In the gripping 2020 horror thriller ‘The Rental,’ actor Dave Franco of ‘The Disaster Artist’ fame makes his feature directorial debut. The plot revolves around four members of a family who are on holiday at a remote coastal cottage. Past secrets are revealed, and the family is on the point of disintegration. Meanwhile, following an unintentional death, they detect another presence in the house.

The mystery of the place adds to the suspense, while the natural sound and ambiance provide a layer of foreboding intrigue. However, you must be scratching your brow after the twisting finale. If that’s the case, allow us to help you solve the mystery. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

Synopsis of the Rental Plot

Charlie is discussing their planned vacation with Mina, his colleague and Josh’s new girlfriend. Meanwhile, Josh arrives on the scene to provide Mina with a ride home. Michelle, Charlie’s long-term girlfriend, is visibly pleased for Josh, whose life appears to be taking a new turn. Josh appears to have had a rough adolescence, spending some time in jail, but his life appears to be improving since the introduction of Mina. The next day, Josh and Mina appear on Charlie’s doorstep, accompanied by Reggie the dog.

Charlie, Michelle, Josh, and Mina are driving to the rental location, with Josh, Mina, and the dog in the backseat. Mina shows Charlie her Facebook profile and asks whether it’s a little too much. Meanwhile, Mina is enraged with the owner of the rental property, who appears to be a racist. While he turned down Mina’s request to reserve the place, Charlie’s request was accepted an hour later. Taylor, the owner’s brother, is the Cliffside Home’s host because he resides largely outside of town. When Michelle chooses the topic, he tells about how the stars are insane around there, promising to bring along the telescope.

While Mina is arguing with Josh about the rejection of her booking, Charlie suggests going for a walk along the beach. During the trek, Josh asks Michelle if she is bothered by Mina’s interaction with Charlie, but Michelle understands their “creative thing.” The night spirals out of control when Michelle unwraps the gift (MDMA). Michelle receives a rain check, as Josh passes out from overindulgence. Mina and Charlie enter the hot tub, which shifts the action to the shower.

Michelle and Josh are ready for the hike the next day, but Mina and Charlie aren’t feeling well. Meanwhile, Mina uncovers cameras in the showerhead, but they lose Josh’s dog, Reggie, while deciding how to handle the matter. Josh tells Michelle not to contact the cops since it might expose their affair, but Michelle may already have an idea after talking with Josh about Charlie’s cheating streak. When Taylor arrives to repair the hot tub, Mina becomes hostile once more, resulting in Josh beating him up. They subsequently uncover Taylor’s body, while we sense the presence of another in the woods.

Is Taylor Dead or Alive at the End of The Rental? Who assassinated Taylor?

Taylor, the homeowner’s brother, is no longer alive, as Charlie confirms following a tour of the bathroom. Mina threatens him with the cops after showing him the cams. Taylor tells them that he had nothing to do with the cameras and that he would gladly notify the authorities personally. Mina, on the other hand, does not want to become involved with the police after Charlie’s warning. A disturbance ensues as Mina attempts to seize Taylor’s phone. As Josh enters the restroom, he notices the scenario and misinterprets it as Taylor injuring Mina.

Josh tosses Taylor into the bathtub and continues to hit him. Mina apologises for the escalation of the situation while they are on the front porch. The film cleverly includes a scene in which a gloved hand suffocates Taylor to death. As a result, while Josh is sorry for his role in the murder, we know for certain that Josh did not murder Taylor. Looking at Charlie’s black trousers, which match the killer’s, the viewer may suspect him for a second. He has the motive and the skill to carry out the murder. In the end, though, we see the killer, who is not Charlie.

The killer remains hidden behind the mask, and the film does not reveal his true identity. In the conclusion, he also exposes that he is serially motivated, as he takes his gadgets from the property and instals them in another rental location. It’s possible that the murderer is Taylor’s brother, but it’s improbable. He may be familiar with the area and its rental properties, and murder is not his primary motivation. He records the lodgers and may even stream it online using the cameras. However, with his armoury of weapons — including the hammer he uses to break skulls — he appears to be a person who will not back down from murder if necessary. Given that we appear to be in the company of a serial killer, a sequel may be in the works.

Michelle, Charlie, Josh, and Mina are they dead or alive?

Charlie, Mina, and Josh attempt to dump Taylor’s body off the cliff after her death. Michelle, on the other hand, feels guilty and decides not to be an accomplice in the murder. She instead wanders out inside the home, where she discovers a camera feed in the cellar room depicting Mina and Charlie doing the nookie. Outraged, Michelle drives away, wanting to depart the area and leave others behind. Charlie pursues her, but he is unable to stop her once she admits she knows about Mina and Charlie.

Meanwhile, Charlie keeps Michelle’s discovery a secret and orders the rest of the team to locate the control room. Josh, who has been primed, rushes to the scary room with a code locking system beneath the house. Meanwhile, Charlie goes out after receiving a text message from Michelle indicating that she had smashed the car. The accident occurred as a result of the killer’s placement of spikes on the side of the road.

It’s possible that by the time Charlie arrives on the scene, it’s too late. Charlie discovers Michelle’s lifeless body after following the light from the phone. Meanwhile, the assassin emerges from the woods and attacks Charlie. While he is dying, Josh uses a simple kick to break the door lock. There are no monitors in the basement where he discovers weird images.

They return to the house, where the assassin is hiding in the shadows. He assaults Josh, knocking him out with a blow to the head. Mina attempts to flee the assassin, resulting in a cat-and-mouse pursuit through a misty woodland. However, she cannot find her way through the fog and falls down the cliff. All four are killed, and the killer flees the scene, leaving the police to collect the bodies. While Taylor and Mina’s remains are washed up on the beach, the other three are still spread around the home.

Is Reggie The Dog still alive or dead?

When Mina and Charlie are too preoccupied with investigating the mystery of the secret cameras to ponder on their previous night’s deed, they lose the puppy. Josh searches for the dog, but there is no sign of him anywhere in the house. Later, when Taylor comes by to look at the hot tub, Josh asks if he has the dog. Taylor, on the other hand, did not kidnap the dog, and the property was already rigorous about not permitting pets.

Taylor, on the other hand, has two dogs at home and promises Josh that he would not report them for bringing a pet. He’s also hoping they find the dog. However, as the night progresses, we almost forget about the dog. However, the killer is revealed to have the dog in the end. At the crack of dawn, he removes his mask and looks up at the sky. The dog appears and sits in front of the killer, and we get the impression that the dog is the only survivor of the trip.