The Most Disturbing Moments In I See You, Ranked
"I See You" defies expectations. What begins as a typical crime thriller mutates into something more intricate and profound. Devon Graye penned the script, blending together social commentary on child abuse, infidelity, police corruption, and homelessness. At the heart of the film is the concept of phrogging – when a person or persons secretly squat inside someone else's home. Director Adam Randall elevates the film with long static shots, emotional character close-ups, and methodical dolly glides. The camera work here takes on a life all its own. But let's not forget the film's chill-inducing score, courtesy of composer William Arcane, which punctuates the film's vital and mouth-dropping moments.
Initially, "I See You" arrived in theaters in late 2019 and grossed just over $1 million at the box office. But when the film hit Netflix, it went viral — scoring top slots in the streamer's daily Top 10 list. As we revisit this harrowing movie, we're tackling its most disturbing moments, ranging from strange occurrences around the home to that mind-blowing third-act twist.
6. Phrogger antics
Midway through the film, we learn two Phroggers are living in the guest room and attic space of the Harper residence. After the Harper family leaves for the day, Mindy (Libe Barer) and Alec (Owen Teague) sneak into their garage and wander around their home, awing at the luxury and gorgeous bay window view. Mindy confesses she wants to record how to Phrog, including things like picking the right home and the necessary steps to live undetected. She invites Alec along for the ride but he seems to have more covert intentions.
Perhaps the most disturbing moment occurs when Alec pulls back Greg's (Jon Tenney) bedding and urinates on him. But that's not the only strange happening. Alec also steals photographs from picture frames, misplaces silverware in the dryer, locks Greg inside Connor's (Judah Lewis) closet, and puts Jackie's (Helen Hunt) favorite flower mug on their roof. Alec argues with Mindy, claiming that the point of their phrogging should be to make homeowners question their sanity. Mindy disagrees, but ultimately she can't control her friend's behavior. As the film progresses, Alec's shenanigans get wilder, entangling himself with the family. He's nothing if not a total loose cannon.
5. Todd's fate
Jackie has an affair with Todd (Sam Trammell), who makes an unwanted house call and admits he is truly, madly, deeply in love with her. While on the patio, Jackie's flower mug topples down from overhead and smacks Todd in the noggin. Head bleeding, he's led to the garage, where Jackie tends to his wound.
Since she needs to take her son to school, Jackie leaves Todd unattended in the garage. Moments later, an unseen assailant hits Todd's head with a wooden bat. He's knocked unconscious and dies on the floor. After the audience revisits the moment through Mindy's eyes, we learn who the culprit is: Greg. When Jackie returns home, Greg confronts her about what happened. They cook up a plan to bury Todd's body in the woods. At this point, Jackie believes her son Connor threw the mug, so they have no other choice but to dispose of Todd's body.
This twist is one of many in a film that yanks the rug from underneath the viewer. Greg, also a detective, feels hurt by his wife's infidelity, so you become empathetic to his plight and might even root for him. When the truth becomes exposed, it's hard to believe what you're seeing. In the cold light of day, Greg is a ruthless psychopath, unafraid of killing to get what he wants.
4. Bathtime
Home alone, Connor receives a cryptic text asking him if he knows what phrogging means. He replies in all caps: "TELL ME WHO THIS IS." But this fails to get a response. As Connor hunkers over his computer, a mysterious figure appears behind him wearing a frog mask. The person creeps closer and closer until they pounce. When Jackie and Greg return home from burying Todd's body, they find their son gagged and bound in the upstairs bathtub. Near his feet, they discover a green army knife, a trademark of the child abductor the police force is currently investigating. Of course, this makes it seem like Connor is their newest target.
Without further context, this moment is disturbing enough. The person in the frog mask knew Connor's phone number and easily slipped into the residence without setting off alarms. We learn that the phrogger in the frog mask is Alec, whose insidious actions can't be quenched. He devolves further, sinking his fangs into the Harper family's everyday life. With Connor's kidnapping, you wonder if Alec is the child abductor. The film works overtime here to tinker with perceptions — misdirecting the viewer often. At this moment, Alec makes our skin crawl. He's not to be trusted.
3. Greg reveals his true nature
Eventually, we learn Greg is the child abductor — charming his way into the lives of children before kidnapping them. In many cases, he kills the kids after holding them hostage inside an airstream in the woods. When Mindy discovers the location, she attempts to free two children. However, Greg jumps her before she can. He suffocates her and then loads her body into his car.
But he doesn't stop there! He takes Mindy back to his home where he shoots her. "You don't have to do this," Mindy pleads. "I do," Greg replies before shooting her. Greg is a chameleon, wearing different faces for each situation. In one moment, he's the wounded family man trying to do right by his son and learning to forgive his wife. But the next moment he's a cold-blooded killer with a total disregard for the sanctity of life. Terrifyingly, he can and will shoot you the first chance he gets. He never shies away from what he believes needs to be done.
2. The missing kid's jersey
Before Mindy's death, she awakens in the back of Greg's car. Soon she realizes where she is and riffles through a duffel bag that was left in the car. In the bag, she discovers a bloody baseball bat, a jersey belonging to a missing kid (Justin Whitter), and a bag of green army knives. All these belongings undeniably link Greg to the crimes of child abduction and murder.
While she realizes Greg's connection to the crimes, Greg continues driving out to his secret airstream. At this point in the runtime, you don't expect Mindy to become integral in exposing the truth about Greg. Despite her questionable phrogging practices, she shows a strong sense of morals amidst grave matters. With Justin's whereabouts still unknown, the revelation is downright chilling — especially considering Greg is one of two officers on the missing person case. His closeness to the victim makes it far more than disturbing and unhinged.
1. The twist ending
"I See You" packs in the twists! By its third act, you think all the reveals are done. However, the film tosses in one final curveball. We learn that Alec is one of the young boys previously captured by Greg but he escaped. The reveal locks his weird demeanor into crystal-clear focus. Once Greg realizes someone has been living inside their walls, he returns to the house, unpacks his gun, and searches for the unknown culprit. Alec slinks up the hallway and attempts to wield an axe into Greg's back.
The two tussle and Greg knocks Alec to the ground. Greg grabs a knife and injures himself to frame Alec and Mindy. But then Alec is gone. Alec then appears out of the darkness with a handgun raised. "I know what you are," Alec says. Greg tries to convince him that what he did was because of his past. But Alec doesn't care — and he shouldn't. What Greg did to him was reprehensible. Alec fires the gun, and Greg hits the hardwood. The "I See You" finale holds no prisoners — keeping you guessing until its final moment. "I See You" manages to retool familiar conventions of home invasion elements to tell a uniquely disturbing story. No wonder why it was a hit on Netflix. From its tight script to potent camera work, "I See You" delivers a masterclass in storytelling.