the game shall begin again. Maybe Paul will join her or get another bloody gig from Sidney.