The Fallout is an American drama film directed by Megan Park. The movie follows Vada (Jenna Ortega), a schoolgirl grappling with the aftermath of a mass shooting at her school, which she survived.
The movie was released on HBO Max on January 27, 2022. It highlights the lived reality of many students and their parents in the US. It explores how trauma stays with a person, even years after the incident, through the main protagonist.
The Fallout ending is ambiguous. While Vada seems to have come to terms with the incident, the final moments show her crying after being triggered by a news alert about a mass shooting in Ohio, which resurfaces her own trauma.
More about The Fallout ending in our story.
Did Vada have a panic attack at the end of The Fallout?
The movie begins with an offscreen shooting, during which a shocked Vada hides inside a bathroom stall with her friends Mia (Maddie Ziegler) and Quinton (Niles Fitch).
The rest of the movie follows her as she tries to make sense of the traumatic event she witnessed and survived. She tries to open up to her family and share her secrets, but everything doesn't go as planned. Vada begins relying on drugs to numb the pain she feels after the incident. Her behavior becomes more erratic as she recklessly sleeps with Mia, kisses Quinton, and makes choices that reflect her internal turmoil.
She does not take a moment to grapple with the intensity of her trauma but labels it as 'chill' and 'low-key.' This leads to repressed feelings of fear, which are triggered at the end of the movie.
As The Fallout approaches its end, Vada appears to be moving towards a hopeful ending as she is texting with Mia. But suddenly, she sees a news alert about a school shooting in Ohio, which triggers her trauma, and she cries. The screen turns to black, and the sounds of a panic attack can be heard.
What does Vada's panic attack at the end of The Fallout symbolize?
Vada's panic attack at the end of the movie symbolizes that the interpersonal healing she experienced throughout the story gave her a false sense that she was okay when she was not.
It also highlights that suppressing such emotions of fear and anxiety after a traumatic event can be triggering. As for Vada, the news alert brings the memories flooding back, reigniting the trauma.
If the movie had shown a positive ending, with Vada coming to terms with her fear, it would have presented a false depiction of trauma, which is not linear. Like Vada, a person remains vulnerable long after such an event.
The ending suggests that Vada has a long way to go before fully healing from the emotional toll of the mass shooting, and she may need professional help to do so.
In addition, the film’s conclusion speaks to the issue of school shootings in the US and the need for tighter gun laws. With an estimated 1,000 school shootings in the last 50 years, the film comments on how mass shootings continue to affect the lives of students and parents alike.
The Fallout stars Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, and Shailene Woodley.
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