Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Adolfo Alix Jr., Netflix’s ‘The Time That Remains’ is a Filipino gothic romance story that follows Filomena “Lilia” Reyes, a wealthy octogenarian with a lover who seemingly does not age. Mapped over the years, his actions and ability appear to be supernatural and soon draw attention. As one death follows another, the suspicion of the police naturally falls on the protagonist and her partner, but beneath the twisted circumstances lies a story rooted in humanity. The movie questions the boundaries of humanity and monstrosity, and takes this unique love story as the base for a grander thematic palette. While the mystery at the heart of the narrative is macabre in nature, its attention to the finite nature of human lives and what that means for the emotions that we possess and communicate creates an evergreen rendition of romance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Time That Remains Plot Synopsis
The movie begins with an 88-year-old Filomena “Lilia” Reyes sitting in her mansion in the middle of the night, seemingly waiting for someone. Before any hopeful reunion takes place, however, she is shot in the stomach by an intruder, and by the time her eyes open once again, she is in a hospital. The nurse, Isabelle, informs her that her son, a young man with black hair, brought her there, but Lilia is quick to reveal that the man is her lover, Matias. At the same time, two police officers, Inspectors Angua and Carrion, approach her bed to enquire about the murders, with the former sounding particularly agitated. While Isabelle holds them off for the safety and mental ease of her patient, she also becomes curious about what connects Lilia to a series of murders. Back at the station, we learn that Angua is infamously nicknamed the “collector” for never having solved a case, despite his obsession with what appears to be a serial killer at work.
Angua’s decades of research into Lilia reveal some troubling details, the most pertinent of which is the fact that Matias never seems to age, having been with her for decades. This introduces a supernatural thread to the story, but that works against the inspector, as no one takes him seriously. Elsewhere, Lilia and Isabelle strike up a friendship, and the protagonist begins recalling her life and how she met Matias. Decades ago, the Japanese invasion forced Lilia’s family to take shelter in a remote village, where superstitions surrounding witchcraft were the norm. One night, Lilia, still a child, encountered a black cat named Matias. In a surreal turn of events, the cat turns out to be a shapeshifting human, who has been Lilia’s secret lover ever since. While Isabelle doubts the authenticity of the story, her curiosity allows it to go on. We learn that Matias exhibits traits of vampirism and has hidden ties to the criminal underworld.
As the flashbacks into Lilia’s past continue, we learn that she was sexually assaulted by a group of teenagers when she was young, and in a fit of rage, Matias used his supernatural strength to kill all of them. This ends up framing Lilia as a witch, and as the whispers spread across the town, Lilia’s mother, unable to cope with the notion, hangs herself. With this, the villagers all storm the house, ready to burn the protagonist at the pyre, but Matias comes in at the last minute, slaughtering many to save his loved one. We learn that he was once a human warrior in the 16th century, but was cursed by another entity to possess immortality. The cost, however, is an insatiable desire for blood and the inability to walk in the sun without experiencing severe burns. In the present, Lilia’s healing process continues; she is brought home with Isabelle as her attendant, but conditions soon worsen, and the knot begins to tighten around Matias, who once killed Angua’s father, bringing the cycle of hatred full circle.
The Time That Remains Ending: Does Lilia Die? Why Does She Refuse Matias’s Powers?
While Lilia manages to survive the gunshot wound, its compounding effects continue to linger, and by the end of the film, it becomes evident that she does not have much time left. Despite her diminishing health, Lilia’s attention does not shift from Matias even for a moment, and when he appears at night, all emotions swim up to the surface in one go. Anguished, he confirms that his lover’s heartbeat is waning, and the following breaths are likely to be her last. Lilia, in turn, chooses to use them wisely and reaffirms the potency of the emotions she has always had for Matias. In a moment of desperation, he offers up his immortality once again, but the protagonist is firm in her decision to die as a human. Respecting that choice, he seals his love for her with a kiss, and with that, the couple bids goodbye, and Lilia breathes her last.
