The Beast Within is a horror film that takes on the psychological effects of a family’s deep history of abuse. The Alexander J. Farrell-directed flick was released in July 2024 and wasn’t exactly well-received by critics and fans, earning a 4.3/10 IMDb rating and 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, The Beast Within brought in just $51,860 during its opening week in the United States.
Still, this English-countryside-themed thriller is worth a spin, taking viewers through an imaginative tale where the truth is hard to decipher. If you’re a fan of monsters, werewolves, or even fascinated by lycanthropy, a rare psychiatric disorder where someone believes they are an animal, keep reading for The Beast Within ending explained. However, we must warn you, that a spoiler-heavy breakdown is just ahead.
What Is the Family Curse?
In The Beast Within, we meet Willow (Caoilinn Springall), a young girl who spends her life with her father Noah (Kit Harington), and her mother Imogen (Ashleigh Cummings). Willow is subjected to a strict upbringing in their secluded compound, and Noah is adamant that Willow will remain inside at night. This is particularly intriguing since Noah and Imogen go into the woods at least once a month for a secret excursion. Despite having a severe form of asthma that often requires an oxygen tank, Willow’s curiosity gets the best of her, especially after seeing her mother return from these secret meetings with bruises.
Willow finally follows her parents into the woods one night and what she sees is truly disturbing. Imogen places a chain collar around Noah’s neck, and he quickly transforms into a werewolf-like creature. Panicked, Willow has an asthma attack, and her mother, realizing that her daughter has learned their secret, takes her back home. Stunned and angry at both parents, Willow begins digging and learns that her father’s dangerous transformation is the result of an ancient family curse, which has spanned generations. Noah also confirms that he turns into a werewolf under the curse during full moons. While that would seem to be the end of the saga, viewers soon learn that this explanation is much deeper.
How Does ‘The Beast Within’ End?
After learning of Noah’s secret, things are calm until the next full moon takes place. Once again, Willow is left alone while her parents retreat to the forest. However, she overhears her grandfather telling Imogen that Noah will soon kill them both, which only upsets Willow. She has another asthma attack, though this time, her oxygen tank runs out of air. Her panicked mother must then enter their property’s barn to get another air supply, where Noah begins to transform, making the mission more risky for Willow, her grandfather, and her mother.
Noah attacks the grandfather, wounding him before the trio makes a narrow escape. The grandfather stays back to keep Noah from getting to Willow and Imogen, as they make a dash toward the woods. The half-werewolf/half-human creature catches Willow, with Imogen now forced to talk him into putting the child down. However, it becomes apparent that he is preparing to kill his wife. To save her mother, Willow uses her oxygen tank as a blow torch to set her dad ablaze. With them both free from Noah’s animalistic rage, the pair leave the property to start over. In this happily-ever-after conclusion, we learn that Noah was never actually a werewolf. Instead, this is how Willow interprets her father, who is actually a violent husband who mercilessly abuses Imogen. The film is told through Willow’s viewpoint where the “werewolf” imagery is Willow’s way of coping with the terrifying beatings she witnessed her mother endure. Noah is fully human but encourages his daughter to see him as “cursed,” seemingly as justification for his outbursts.
