This article discusses the ending of the Netflix film The Strange House (2021), so it will contain major spoilers.
Throughout the mystery movie, Hendrik recruits the help of young friend Fritz and romantic interest Ida to try and find out who was the murderer of the Polzmann family. It’s a classic tale of “whodunnit,” with the characters flagrantly making everyone a suspect by the end of the film. However, as it gets closer to the end, The Strange House takes a dark turn as it’s clear who the murderer is.
Netflix’s The Strange House ending explained
In the final act, Hendrik believes he’s found the murderer and hides in their car after verifying a number plate. He messages Ida and Fritz, who are at a party. When the car stops, Hendrik enters the Röckl household, and he looks around — suddenly, he’s faced with the estate agent Mr. Röckl and his mother.
Hendrick escapes and finds Ida — he tells her he was at Röckl’s and explains that Mr. Röckl’s mother was having an affair with Mr. Polzmann — he shows love letters he found. This means Mr. Röckl is Polzmann’s illegitimate son.
But it doesn’t end there as Mr. Röckl chases Hendrick and Ida through the woods until they reach some caves. Mr. Röckl follows them in. Unable to handle the environment, Hendrik and Ida tumble further down the cave, and Hendrik drops his phone — he’s trapped and unable to move, and Mr. Röckl cruelly takes the phone, so he cannot ask for help. With the water rising in the cave, Ida realizes that she has to leave to get Hendrik help — Hendrik uses his moment to tell her that he’s glad he moved to this town because he met her.
Who is the murderer?
Mr. Röckl returns home to find Sabine and Fritz outside his house, and he is soon cornered by the police. Ida runs towards the group and tells them that Hendrik is trapped in a cave. Luckily, his mother knows a lot about caves.
So Hendrik is saved. And then, a possessed Eddie (by Roland Polzmann) walks to the police car and says, “it was you” to Mrs. Röckl — her son tells her to be quiet as she keeps on admitting that she is the murderer. She explains she was meant to poison Mrs. Polzmann, not the children.
Mrs. Röckl is the murderer of the Polzmann family, and it seems her son was merely trying to protect her after she sought revenge; it’s a story that centers on a dark family secret between two families.
