I've honestly watched this movie probably 6 different times since it released and I've loved every time I watched it. Most of the POV found footage style killer movies, you don't really see it from the perspective of the killer. To me, when people complain about the lack of info on the character, I think it slowly starts to creep in throughout the story. I found that the movie is more about getting to know him rather than the family.
The beginning: "tell me you love me.." before stabbing the woman in the first film invasion was pretty haunting. I'll get to where I think is starting the evolution of his character within the story.
When you see him stalking his next family, you start seeing a trend, as well as the next family at the end. They all have short blonde hair. Now to which, I'm going to say resembles a possible ex-wife. I think they may have had kids and the wife ended up remarrying. Now he sets out to find that one that "got away" to ensure no one else can ever have her and his family but him.
During the film, you see him trying to "include himself" in her life. Causing disruptions in their house and as well their marriage. Trying to create conflicts between them in hopes of getting rid of him and allowing her all to himself. That moment when he's freaking out in the crawl space and crying, he's reflecting on how hurt he was when "the old love" left him and caused his mental breakdown. When he's pleasuring himself watching them have sex, he's trying to simply picture himself being with her at that moment...being with his old love.
Later on in the film, when he starts following around the daughter and her boyfriend, I think its himself playing the "paternal father figure" and wanting to get rid of the boyfriend that will not be good enough for his "daughter."
In the end, I don't think he can actually move on from his ex wife and the whole conflict of the divorce was never actually resolved. There was never any kind of closure. So he sets out to find the resemblance of what he once knew in order to take back what he wants all along, his family, because he can't face the real face of his ex wife. He's desperately wanting his former love to simply tell him that, "I love you." So that's his main goal with these women. When asked, "Do you love me," he's seeking his "former wife" to admit her love still remains. If she says it, he can now move on with his life. If not, then kills her out of anger for not loving him. I do think when the 2nd blonde actually says, "I love you", he only kills her because he know's she didn't mean it. In other words, it's going to be a continuous cycle until he specifically get's exactly what he wants. Which may never come.
After reading this, give the movie another chance with this in the back of your mind. Hopefully you will end up actually changing your mind :)
13 out of 25 found this helpful