I think the ending says a lot of things, but ultimately not much for us--life: 1, humanity: 0. No matter what animal they showed, there's life implied--that's good. But show the apex predator right there you don't have to spend much time going back and seeing if there were enough people left alive to repopulate a restroom stall--human eaters in the hizzouse!

Also, all this time, life has continued, and maybe if wizardry had been applied in trying to set down roots in a changed ecosystem, all that craziness and barbarity would have been pointless. But instead humanity took an opportunity to look as bad as possible.

Given everything else in the movie, I was pretty satisfied when I thought it might be the end (of the movie, and of humanity) when the screen went black after the train crashed.

I took it as both.

You're probably right.

Also, what ita said.

Given everything else in the movie

Jesse, me too. Having not read the graphic novel, I'm guessing that the polar bear was in there, because it would make a good panel for a comic book.

I've been reading about Snowpiercer (and reading the whitefont) to figure out if I want to see the movie. I read an interview with the creator (I think) that said the animal at the end was originally intended to be a deer, to show that there was still life outside the train and so humans could survive, but they changed it because the polar bear was supposed to die out but if it didn't, that was a symbol of the humans also being able to survive. I don't know. I think without any prep, I would have been confused about what that was supposed to mean. FTR, I'm not sorry I've completely spoiled myself for this one. I want to watch it but only in the safety of my living room.

What the artist says is worth taking into consideration, but not the final word."Trust the tale, not the teller" - Neil Gaiman (though he may have been quoting someone else).

Right, Typo. I think I'd have preferred the deer, just for clarity. Like I said, the polar bear would have confused me as to what it meant for the story. I think I'll be totally okay with "and then they died, the end" in this case, though.

What the artist says is worth taking into consideration, but not the final word."Trust the tale, not the teller" - Neil Gaiman (though he may have been quoting someone else).

This. I hate to say the filmmaker is wrong about what they think they presented on the screen, but there is a huge difference between a deer and a polar bear.

It should have been a penguin. Plausibly able to survive in this climate, and not likely to eat the last two humans alive.

right? something. crazy.

It never occurred to me that the bear was supposed to be a direct threat to them.