Another highly anticipated horror film has just hit the big screen and the response has been “surprising,” to say the least.

Horror, as a genre, may be on the rise with the recent success of the critically-acclaimed “IT” which was released earlier this month. Afterwards, many were gearing up for the release of director Darren Aronofsky’s new psychological thriller “Mother!” Starring Academy-Award winning actors Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, the film’s teaser trailer promised a suspenseful and heart-pounding adventure.

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Following its release on September 15, “Mother!” was met with very mixed feedback from audiences, as well as from yours truly. A very complex and daring concept seemed to fail in its execution on screen. Be warned, spoilers ahead!

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The film opens immediately zoomed in on the face of a woman engulphed in a raging fire; her skin burning as a tear glides down her cheek. We then see a man, “Him” (Javier Bardem), standing inside of a burned house as he places a sort of crystal onto a metal stand which causes the home, as well as the scorched surrounding area, to regenerate. It is here that a young woman, “Mother” (Jennifer Lawrence), materializes in his bed and calls out to him. An intense journey of love, devotion, and sacrifice is what follows.

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The film managed to thrill, suspend, and shock its audiences with its many chaotic scenes and intense talent from its leading actors. However, for many, it was an extremely unsatisfying experience. Aside from its opening scene, the film was extremely slow to start. You often wondered when something significant was going to happen. Once it finally did pick up, following the story became confusing. There were many elements that did not make sense, or even begin to piece together. What started as an interesting exchange between Mother, Him, and their unexpected visitors, “Man” (Ed Harris) and “Woman” (Michelle Pfeiffer), soon was replaced by a rollercoaster of chaos from strangers that continually infested the home. Maximum confusion peaked during what Aronofsky calls the “fever dream;” the sequence of Him’s many fans raiding the home, to murdering each other, to a SWAT team arriving, to pagan rituals commencing.

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As the film concluded, it felt as though any sort of purpose or deep meaning behind Mother! was thrown out of the window, and replaced with nothing more than dazzling camera work and as much chaos as possible to fit on screen. Add in an unclear ending and the results are the many negative and hateful reviews that Mother! has already been receiving following its premier. Some, on the other hand, praised Aronofsky’s work; claiming it was a bold and complex piece of art. I did not agree at first, and aimed to research as to why such claims could be made.

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An interview with “Vanity Fair” revealed many details about Mother! that may have been difficult to pick up on during your first viewing, and maybe even second or third. Aronofsky explains that the point of his film was to portray the destruction of mother earth at the hands of humanity and God’s creation. Lawrence continued the conversation in an interview with “The Telegraph.” According to Lawrence, the film “depicts the rape and torment of Mother Earth. It’s not for everybody,” she warned The Telegraph. “It’s a hard film to watch. But it’s important for people to understand the allegory we intended. That they know I represent Mother Earth, Javier, whose character is a poet, represents a form of God, a creator; Michelle Pfeiffer is an Eve to Ed Harris’s Adam, there’s Cain and Abel and the setting sometimes resembles the Garden of Eden.”

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Mother, is Mother Earth. Him, is the creator; God. It seems that Man was intended to be a kind of “Adam,” while Woman was to be a kind of “Eve.” The Bible tells that Eve was created from a rib of Adam; this explains Mother finding Man with a chunk of flesh missing from his ribs. Woman, who appears the next morning, shatters the crystal in Him’s office. This appears to symbolize the forbidden fruit that Eve was not allowed to eat, but mischievously did. The many fans who flock to see Him are the adaptations of humanity following and praising their creator, yet destroying mother earth. There is even a reference to Noah’s Flood, as guests break a sink which sprays water all over them which actually makes them leave for a time. This may signify the flood waters that God was said to have released upon the earth to wash away the wickedness of man and the first failed attempt at humanity. There is even a theme of death and sacrifice in biblical reference to Jesus Christ.

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The final and most horrifying sequence, “fever dream,” had the most important symbolism according to Aronofsky. Aronofsky referred to the final 25-minute opus—a disturbing escalation of violent images—as “one of my best accomplishments, just because it’s a nightmare. It just builds and builds on top of documenting the horrors of our world, and throws a woman into it.” In the span of the final half hour, Aronofsky, charts the biblical plagues and the history of the world in a dizzying sequence.

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Aronofsky’s “Mother!” is certainly not for everyone. It leaves a large amount up for interpretation by the viewer and, at many times, falls flat of its intended message. Perhaps if Aronofsky was able to better capture his concept and execute it on screen more effectively, this could have very well been one of the best psychological thrillers to date. Does Mother! deserve respect and a fair chance? Absolutely. However, besides providing audiences with an intense emotional ride, its opportunity to capture audiences and leave them with a positive impression has come to a close.