This article discusses the ending of the Netflix film Operation Hyacinth and will contain spoilers.
Ready Steady Cut Film Critic, M.N. Miller, said Operation Hyacinth is a “gritty mystery with a smart script.”
True events inspire Operation Hyacinth. Based on communist Poland’s shameful history of its treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in the 1980s, it uses this oppressive period between 1985 to 1987 as a way to tell a genre crime story about a serial killer targeting male members of the gay community.
A secret operation that registered over 11,000 of its citizens by the Polish communist police. They keep “pink case” files on each one beaten and arrested, forcing them to turn in one of the fellow members of their marginalized population.
Tomasz Zietek stars as an idealistic young detective named Robert. He is in charge of investigating a string of murders by a serial killer. Whoever it is, they are targeting male members of the LGBTQ+ community. This case is closed after his partner beat a confession out of him. The case doesn’t sit well with Robert, who performs his investigation that makes him face his sexuality.
Netflix film Operation Hyacinth ending explained
Robert solves the case — the minister of Warsaw’s police is being blackmailed by Robert’s father, Edward. They set up an operation where they taped the signatory performing sexual acts with several men, including Robert’s friend, Arek. The dignitary is cleaning up the mess by hiring a hired gun to kill anyone who knows about his sexual behavior, which was deemed immoral and indecent.
Even though Robert is engaged to be married, he took Arek home the week prior. His father tries to make him arrest Arek to save him from himself and the career he has carved out for him. He refuses, but he knows he is a target. Robert sees his father give the dignitary the file and tape. The hired gun burns the evidence, and Robert sees him take off. He knows where he is going — to kill off the last witness, Arek!
Robert manages to warn Arek as they attempt to escape within the cold Warsaw shipyards. With a scar across his face, the hired gun knocks Robert out and drags Arek to the blistering cold water to drown him. Robert then comes to and beats the man with the scar by cracking his skull. He tells Arek to run, but he begs Robert to go with him. He tells him he will find him. As his lover escapes into the crisp night, Robert slumps to the ground. Robert sits and waits for the police cars to arrive as he listens to the sirens in the distance.
He knows he won’t be meeting Arek. He won’t be marrying the lovely Halinka. Nor will he become an office inside Poland’s secret police. He will be registered and go to jail with his own “pink case” file.
What did you think of the ending of the Netflix film Operation Hyacinth? Comment below.
