It’s What’s Inside viewers have one question about new Netflix horror movie

It’s What’s Inside is a mind-bending new horror movie that’s sparked plenty of discussion since landing on Netflix, with viewers raising a small yet significant question about one of the characters. 

The premise is wonderfully simple: the night before a wedding, a group of former college friends reunite, but chaos ensues when their estranged pal brings along a device that allows them to switch bodies.

Keeping up with who’s who is where things get a little tricky, but it’s all part of the fun. Plus, director Greg Jardin’s new movie is a visual delight, with its neon-hued aesthetic and smart camera work heightening the disorientation. 

Since landing on Netflix on October 4, It’s What’s Inside has raced to seventh place on the streaming service’s Top 10 movies list, while earning 81% from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Warning: spoilers ahead!

It’s What’s Inside ending sparks one complaint

Meanwhile, viewers at home have been busy dissecting the plot, and while it’s receiving plenty of praise, one complaint has been raised: whether Cyrus deserved to go to prison for the rest of his life. 

From the outset, it’s clear Cyrus (James Morosini) is a bit of a douchebag. He doesn’t treat his girlfriend Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) with the respect she deserves, and spends too much time lusting over their mutual friend, Nikki (Alycia Debnam-Carey). 

So much so that even before the party, in a bid to get her boyfriend to sleep with her, Shelby attempts one of his fantasies: wearing a blonde wig (seemingly so she looks more like Nikki). 

Cyrus makes his feelings pretty clear after the first body-swap. While in Reuben’s (Devon Terrell) body, he pretends to be Forbes (David Thompson) and kisses Nikki (who’s inhabited by Nina Bloomgarden’s Maya at that time). 

In round two, Shelby ends up in Nikki’s body, and things take an interesting turn. Reuben lands in Dennis’ (Gavin Leatherwood) body and Brooke (Reina Hardesty) swaps into Maya’s. 

The pair start hooking up on the balcony, but it breaks, causing them to plunge to their deaths. This means Dennis and Maya no longer have bodies, causing a knock-on effect for the whole group. 

They get into an argument about what to do, with Cyrus (who’s currently in Forbes’s body) suggesting that they all switch back aside from Dennis and Maya, who should take over Reuben and Brooke’s respective bodies. 

Dennis isn’t happy with this arrangement, so much so that he decides to call the police and, as Cyrus, falsely confesses to pushing Dennis and Maya off the balcony. Further chaos ensues as they wait for the cops to show up, with various groups plotting different plans. 

Shelby speaks with Cyrus, suggesting that he goes into Reuben’s body and leaves whoever’s stuck in his to go to jail. She’ll stay in Nikki’s, and the pair can run off together. 

Cyrus agrees, letting Shelby finally know his true feelings for Nikki. What he doesn’t realize is that all of this swapping business has made Shelby finally see how miserable she is constantly seeking his approval and love. 

By the end of the new movie, Cyrus and Shelby are the only ones sent back to their original bodies, meaning Cyrus is sent to prison for the murders of Dennis and Maya. 

Although his actions were sh*tty, many viewers don’t feel he deserved this fate. “I just have one complaint,” said one Redditor. “Was Cyrus that bad of a person that he deserved to be in jail for the rest of his life?”

Another replied, “Hell no he wasn’t. He was sh*tty but not THAT sh*tty. Absolutely F**K Shelby for all of her shenanigans at the end. I came out of this movie absolutely despising her. 

“First, she wanted to keep Nikki’s body and then she just let Cyrus rot in jail for something he didn’t do. She mind games him at Beatrice’s command. 

“He originally was trying to get back to their original bodies. She proposed the counter. I believe he just didn’t want to stay in Forbes’s body in the end.”

“Cyrus was a total piece of sh*t too and he annoyed me literally from the start of the film, but holy crap she’s awful too,” added a third. “Honestly she probably should’ve helped him in the end because they deserved each other.”

A fourth agreed, “I don’t understand how I’m supposed to agree with Shelby’s take by the end of the movie. Especially considering all the sh*tty stuff she pulled on other people. Cyrus was a POS boyfriend yes, but he doesn’t deserve to rot in jail for it lmao.”

However, others have pointed out the fact that all of the characters are flawed. “All of the characters were bad people and all were willing to let Cyrus take the fall,” said one. 

“Any of them could have done something but none of them did. I empathized with all of them despite it. Reuben, cheater. Brooke, sleeping with soon to be married friend. Maya, making out with who she believes to be Forbes who has a girlfriend. 

“Cyrus, tricks Maya into making out with him in Nikki’s body after everything he did to Shelby over the last nine years. Dennis, framing someone for his murder because HE thought he stole money from him and dated a high schooler. 

“Nikki, less bad than the rest but still vapid and performative. Beatrice doesn’t need to be explained. Shelby, yeah she’s really f**king wrong for trying to take Nikki’s body.”

Despite the criticism, overall viewers loved It’s What’s Inside. “Honestly, I was seriously impressed with this film! I’ve been disillusioned to horror lately, but this one was thrilling and engaging and just fun,” said one. Another added, “Fun movie, really liked the visuals.”

It’s What’s Inside had “darker” alternate ending

As for filmmaker Jardin, he’s happy the ending has sparked debate. “I’m pleasantly surprised to see that people have different opinions on the ‘ethics’ of the ending, which does excite me,” he told Variety.

He went on to reveal It’s What’s Inside’s original ending had a “darker tone,” stating that in the alternate final sequence, “Shelby stayed in Nikki’s body and it was Nikki who visited him in jail and told him to F off.”

“Once I started working with the cast, firming up the tone, hearing the music cue and the idea that the ending would be a big victory, we decided to change it so that Shelby is back in her own body, which felt like more of a victory for her,” Jardin added.  

“I initially wanted it to be more of a Black Mirror: it ends and the main character gets what they want, but you as the audience feel uneasy about it. But after just going through everything, it seems like she should grow more as a character and not take that dark of a turn.”

Will there be a sequel?

Although It’s What’s Inside 2 hasn’t received the green light, Jardin is open to the idea of a sequel to his horror movie. 

There’s plenty more story to tell, especially after the twist ending, which revealed that Forbes was never Forbes – it was actually his sister Beatrice (Madison Davenport). 

She decided to use the body swap machine to take over her brother’s body, head to the pre-wedding party, and get back at Dennis after he hooked up with her while she was still in high school and left her institutionalized.

While in Dennis’s body, Beatrice uses his phone to transfer his trust fund money into her own offshore account. 

In the final swap, she ends up in Nikki’s body, with the last scene showing her driving off into the sunset as the influencer with the body-swap machine (and Dennis’ money) in tow. 

Speaking about the potential for an It’s What’s Inside sequel, Jardin said, “People have been asking about that since Sundance, and I’ve been so shocked. I guess time will tell, but there are no firm plans to do a sequel at this point.”

It’s What’s Inside is streaming on Netflix now. With the spooky season coming up, check out the best movies to get kids into horror, the scariest flicks based on true stories, and how to watch the Terrifier movies in order ahead of the threequel.