Lilia’s decision to refuse Matias’s powers is one of the narrative cornerstones, as it is mentioned even in the very last scene of the movie. The vampiric entity is consistent in his desire to share his powers with her, but Lilia believes in the preservation of her human values. A notable distinction here is that Matias is aware that his powers are merely the added effects of a curse, which often leaves him in a violent, instinctive state. As such, for him to wish that upon his lover is a result of clouded judgment, since he cannot bear the idea of parting ways with her. However, Lilia brings a whole new perspective to this exchange by reminding him that the transience of life is what gives it meaning. What might have been a chunk in Matias’s stretched-out existence is an entire lifetime’s worth of treasured feelings and memories for the protagonist, and the finality of her life is what makes them all the more valuable.
Lilia’s decision to embrace death has one more layer of meaning attached to it, and that lies in countering one of Matias’s core beliefs. He considers the gift of immortality the greatest gift he can give to her, in testament of their undying love. However, the protagonist subverts that notion and asserts that his greatest gift is, in fact, the very fact that he came into his life. Their love transcends the boundaries of human meaning and consciousness, and that idea brings Lilia enough inner peace to stop chasing life. While her decision to never receive Matias’s powers can be interpreted as an extension of her hesitation to begin a relationship with him, this reading undermines the strength of their bond and is unlikely to be the driving factor in her mind. Instead, an appreciation of life and the time she had with her lover is key to understanding her choice.
Does Matias Take His Own Life? Why?
While Lilia passes away in peace, Matias’s fate is not that straightforward. Despite accepting her choice to die, he is visibly affected by it and is soon unable to bear the pain of separation. With the police standing right outside of the house, Matias realizes that he is on borrowed time and figures out a way to join his lover in death. In a bold move, Matias voluntarily steps out of the house in broad daylight, knowing that it will scorch him till he withers away. The scene plays out exactly as expected, and yet his expression does not reflect bodily pain, but an acceptance of his fate. While he does shed tears, they are now reinterpreted in a new light, as his sorrow stems from the death of his loved one. Nonetheless, his flesh continues to burn, soon bringing him to the ground. Inspector Angua and Nurse Isabelle both watch in shock as the sun takes its toll at last, and Matias’s body burns in its entirety, leaving ash.
Matias’s decision to die by suicide may be driven by Lilia’s passing, but there are also other factors in play. Most notably, the scene borrows from his past, when he was first cursed into becoming a vampiric entity. Matias, then named Dulga, attacked a group of soldiers transporting something trapped in a box, and that something turned out to be a cursed person. It is this entity that transforms Dulga into a monstrous creature, furthering the cycle. In the present, he finds himself in a similar position, with the most inevitable future being his arrest. As such, there is a risk of his continuing the tradition of harming others. Matias’s time with Lilia gives him the strength to channel his human values, which means stepping out of this violent lifestyle and returning to his beloved. To that end, his suicide is also a way to find closure in his half-a-millennium-long existence.
Does Nurse Isabelle Move to Canada?
With the supernatural tale of Lilia and Matias behind her, Isabelle returns to her normal lifestyle, which involves the possibility of her leaving for Canada. There, she intends to take care of her sick mother, as well as find new career opportunities. However, her commitments as a nurse, coupled with her on-and-off relationship with her boyfriend, bring doubt to her decision. However, Lilia and Matia’s death serves as a turning point for the young nurse, and in the final moments of the movie, we can see her boarding a bus, suitcases packed, and a passport in her hand. This seemingly confirms that Isabelle has decided to take the next step in her life, with a journey to Canada facilitating her growth. When her boyfriend tries to reach out by phone, she cuts it off without hesitation, further indicating that she has cut ties with him and, by extension, the limitations of her past.
Lilia and Matias’s love story impacts Isabelle on two levels, both of which illustrate different dimensions of their relationship. To begin with, Matias’s desperation to keep his lover healthy, even when that means sacrificing parts of himself, inspires Isabelle to put the same amount of effort into caring for her mother. The fact that both she and the vampiric being are framed as nurses in one way or another is important, as it makes their dynamic more layered. On a deeper note, Matias’s love for Lilia also sows the seeds for a realization in Isabelle’s mind that her relationship with her toxic boyfriend is not something she wishes to hold on to. Instead, a love that transcends time, space, and the boundaries of humanity becomes her new reference point, likely enabling her transformation into a more empathetic and determined human being, capable of appreciating the little things in life.
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