Netflix’s “The Matchmaker” is a psychological thriller film that revolves around the myth of Aliaa and her servant Siba. Aliaa was regularly abused by her husband, and she desperately searched for help. But neither her family nor her neighbors paid heed to her helpless cry. She had almost given up hope, but unexpectedly, she found an ear with strange features in the middle of the desert. The ear was ready to listen to Aliaa’s complaints, and it even offered her a solution. She cleansed the sins of her husband by burning him to death, and in return, she got him back in the form of her faithful servant, Siba, the hidden one. Aliaa decided to use the method to free all those women who were abused by their husbands. Thousands of years passed, and the world evolved, but Aliaa stuck to her age-old method of relieving women.
Spoilers Ahead
‘The Matchmaker’ Plot Summary: What Is The Film About?
Tarek was visibly tensed when he returned home from work and could not find his wife and daughter. He was glad when he found them upstairs, busy playing games. He wanted to be there for his family, but somehow he always felt detached. He was envious of the importance his wife, Reema, had in their daughter’s life. She looked up to Reema, and Tarek often felt inadequate. Not only did he fail to create a bond with his daughter, but there was also a distance between him and Reema. They barely had any romance left, and Tarek would often climb to the terrace to secretly peep into the bedroom of their neighbor. He was envious of their marriage, and at the same time, he sought pleasure as a voyeur.
Tarek was in search of a better life, and when he noticed his office colleague in the elevator, he was mesmerized. He enjoyed watching her from a distance, and he was on the lookout for the right opportunity to talk to her. He gathered courage and smoked a cigarette with her on the staircase. Tarek had noticed how her boss, Abu Mouath, touched her inappropriately, and he tried to break the ice by warning her. Salma was not too bothered about Abu Mouath, and she believed she could deal with him all by herself. Tarek was quite surprised to find out the next day that Salma had resigned from her position. He noticed a mysterious box she had left behind, and he brought it into his cabin. Tarek was desperate to find out more about her, and he dug into the box for a clue. He came across a device, and upon turning it on, a video started. The video was an invitation to Abu Mouath, calling him to an exotic location where he could find a partner who would appreciate him. The couple would be married within 24 hours of their first meeting, and the identities of the participants would remain hidden.
Tarek was insecure about his masculinity, and most of the time, he listened to podcasts to motivate himself. The postcast encouraged men to go on adventures to reconnect with their masculine energy. Tarek decided to abandon his family, travel to an exotic location, and find a partner who would appreciate him. Since the video promised to maintain privacy, Tarek believed that he had nothing to lose.
What Happened To Tarek After Entering The Camp?
Aliaa met Tarek after he settled into her facility. Behind her were numerous boxes of human ashes, indicating that she had been performing the ritual for a long time now. She comforted Tarek and offered him a red stone ring. The ring was a replica of the hidden ring that belonged to Siba. By wearing the ring, Tarek unknowingly accepted his fate as the servant of Aliaa and the women she rescued. The eeriness of the place bothered Tarek, but he was not ready to give up on his adventure yet. He attended the wedding of a participant who had successfully found his match. Tarek met an eager participant at the gathering. Many of the man’s friends had been to the place before, but none of them ever returned home. He was confident that his friends had found the joy they were searching for, and he was hopeful that he would find his perfect match.
Tarek returned to his room after the wedding ceremony, but a sudden scream caught his attention. He was curious to find out what happened to the groom and the bride once they were married. And Tarek could sense that there was something odd about the entire arrangement. It was strange that Salma left the video for Abu Mouath to watch, yet she was nowhere around. Tarek had traveled all the way to find her, but he soon realized that it was almost impossible. He met an old man who introduced himself as Salma’s father. He had been searching for Salma for the last two days and hoped that Tarek would be able to help him find his daughter. Tarek followed the old man’s instructions, but he soon realized that he was losing touch with reality. He could see various versions of himself; he imagined going back home, and he met a little girl who could turn water into blood. The next day, when he woke up, he found out that his enthusiastic new friend at the facility had also experienced a nightmare. He, too, had heard the strange noises at night that Tarek did, and he had made the same mistake of stepping out of the room. Tarek and the man decided to leave the facility, but when it was time to leave, Tarek was surprised to find him with Mona. He explained that after he had threatened to leave, the facility provided him with his match. He was ready to overlook all the strange happenings and get married to his perfect partner. Tarek decided to leave on his own. He was relieved when he got into the car that would take him to the airport, but his driver turned out to be Siba. Siba tased Tarek and brought him back to the facility.
‘The Matchmaker’ Ending Explained: What Happened During The Wedding Ceremony? What Was Salma’s Alternate Method?
Tarek woke up to discover that he was attending the wedding of his friend. The man was ecstatic about starting his new life with the woman of his dreams. Tarek was determined to find out the entire truth, and he knew that the only way to do so was by disguise. He took down a guard and wore his clothes. Tarek blended in with the crowd and watched his friend walk up to his wife, who stood with a box in her hand. To the man’s horror, two guards walked towards him and torched him to death. Tarek could not believe his eyes when he watched the same man (without a scratch on him) approach his wife; the only difference was that he was no longer the same person.
Aliaa spotted Tarek in the crowd, and he was tased and brought to her. She was disappointed in him and decided to reunite him with Salma. Salma was fuming with rage when she met Tarek. He had never been a part of her plan, and his presence had ruined whatever she had on her mind. Since the invitation was for Abu Mouath, it was obvious that she intended to burn him down and turn him into another soulless, faithful servant. But with Tarek at the facility now, she had to find the courage to propose an alternative. She spoke to Aliaa about the pain she experienced due to their practice. She often wondered about the true purpose behind it. Salma had been a devotee of Aliaa after she helped her deal with her abusive partner, but lately, all she wanted was happiness. Salma was convinced that keeping the husbands as slaves was not an option. She was also pained to think about the wives who would remain unaware of their husbands’ whereabouts. She believed that the men deserved a second chance, and even though Aliaa was against it, Salma was determined to do it. The ear offered a different solution to Salma, and she realized that it was the only way to find the happiness she was searching for. “The Matchmaker” ends with Salma taking over Aliaa, burning down her office, and removing the hidden ring from Tarek’s finger. Tarek and the many men who were held captive as slaves in the facility were allowed to leave. Tarek returned home a changed man who valued his family over everything else.
Aliaa had been Salma’s biggest source of inspiration, and her teaching had helped her evolve. But Salma realized that the world that Aliaa hoped to achieve would be impossible if men were turned into soulless slaves. We can assume that Salma used the magic taught by the ear and cleansed the men without harming their souls. The men turned into good humans capable of valuing their families. Tarek left his slave alter ego behind and instead took charge of his life.
