Shell (2025), directed by Max Minghella, is a dark satire that blends psychological horror with social commentary, showing the pressures women face in the entertainment industry. Elisabeth Moss plays Samantha Lake, a talented actress struggling with aging in a world that values youth above all else. Kate Hudson plays Zoe Shannon, the charming but dangerous president of a wellness company that promises eternal beauty.
The film has a strong sense of David Cronenberg, using… Body horror To show the pressure on women’s bodies, and also references Giallo Horror and classic horror films with their grainy, old-school, angst-ridden camerawork. While the style feels original, the story is carefully critical of plastic surgery, age, and how actors are replaced or marginalized as they age. There are playful nods to the past: Hudson’s villainous role echoes her mother, Goldie Hawn’s iconic witch character in Death becomes herswhile Moss portrays a naive, self-possessed actress who knows her own foibles but also stands her ground when needed.
The film tries to be funny and bold, but the editing feels very inconsistent. What’s even more distracting is that Moose’s potential carry is hidden with a body double, but the effect is obvious and poorly concealed. Despite these flaws, Shell provides a powerful message about the harsh realities women face in the entertainment industry. It shows how they are constantly judged for their age and appearance, held to unrealistic beauty standards, and are often eliminated once they no longer fit the industry’s narrow idea of youth and importance.
In this article, I will discuss the ambiguous ending of Shell (2024) in detail. the Article contains spoilersIf you haven’t seen the movie, it’s best to stop reading now.
Shell (2025) plot summary and movie synopsis:
What happens in Max Minghella’s shell (2025)?
Shell follows Samantha Lake, an aging actress whose career is fading despite her talent. She finds herself invisible in an industry obsessed with youth, a fact that affects countless actresses who are judged more on looks than skill. The film quickly establishes the pressures of fame and beauty, creating a sobering backdrop for the horror and ridicule that follows.
Why does Samantha agree to treatment?
After much hesitation and conversations with her best friend Lydia, Samantha discovers Shell, a high-end clear company that formulates treatments to keep people looking young and refreshed. Zoe Shannon, the company’s glamorous face, convinces her that the procedure is safe and groundbreaking. With the encouragement of Dr. Hubert, a scientist working at Shell, Samantha decides to go ahead with it. At first, everything seems perfect: her skin looks radiant, her confidence is back, and she’s back in the public eye. Samantha soon becomes the company’s poster girl, as the results of her treatment are demonstrated.
Samantha’s choice to undergo the procedure is rooted in desperation. Opportunities dried up because of her age, not her talent. Dr. Hubert frames the treatment as cutting-edge, safe, and promising a second chance in her career. The film emphasizes that Samantha’s consent is complicated by systemic pressures: rejection can mean no lasting connection. Her decision underscores a harsh reality for women in Hollywood, where conforming to beauty standards is often a prerequisite for survival.
However, the brilliance of her sudden fame and success soon begins to crumble. Samantha begins to notice black lesions forming on her skin, which are minor at first but increasingly alarming. At the same time, a young model named Chloe Benson, also a Shell agent, disappears under mysterious circumstances. The narrative pivots from glossy wellness fantasy to tense psychological and body horror, as the story exposes the literal and cosmetic costs of society’s obsession with youth. Samantha begins to uncover the terrifying truth: treatments paralyze the human body on a fundamental level, similar to the gnawing processes of crustaceans, forcing rapid skin regeneration at a dangerous pace.
What are the black growths on Samantha?
Black lesions are the body’s reaction to an accelerated and abnormal regeneration process. They are misshapen tissue, and they visually represent the failure of treatment and the dangers of tampering with the body. Although initially minimized by the company’s doctors, its severity grows, serving as a physical manifestation of Shell’s hidden dangers and the film’s body horror elements.
What happened to Chloe?
Chloe’s disappearance suggests that Samantha is not alone in facing the consequences of Shell’s unethical practices. Her absence raises narrative tension and demands Samantha investigate further. Chloe’s fate foretells the extreme lengths the company will go to maintain its façade and keep its customers in check.
How does Dr. Hubert help Samantha?
