Hold Your Breath's jaw-dropping plot twist will leave you stunned and unnerved
Contains spoilers for 'Hold Your Breath'
OKLAHOMA, PANHANDLE: 'Hold Your Breath' is a psychological horror film set in 1930s Oklahoma, during the devastating Dust Bowl. Margaret (Sarah Paulson), a vulnerable mother, struggles to keep her family safe while coping with her deteriorating mental state. Her husband, Henry, is away for work, leaving Margaret alone to care for their two daughters, Rose and Ollie, in a house haunted by the memory of her deceased daughter, Ada.
Margaret's grip on reality falters with the arrival of Wallace, a mysterious preacher claiming a connection to Henry. As her paranoia grows, Margaret becomes isolated from the local community, putting her children's safety at risk. The film builds tension as Margaret's erratic behavior escalates, culminating in a tragic confrontation between her supernatural hallucinations and psychological despair.
Who is Wallace in 'Hold Your Breath'?
Margaret worries about Thomas's (Nathan Gariety) safety, so she visits Esther's (Annaleigh Ashford), but what she finds shocks her. The sheriff says Esther isn't taking care of Thomas instead she's badly hurt.Then suddenly Esther lashes out at Margaret saying she'll end up just like her. Later, Margaret meets Wallace, a preacher she doesn't trust as her husband had warned her in a letter about a fake preacher who stole from him.
Margaret is scared and tries to protect her daughter Ollie. She even fires her rifle to test Wallace. But when Wallace destroys the letter, people start questioning Margaret's sanity. As things get worse, Margaret's fears and doubts take over. She starts seeing and hearing terrifying things - Esther trying to harm Ollie, and she starts hearing Wallace's creepy voice everywhere. Margaret's world is falling apart.
Is Margaret really possessed in 'Hold Your Breath'?
Esther suggests seeking help from healer Everett for Margaret's erratic behavior, but Margaret is convinced it's impostor Wallace. When no one believes her, Rose confirms Wallace's true identity. At home, Margaret's grip on reality falters. She sews her hands to the fabric, lost in madness. A sudden knock at the door sends Margaret outside with a rifle, into the thick fog. She hears Wallace and Esther's eerie whispers.
A dark figure emerges, and Margaret fires. The figure dissolves into the sand, leaving Margaret convinced she has killed Wallace – or the Grey Man. That night, Rose discovers Margaret scratching apologies to Ada on the wall. Margaret's trance-like state worsens, and she sees Wallace approaching. Rose steps in, jolting Margaret back to reality. She mentions Margaret's sleepwalking episodes, but Margaret's mysterious words leave Rose feeling uneasy. In a moment of panic, Rose shoves Margaret away and rushes inside. As tensions rise, "The Descent into Darkness" begins, blending reality with madness.
Can Margaret find her way back from the brink of insanity in 'Hold Your Breath'?
Margaret returns home to find Rose trying to take Ollie away. But outside, things quickly go wrong. Ollie accidentally pushes Rose onto Esther's dead body. Rose is devastated and bursts into tears. When the sheriff arrives, Rose tells him Margaret is not well. But in a shocking moment, Margaret stabs the sheriff with a knife. With a fierce storm raging outside, Rose is trapped and scared. She tries to stay calm and act normal around Margaret, who's losing control. Margaret starts crushing her sleeping pills, and Rose sees a chance to escape. She tells Margaret that Ollie has run into the storm, hoping to distract her.
Did Margaret's descent into madness foreshadow her transformation into the Grey Man?
In a heart-wrenching finale, Margaret's desperation consumes her. She ties a rope to the doorknob and her neck, then runs into the raging dust storm. Rose intervenes, cutting the rope, and Margaret succumbs to the choking dust. The film concludes with Rose and Ollie escaping on a train, gazing at lush green pastures, but Rose still sees dust particles everywhere. It's like Margaret's spirit is still with them.
Margaret's world fell apart. She lost her grip on reality, and Rose had to protect Ollie. We saw signs of trouble early on - the mysterious grey man, the lost traveler, and Thomas's illness. Margaret was alone, hungry, and scared, and it drove her mad. The movie 'Hold Your Breath' tells a haunting story, but it's not surprising. We see Margaret's sadness and fear grow, and it breaks our hearts.