History Film / TheEmptyMan

''The Empty Man'' is a 2020 horror film directed by David Prior based on a Creator/BoomStudios graphic novel series of the same name. The film stars Creator/JamesBadgeDale, Creator/MarinIreland, Creator/StephenRoot, Creator/RonCanada, Creator/JoelCourtney, Creator/RobertAramayo, and Sasha Frolova.

* GenreShift: The first 20 minutes are [[SurvivalHorror survival horror]] the middle part [[UrbanLegend urban legend]] ghost story and the final portion [[spoiler: is full-blown [[CosmicHorrorStory Cosmic Horror Story]].]]

** "We transmit, you receive", "itch in the brain", and "[[spoiler: nothing is real]]".

* FanDisservice: We get [[MaleGaze a good view]] of [[spoiler:Davara]]'s naked body shortly before [[spoiler:she is killed in the sauna by the Empty Man.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/687afc29_64b1_44e6_93bb_1d2aa3857346.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We transmit, you receive."'']]

[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk6u9X1bW30 Official trailer]].

''The Empty Man'' is a 2020 horror film directed by David Prior based on a Creator/BoomStudios graphic novel series of the same name. The film stars Creator/JamesBadgeDale, Creator/MarinIreland, Creator/StephenRoot, Creator/RonCanada, Creator/JoelCourtney, Robert Aramayo, and Sasha Frolova.

* DropDeadGorgeous: Davara dies in a sauna while completely naked.

* BlackSpeech[=/=]BrownNote: Certain people affected by The Empty Man are seemingly compelled to whisper... ''something''... to other people. [[spoiler: Whatever this is, it [[PsychicAssistedSuicide causes several people who hear to kill themselves]], and it causes Ruthie to commit a MurderSuicide in the prologue. It's heavily implied that the whispering has other effects as well.]]

* TheAdjectivalMan: The titular Empty Man.

* ArcWords: "We transmit, you receive", "itch in the brain", and "[[spoiler: nothing is real]]".

* FightingFromTheInside: When Paul is found by the other hikers, he tries to warn them that they will die if they touch him. He also sheds a SingleTear when [[spoiler: his girlfriend, Ruthie, is compelled to [[MurderSuicide kill the other hikers, then herself]].]]
** His running away on the third day could also be him trying to ''get himself away'' from the other hikers before something happens.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Amanda talking to Lasombra about the [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve power of thought]], before she goes missing. [[spoiler: It's an early sign that the film is really a CosmicHorrorStory.]]
** [[spoiler: How eloquently she talks about it is also a hint that she's a ''much'' more [[BossInMookClothing experienced member]] of The Pontifex Society than we're led to believe.]]
*** [[spoiler: The conversation itself also turns out to be NotHyperbole; she's talking about creating [[{{Tulpa}} thoughtforms]]... like Lasombra]].

** The SpiderLimbs also give it some resemblance to the many-limbed asuras (who are mostly conceived of as demons) in many Dharmic religions. Fitting, given that Bhutan's major religion is Tibetan Buddhism, a particularly esoteric form of Buddhism that often uses images of gods and demons as focuses for meditation.
* MeaningfulName: "Pontifex" is a Latin word meaning "bridge builder". It's also an old term for a pontiff or bishop, or, a "bridge" between man and god; Pope Francis even uses "@Pontifex" as his Website/{{Twitter}} handle. [[spoiler: This fits with both Paul and Lasombra, who become hosts for The Empty Man, or, "bridges" between The Empty Man and the real world. It also fits with The Pontifex Society, who operate as a ReligionOfEvil, and created Lasombra to be The Empty Man's new host, i.e. "building a bridge", and functioning as their spiritual leader ''a la'' the Pope.]]

* ProlongedPrologue: The prologue in Bhutan takes about 23 minutes.

* ShoutOut: You'd be forgiven for assuming with the way it's spoken of that [[spoiler: The Empty Man is a form of Nyarlathotep.]]

* SurrealHorror: The film dabbles in this a lot.
** When Lasombra discovers Pontifex cultists at the camp, the ''stars in the sky start to warp behind him'' as they complete their ritual. There's also the MirrorRoutine when the cultists finally notice him.

--> '''Lasombra:''' [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Yeah, no.]] ''(starts running as the cultists chase after him)''

* ExistentialHorror: [[spoiler:Veers into it at the end with John, when he learns that he was a tulpa created by the cult with no free will or real existence.]]

* MeaningfulName: "Pontifex" is a Latin word meaning "bridge builder". It's also an old term for a pontiff or bishop, or, a "bridge" between man and god. [[spoiler: This fits with both Paul and Lasombra, who become hosts for The Empty Man, or, "bridges" between The Empty Man and the real world. It also fits with The Pontifex Society, who operate as a ReligionOfEvil, and created Lasombra to be The Empty Man's new host, i.e. "building a bridge".]]

* GenreShift: The first 20 minutes are [[SurvivalHorror survival horror]] the middle part [[UrbanLegend urban legend]] ghost story and the final portion [[spoiler: is full-blown [[CosmicHorrorStory]].]]

* GenreShift: The first 20 minutes are [[SurvivalHorror survival horror]] the middle part [[UrbanLegend urban legend]] ghost story and the final portion [[spoiler: [[CosmicHorrorStory]].]]

* GenreShift: The first 20 minutes are [[SurvivalHorror survival horror]] the middle part [[UrbanLegend urban legend]] ghost story and the final portion [[spoiler: [[CosmicHorrorStory]] ]]

* GenreShift: The first 20 minutes are [[SurvivalHorror]] the middle part [[UrbanLegend]] and the final portion [[spoiler: CosmicHorrorStory]] ]]

* DueToTheDead: After killing [[spoiler:Davala]], the Empty Man closes her [[EyeScream one remaining eye.]]

* UndeadAbomination: The Empty Man may or may not be undead. At the very least, that's probably its' skeleton that Paul finds in the cave, but the Empty Man can't really be considered alive, being made up of thoughts.

* MirrorRoutine: After Lasombra is noticed by the cultists at the camp, they start copying his movements ''en masse''.

%%* UndeadAbomination: The Empty Man.