Samantha seeks out Dr. Hubert for help after realizing the severity of her condition. In a private setting, Hubert immerses Samantha in a chemical solution designed to temporarily soothe her lesions. The sequence shows Hubert’s moral complexity: he is part of the system but deplores the consequences, especially for Chloe. This scene also foreshadows the final unfolding of Chloe’s fate
What deal does Shell Samantha offer?
When the dangers become clear, Shell tries to regain control with a deal: a lifetime of treatment, financial benefits, and protection in exchange for Samantha’s silence. This demonstrates the de facto power of companies and their reliance on legal tools, such as NDAs, to protect their brand and suppress accountability. Samantha rejects the stage for the film’s climax and it reinforces her agency as a character.
Shell (2024) ending film explained:
Is Samantha able to save herself?
Shell’s ending resolves Samantha’s personal arc while leaving broader systemic issues unresolved. After rejecting Shell’s hush-hush deal, Zoe brings Samantha to a secured room where Chloe is exposed. The never-before-seen human model has transformed into a crustacean-like creature, which is literal for the “fashion” metaphor used throughout the film. This moment blends body horror and satire, making Shell’s promises of eternal youth terrifyingly tangible.
Clu’s escape leads to chaos, killing the executives and attacking the lab employees. Zoe tries to hide in the glass processing room, which fails when Chloe smashes the equipment. Zoe dies inside, illustrating the paradox of being consumed by one’s obsession with perfection and control. Samantha, not spared by Chloe, survives and becomes the moral center of the story. She publicly displays Shell through interviews and memoirs, declaring that she will not apologize for her appearance.
What does the film’s ambiguous ending mean?
Despite Samantha’s personal victory, Shell as a system survives. The company continues to operate, emphasizing that it is difficult to dismantle systemic power and societal obsession with youth. Chloe’s fate remains a mystery – she leaves the clinic, hinting at survival, revenge or disappearance. Its unresolved story reinforces the film’s themes of systemic exploitation and the consequences of tampering with human bodies for profit.
Shell (2025) Film themes analyzed:
Ageism and the entertainment industry
The film highlights the harsh treatment of elderly women in Hollywood. Samantha’s career has stagnated not because of a lack of talent but because she is older. Actors are often replaced by younger talent or forced to have cosmetic procedures to remain relevant. Shell exposes and performs these pressures through her narrative, demonstrating the extreme consequences of a system that values youth over skill.
Beauty, consent and physical independence
The treatments promise eternal youth, but the cost is much greater than anyone expects. Samantha’s growing lesions, Chloe’s horrific transformation, and Zoe’s death all show the real, physical and emotional toll of chasing society’s impossible beauty standards. The film also asks a deeper question: Can women truly consent when pressure to look perfect comes from society and their careers, pushing them toward choices that can be dangerous or even life-changing?
Corporate secrecy and control
Shell relies on NDAs, hush-hush deals, and control of corporate structures to keep its power intact. Samantha’s interactions with company executives show how vulnerable a person is to this system. Even in the end, when certain truths are exposed, the company—and the system it represents—remains, which feels all too familiar in real life.
Body horror as social commentary
The film’s shocking twists aren’t just for scares’ sake – they reflect the way society exploits and oppresses women. Chloe’s crustacean-like body becomes a painfully literal example of what happens when female bodies are treated like commodities and held to unrealistic beauty standards. Horror works both physically and emotionally, making the audience feel the fear, shame, and loss that comes with trying to meet a culture obsessed with youth and perfection. It’s a reminder of expectations like these that take on real women every day.
Agency and survival
In the end, we see Samantha alive and thriving. She chose to speak out, taking back control of her own story even though the system around her remained unchanged. The film shows that standing up for yourself is possible, but real change in an industry or society takes more than just one person. The film’s ending steers toward a mixture of hope and frustration, highlighting the gap between personal triumphs and the larger, unchanging system.
Read more: The Substance (2024) demonstrated the termination of subjects, horror’s subversion of the politics of beauty
Shell (2025) Movie Trailer:
Shell (2024) Movie Links: IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, letterboxd
Shell (2024) Movie Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, Kaia Gerber, Ariane Moed, Estee Haim, Elizabeth Berkley, Lianne Sutter, Amy Landecker
Where to watch Shell
