Apple TV+ ‘La Maison’ Episode 10 Review - A Poetic Ending Wrapped in Ambiguity

The finale of La Maison, titled "Isle of the Dead," is both haunting and visually arresting. As the series draws to a close, the tenth episode ramps up its characteristic surrealism, offering a fitting yet perplexing conclusion to Antoine's journey. The episode is like walking through a dreamscape where time, memory, and reality have become one, leaving viewers to question what’s real and what’s imagined.

One of the standout elements in this episode is the atmosphere it creates. From the opening scene, you feel a foreboding sense of dread. The cinematography leans into the shadowy, fog-drenched aesthetics that have been a hallmark of the series, with each frame meticulously crafted to evoke discomfort. There’s a richness in the textures, the play of light and dark, that pulls you deeper into Antoine's fractured psyche.

Antoine's unraveling reaches its peak in this episode, with visions of the past intertwining with his present. The eerie nature of these flashbacks and hallucinations creates a disjointed narrative that mirrors his crumbling mental state. However, the disjointedness is a double-edged sword. While it successfully captures the chaos in Antoine’s mind, it also risks losing viewers in its abstract structure. At times, the episode's fragmented storytelling felt like a puzzle missing key pieces, which can be frustrating if you're expecting a neatly tied-up resolution.

The performances, particularly from Antoine's character, remain compelling. His portrayal of a man teetering on the edge of reality is nothing short of captivating. You can feel his desperation as he tries to make sense of the strange occurrences around him. His emotional descent is believable and intense, and it’s hard not to sympathize with him, even as he makes increasingly questionable decisions. That said, some secondary characters, like his mother, feel underdeveloped in this finale. While their roles have been essential throughout the season, their screen time here feels too brief, considering the weight of the story they carry.

As Antoine confronts his past and the family secrets buried within La Maison, the house itself takes on a life of its own, almost becoming a character in its own right. The show has always played with the concept of the home as a living, breathing entity, and this episode fully leans into that idea. There are moments where it feels like the walls are closing in, both literally and metaphorically. The house is suffocating, mirroring Antoine's suffocating grip on his sanity. It's a brilliant use of setting to enhance the psychological tension of the episode.

However, the episode isn’t without its flaws. The slow-burn pacing that worked so well in earlier episodes begins to drag in certain moments. There’s an indulgence in the abstract that, while visually interesting, can feel like it’s stretching the narrative thin. The constant back-and-forth between past and present becomes a little too repetitive by the midway point, and some scenes feel like they’re retreading ground we’ve already covered. This could have been tightened to maintain the tension more effectively.

The thematic undercurrents of family, memory, and trauma reach their crescendo here. La Maison has always been about more than just a haunted house—it’s about the ghosts we carry with us, the ones we can’t escape even if we try. The finale doesn’t shy away from that, pushing Antoine into a final confrontation with his own demons. It’s satisfying in that it stays true to the core of the series, but for those hoping for a more concrete resolution, it might leave you wanting.

The visual motifs—mirrors, water, and reflections—are used throughout the episode, particularly in key moments when Antoine is faced with decisions that blur the line between life and death. There’s a scene where he gazes into a mirror, seeing not his own reflection but the shadow of his younger self, a haunting reminder of the innocence lost. The use of symbolism here is poignant but not overbearing, adding layers of meaning without spoon-feeding the audience.

As for the ending itself, without giving too much away, it leaves you with more questions than answers. The ambiguity of the final moments will be polarizing. Some people will appreciate the open-ended nature of it, as it encourages interpretation and speculation. Others, though, may find it unsatisfying, craving a bit more closure after such a drawn-out journey. Personally, I found it fitting—this is a show that has always thrived on ambiguity and the unresolved, so it feels right that it ends on that same note.

In conclusion, “Isle of the Dead” is a fitting, if somewhat frustrating, end to La Maison. It’s a beautifully crafted episode, rich in atmosphere and performances, but its abstract nature and slow pacing might alienate some viewers. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s a deeply atmospheric and thought-provoking one. For fans who have been captivated by the series' unique blend of psychological horror and drama, it’s a worthy finale, even if it doesn’t answer all of our lingering questions. La Maison leaves us, much like Antoine, wandering through the fog, searching for clarity but finding only shadows.

Final Score- [6/10]