Netflix’s The Wages Of Fear Ending Explained

Warning: Major spoilers for Netflix’s The Wages of Fear (2024) below!

Netflix’s remake of The Wages of Fear ends on a fittingly explosive note, but which characters survive to the closing credits? This 2024 Netflix movie involves a Parisian crew of mercenaries hired by an oil company to drive trucks filled with explosives across an unnamed, war-torn desert country. Adding to the crew’s stressful task is that they have less than 24 hours to deliver the trucks to stop a blazing oil fire, while the nitroglycerin they are hauling is so unstable it could explode if the trucks get rocked too hard.

Along the way, The Wages of Fear’s cast of characters survive rebel attacks, being shot at by a sniper and myriad other hazards before reaching their destination. Only Fred (played by Vin Diesel doppelganger Franck Gastambide), his brother Alex (Alban Lenoir) and Fred’s doctor love interest Clara (Ana Girardot) make it. Sadly, the wounded Fred is left with little choice but to drive the last remaining truck into the oil well himself, which promptly explodes and seals up the raging inferno.

Why Fred Sacrifices Himself To Save The Villagers

The Wages of Fear’s main character earns his redemption

Fred is The Wages of Fear’s flawed protagonist, who heads up the convoy hauling the explosives. Flashbacks reveal why Fred is so intent on getting his brother out of prison and reuniting him with his wife and daughter. Not only is the mission about personal redemption for Fred, but he knows the oil fire will eventually destroy a nearby village too. During the climax, Fred saves Alex and his family from the oil company goons that betray them, before realizing there’s little time left to seal up the fire.

Having earned his redemption by reuniting Alex with his family, Fred drives his truck right into the heart of the blaze to extinguish it. Clara begs him to stop, but Fred doesn’t see another way. Netflix’s action movie ends with shots of the villagers rejoicing as the fire is shut off, proving that Fred’s sacrifice saved the day.

The Oil Company Double Cross The Drivers

The Wages of Fear’s mercenaries don’t get a warm welcome from their employers

The oil company hired Fred and his team partly because they were perfect for the gig, and partly because everyone else turned the job down. The danger inherent in the gig is confirmed when only a few of them make it to the village alive. Unfortunately, their woes aren’t over. It turns out a team the company hired to plant the explosives was killed en route, and there is no time to wait for replacements. In short, the oil company needs to force one of the mercenaries to drive a truck into the heart of the fire.

Correctly predicting this news wouldn’t go down well, the company’s representative Marchand (Astrid Whettnall) and her goons hold Alex’s family at gunpoint. Their attempt to blackmail Alex into driving is thwarted by Fred, who shoots Marchand and her men from a distance. However, Fred decides to do the heroic thing and drive the truck himself, since the well is set to explode at any moment.

Why Gauthier Tries To Kill Fred

The Wages of Fear’s mercenary leader gets greedy in the final act

The oil company comes to Fred on the recommendation of his pal Gauthier (Sofiane Zermani), who is technically in charge of the convoy. Over time, it becomes clear Fred is more capable, while Gauthier loses all of his men during the trip. Coming into The Wages of Fear’s finale, Gauthier pulls a heel turn and points his gun at Fred. He explains Fred is no longer needed since they are so close to the village and Gauthier can collect his old pal’s fee for himself.

Gauthier seemingly shoots Fred dead, and his body falls out of the truck. After “killing” Fred, the cocky Gauthier drives the explosives truck along a narrow road, but sadly for him, the truck malfunctions along the way. It plummets off the road, causing a gigantic explosion when it hits the ground. This, of course, raises the stakes further, since Alex’s truck is the village’s only hope to stop the fire.

Why The Nitroglycerin Can’t Just Be Lifted By Helicopter

There are no shortcuts for The Wages of Fear’s crew

Just like the original 1953 version and William Friedkin’s best movie Sorcerer (itself a remake of The Wages of Fear ), the crew still has to transport the explosives via truck. Astute viewers might think the oil company should just transport the nitroglycerin on a helicopter and save themselves time and money. Netflix’s remake underlines that taking the explosives in a chopper is even more dangerous.

The nitroglycerin is so unpredictable that having it rattle about in a helicopter is arguably a bigger risk than just driving it. There is also the possibility of bandits or rebels opening fire on a helicopter with rocket launchers on its way to the village. Unbelievably, driving the trucks through the harsh desert really is the “safest” option.

Why Alex Forgives Fred For His Imprisonment

The 2024 remake’s family subplot gives it some heart

The Wages of Fear isn’t terribly emotional and plays like a cross between a Fast and Furious movie and an extended Call of Duty mission. Still, in keeping with its Fast and Furious inspiration, family drama plays an important role. Flashbacks reveal that Fred lured his explosives expert brother Alex into taking part in a supposedly risk-free heist. Needless to say, Fred’s foolproof plan went wrong and Alex was sent to a hellhole prison.

Fred and Alex are forced to work together on the oil fire job, though the latter wants to keep as far away from his bro as possible. This changes around The Wages of Fear’s midway point, where Fred steps on an antitank landmine. Facing certain death, Fred apologizes for what happened, and the two embrace as they leap off the mine together. It turns out the mine was a dud, but while Fred and Alex don’t have time to get beers and properly reconcile after surviving the mine, they make peace with their shared past.

Why Fred’s Heist Went So Bad

The Wages of Fear’s flashbacks reveal the source of Fred’s guilt

Wages of Fear 2024 is a propulsive tale, and once the mission begins, the action rarely stops. Even so, the first act has some heavy lifting to do, and several flashbacks reveal how Alex went to prison. This involves Fred doing bodyguard work for a rich businessman, who is killed by corrupt police officers. Fred and his team later shoot the police in self-defense, but realizing there is still a fortune in his late client’s safe, Fred asks Alex to blow it open.

Despite assurances nothing could go wrong, the moment Alex plants a charge on the safe, a SWAT team arrives. Alex sets the timer right before they arrest him, but before he can disarm it, the charge explodes in the face of two SWAT team members. This Wages of Fear subplot ends with Alex taken into custody by the SWAT team, as Fred watches helplessly from a distance.

How Netflix’s Wages Of Fear Changes The Original Movie’s Dark Ending

Wages of Fear 2024 rejects the classic original’s downer finale

Netflix’s The Wages of Fear might reuse the same basic concept as the original film, but tonally, they are very different. This is best seen in their respective endings. In the 1953 version, the only survivor Mario (Yves Montand) is paid his wages, and overjoyed at completing the near-impossible mission, drives recklessly along a mountain road. His lover Linda is seen dancing while waiting for his return, but she suddenly faints as Mario loses control of his truck and drives off the road to his death in the final scene.

It’s the ultimate downer, which the remake pays homage to with Gauthier’s ironic demise. As mentioned previously, this remake opts for a far more hopeful conclusion; while Fred dies in the 2024 version, he does so to save a village, while his brother Alex is out of prison and back with his family. Happy or not, The Wages of Fear 2024’s ending just lacks the memorable gut punch of the original movie.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes