The Passenger is another great Blumhouse film but it departs slightly from the company’s killer horror. It starts in a brutal, horrific way, but then turns into this weird buddy road trip movie. However, don’t mistake it for a carefree, fun movie. In fact, Randy (Johnny Berchtold) is on a road trip from hell. This makes The Passenger ending so fascinating. This nightmarish situation ends with a happy conclusion that’s a complex tribute to a killer.
Two stuffed animals haven’t been this important since Pixar made Toy Story. It’s not the toys themselves that are important, but the representation, especially for Benson (Kyle Gallner) and his journey. The green giraffe is more than just a green giraffe here.
What Happened At The End Of The Passenger
After fearing her turning him in for the death of Mr. Sheppard (Glendon Ray Hobgood), Benson abducts Miss Beard (Liza Weil). They end up at the diner from earlier. While waiting for their food and drinks, the waitress, Marsha (Kanesha Washington), confronts Benson about his insinuation that she wasted her life. He then shoots her in the leg. Before the confrontation, Randy secretly calls the police while in the bathroom.
Randy pleads with Benson to prevent more deaths. He then tells Benson to listen, and he hears the police sirens. Benson thinks Miss Beard called the cops and waves a gun in her direction, but Randy blocks her. Benson accidentally shoots Randy. He tries to stop the bleeding, and Randy admits that he called them.
A shocked Benson walks to his death. He aims his gun at the police and is shot. The movie fast-forwards to the near future, and Randy has completely changed his life. He babysits for Miss Beard, has friends, and doesn’t let his mother control him.
The final image of The Passenger is the crocodile and giraffe toys from earlier in the film. Randy has given them to Miss Beard’s daughter.
The Giraffe Represents Benson’s Trauma
Before walking to his death, Benson tells Randy that he used to want to be a giraffe when he was a child. This is a slight call back to when they go to the Build-A-Bear type shop and Benson requests a giraffe. It’s clearly an animal that he loved all his life. However, the giraffe seemingly represents something sadder.
It’s a physical representation of a loss of hope and innocence for Benson. The Passenger never explicitly states that Mr. Sheppard abused Benson in some way. However, it’s heavily implied. You can tell Benson has been a victim of Sheppard by how he reacts when he sees him. It’s an instant replay of the trauma inflicted on him.
We later see Benson break down alone in Miss Beard’s bathroom. These moments give Benson’s violent outbursts more substance. He’s a man who has been silent about his pain for so long, and the giraffe likely represents a time before Benson’s abuse. A time when he used to dream and just be a carefree child who wanted to turn into a giraffe.
Benson also tells Randy that he’s never been in control before he dies. This one line has so much weight, because it could mean not having control of the things that happened to him, not having control of this situation with Randy, not being in control of his emotional turmoil, or not having control of where his life ended up. He has never felt in control of his life, likely not until he decided to kill his boss and co-workers.
Even if Mr. Sheppard never abused Benson, it’s clear that he comes from a neglectful home. His mother barely moves and seems distant. Benson hasn’t had the same caring, loving family as many others. This doesn't justify his actions, but it helps show that he is as much a victim as he is a perpetrator. The giraffe symbolically represents the childhood lost because of Benson’s trauma.
It Represents Benson And Randy’s Bond
The toys, in the most basic form, represent the complicated friendship that develops between Randy and Benson over one day. Their friendship isn’t a fun bromance, but one where Randy constantly fears what Benson will do next. However, a real friendship does develop. That’s why Randy doesn’t immediately burn the toys from that day.
Strangely, Randy keeping the toys seems like he’s honoring the moment. Maybe not all the violence and murder, but the parts where Benson truly was looking out for him in his own twisted way. Benson and Randy have a complicated, dark friendship. However, it’s the opposite of movies where romances take a dark turn, because this one takes a positive turn. Randy grows into a better version of himself because of it. Additionally, Benson seems like he’s trying to give Randy the healing he never had, so in some ways, he's trying to help himself, too.
The giraffe could represent Randy’s decision to not view their brief encounter as this devastating thing, but something that positively impacted his life. This shows his character growth. Before his abduction, Randy would have let this incident cripple and stop his growth, similar to how he reacted to the Miss Beard accident. Now he can see beyond his pain and grow from his trauma into a happier, more evolved person. He also learns from Benson by not letting himself turn into him. He can healthily process his scars.
The Giraffe Helps Show Benson As More Than His Crimes
Benson is not an anti-hero, but he’s also not fully a villain. He’s something more complicated. In an interview with Infamous Horror, The Passenger director Carter Smith discussed how Benson is more than his crimes. He also mentions how his past could have led him down this path. In an interview with Above the Line, Smith goes into how Benson is a dangerous character, but you’re also charmed by him:
Because it’s important that Benson is unhinged and unpredictable, but he also has to be incredibly charming and he has to not only win over Randy, but he has to win over the audience, in a certain respect.
Benson scares you, but has moments that make you want him to survive. And that gives him layers of complexity that aren’t always seen with this type of villain. You should not root for his deranged rampage, but his layers help show him as an extremely damaged human. He’s not necessarily evil, but not well.
Smith also had this to say about Benson to MovieWeb:
I wanted to make sure he came off as somebody who was more than the bad thing he does, and if he had been given access to, or had the opportunity to deal with some of his struggles, whether their mental health struggles or childhood trauma struggles… that hopefully people may see a kernel of Benson in someone they know, and that may, help connect them to get some of the help.
The giraffe brings humanity to Benson. He committed monstrous acts but he's still human. The Passenger isn’t afraid to challenge how you view this killer. It gives heart to someone who has committed unforgivable crimes.
The Passenger is one of the best horror movies (sort-of horror movies) to watch on MGM+. It’s also a film with great performances, especially by Kyle Gallner, who continues to take on really captivating roles. The Passenger is a great movie that happens over one day, which allows it to become an intimate, complicated character study.
