i’m sure everything i have to say now will seem like basic and surface-level observations once this film has been more discussed but right now it’s opening weekend and i’ve seen very little analysis so i figured i’d throw my hat into the ring.

the theological implications of this film are fascinating. Harold is seemingly the God of His realm, with the ability to create anything, even life. Harold has never given much thought to the strange disembodied voice that often communicates with Him - it’s just something that’s always been there. however, one day He learns that it is in fact the voice of another god, the one who created Him. (to make it clearer who i am referring to, i will only capitalise “He” when referring to Harold, as He is the God that is most significant to the film). the day after this revelation, He attempts to learn more about him, only to find Himself screaming into the void to no reply. desperate for answers and fearing that His god has abandoned Him, Harold ventures into “the real world” alongside His favourites of His creations, abandoning all others who inhabit the world He built.

Harold finds himself lost and confused once He ventures the realm of another god for the first time, but is relieved to discover that His godly abilities still work in this unfamiliar land. however, this does not change the fact that Harold has less control over the inhabitants of this place, as they come from a different creator. Harold gets hit by a car, and for the first time in His life, He bleeds. Harold is forced to come to terms with a world where He is no longer protected, where His life can be threatened. i personally view this as a parallel for the suffering faced by adam and eve after they were expelled from the garden of eden, but it’s up to interpretation.

finding Himself almost alone, Harold accepts the help of the woman who hit Him with her car. He befriends her son, and attempts to show him the magic of His realm, but his heretic mother rejects His message and attempts to prevent it from reaching him. unbeknownst to her, however, Harold gifts the boy a piece of His crayon, granting him the same omnipotence.

in all honesty, i feel i do not have the necessary biblical knowledge to properly analyse the middle section of the movie; i’m certain every scene tied in to deeper themes, but i will not pretend that i could understand it all on my first viewing. unlike Harold, i do not know all.

later in the movie, Harold learns that His god has died. the grief this brings Him is overwhelming, and causes His neglect to grow to the point that He is ignorant to even His most beloved creations. this is when the devil (jemaine clement) strikes. he cons Harold into granting him great power, and after eating Harold’s crayon, satan has even greater power than even God. it seems as if sin has triumphed over our Lord, until Harold unleashes a winged beast with many eyes - clearly an angel. the angel steals the power back from the devil, and Harold has won. He then banishes satan to the realm he has always desired (clearly a stand-in for hell), ensuring that he can never return. Harold discovers a message from His god, explaining the purpose of His existence, and decides that His journey is complete. He returns to His realm, His power greater than ever.

however, the final shot shows that He has failed to remove His bloodthirsty angel from “the real world”. it is left unclear whether this is due to negligence or done with malicious intent, but either way, Harold is blind to the suffering that this will surely inflict. and why shouldn’t he be? why would Harold care about the lives of those other than His subjects? it’s not like He plans to return to this baffling realm, the one where He was subject to the crushing monotony of minimum wage work, and witnessed one of His closest friends be subject to police brutality (a lot happened in the section of the movie i skipped). incredibly powerful final visual.