History of Evil is a movie directed by Bo Mirhosseni, set in a dystopian future America in the year 2045. America is seen as a mess with lots of fighting and corruption. It’s degenerated into a strict religious government with a fascist police force that controls everything. Regular people are fed up with this torment and decide to start a revolutionary group called The Resistance to fight back against their barbaric policies. One member of that group, named Alegre Dyer, escapes jail by taking help from a guard, as she was locked up there by the ruling government for writing a book against these policies and was called a terrorist. She also meets with her daughter, Daria, and her husband, Ron, who later hide in a faraway, safe place from the police. But little did they know their new hideout had a dark past, with a creepy and ominous presence that started affecting Ron’s mind. He changes in a scary way, becoming unrecognizable to his family. Despite wanting to protect them, he becomes something sinister. Thus, History of Evil is about politics, psychological horror, and the struggle to resist becoming our own worst enemies, even in the face of overwhelming odds, which has dire consequences.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Ron And His Family Take Refuge In An Old Cottage?
In the year 2045, after years of corruption and civil strife, the former United States fell under authoritarian rule, becoming the North American Federation, a neo-fascist state. State-sanctioned militias spread terror throughout the land in the name of God and country. Alegre Dyer, having escaped from jail, where she was branded a terrorist by the fascist police, reunited with her husband Ron and daughter Daria. They knew they were not safe there as Alegre had been protesting against these police and wanted to flee the place to stay off the grid, but faced challenges as there were checkpoints everywhere. Police officers come over to check if they are wearing ankle tags to enforce their authority by tracking their movements as if they were prisoners. In fear, young Daria and Alegre hid inside a bag in the car, while her father and their driver, Trudy, were questioned under oath about Alegre’s whereabouts.
In front of them, they witnessed people being shot, which frightened them deeply. However, they were let go because the authorities couldn’t find Alegre Dyer there. It was evident to them that these police officers acted like fascists. Despite the fear, they tried to reassure themselves that everything would be alright, as it had to be. Deciding to hide the van in a forest, Ron, Alegre, their daughter Daria, their dog, and Trudy began walking from there. They dressed in attire meant to camouflage them in the forest to avoid public and the detection by the drones flying above their heads. They came upon an open cottage and decided to seek shelter there. Inside, they found pictures of the previous owners and old furniture. Realizing they had to ration everything from food to water, they prepared for the challenges ahead.
How Did They Find Out About The Ominous Presence?
Trudy, the driver, explained that they chose to hide them in this place because it terrified people of its evil past so the fascist police officers would not think that the “terrorist” and their family would hide there. But to be safe they needed to keep the lights off to avoid being tracked. They understood the importance of sticking together as a family. Alegre felt conflicted, wondering if she should have gone to the base camp to fight. She struggled with feeling purposeless. Ron, her husband, reminded her that she was not like a 20-year-old seeking adventure and had a family now so she needed to act accordingly. During a playful moment with her mother Daria mentioned seeing a boy behind her, though there was no one there. Daria questioned her mother why there was a billboard with her picture on it, to which Alegre explained that her book had angered powerful people, labeling her a criminal and a terrorist. Despite being a little girl, Daria’s support was commendable. In the meanwhile, to find clean water to drink, Ron was working on the pipes.
As he broke the wall in the process, they discovered a box containing disturbing items: a masked cloth, a knife, old pictures, and black ribbons, indicating torture and the evil past of the house. One night, they heard creaking at the door. When Ron investigated, he encountered an old, grotesque man with black paint on his mouth, resembling the previous owner of the house. The man painted Ron’s mouth black, causing fear and confusion in him. It was in a way as if he controls Ron from now on through his spirit. The next morning, they knew they had to leave after spending the strange night there, but checkpoints up to the Canadian border blocked their way. They thought with Daria the situation would become riskier if they tried to escape. They considered rerouting, but the harshness of the protesters made seeking help from The Resistance impossible. They realized they had to stay put, as the base camp couldn’t assist them. That night, Ron was startled awake by the ticking of a clock. He discovered the old man in the kitchen, dressed oddly in white attire and sipping coffee. Ron was shocked. He talked about his personal stories with Ron but said that he should not let his wife, Alegre dominate him. As a husband, it’s his duty to control her. As he went to sleep, Ron saw a woman combing her hair in the mirror and someone in iron bondage approaching them. It made him shiver as he knew there shouldn’t be anyone but them in the house.
How Did Ron Die?
The next morning, the fascist police officers came searching for Alegre. They believed she was hiding on the property. However, Ron distracted them, claiming they were on the same side. Despite their thorough search of the house and the surrounding area, they found no trace of Alegre. To further convince them of their innocence, Ron led the officers to an underground corridor outside the house, where she could potentially be hiding, but they found nothing. Grateful for his cooperation, the officers left. Ron and Alegre knew they had to leave before they were caught. That night, Ron ventured into the underground corridor again, as he was curious to find out what was there, and encountered the same man. The man urged Ron to embrace selfishness and seize full control over everything, claiming he could unleash his true potential. Thus, this encounter with the mysterious man serves as a pivotal moment. The man’s encouragement for Ron to embrace selfishness and seize control symbolizes a temptation towards evil. Ron’s willingness to take this advice further signifies his descent into darkness.
The next morning, when Daria struggled to leave her room, Ron manipulated her, saying he felt like she was upset because they had to endure these conditions so Mommy was safe after getting out of jail. Alegre, overhearing this, felt upset and awful and could not recognize her husband. That night, Daria saw a man suffocating in a plastic bag in her room, which terrified her. Ron went to talk to the man, expressing his dissatisfaction with his marriage and lack of peace of mind. The man suggested he reclaim his power to assert patriarchal authority. Consequently, Ron confronted Alegre, expressing his frustration that she made him feel emasculated and that he no longer felt he had the power to protect her. Alegre realized something was wrong; this wasn’t the man she knew. Since coming to the house, he has changed drastically. Later that night, Ron saw a burning cross, interpreting it as a sign of evil authority over God’s presence.
These ominous occurrences contribute to the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, highlighting the dark forces at play. The next morning, Ron broke the radio through which they were connecting with the people at the base camp to ensure their safe escape. Alegre saw this and approached, but Ron intervened, forcefully pulling her towards him, putting a rope around her neck and dragging her to the ground. Trudy intervened to rescue Alegre and threw him forcefully. However, Ron stood up, pulled out a gun, and shocked everyone by putting it in his mouth, ending his life. Ron’s ultimate act of violence, putting a gun in his own mouth, can be interpreted as a final manifestation of the evil within him. It represents a complete surrender to darkness and despair, ultimately leading to his demise.
At the end of History of Evil, it is shown how, as they were outside, a drone tracked them, and fascist police officers swarmed the area to find Alegre. However, the house’s ominous presence, filled with tortured spirits, turned on the police officers, trapping them in plastic bags and hanging them on the walls. Finally, Alegre, Trudy, and Daria escaped from the house. They sought help from one of the trapped police officers, holding him at gunpoint, and took his van to escape. Alegre held the radio microphone and spoke about how they had been tormented over the years by the fear of prosecution and death threats, instilling fear in each other. But she said that fear would not cripple the Resistance and those who are fighting against this cruelty. They shouldn’t be afraid of those who try to silence them or separate them. Instead, the ruling government should recognize their strength in numbers and resilience, knowing they are many and strong enough to survive this torment. Alegre’s efforts and bravery to protect her family and the community symbolize a struggle against evil forces. Despite her fears and uncertainties, she maintained her moral integrity and ultimately survived the ordeal.
