‘Colors of Evil: Black’ Ending Explained What the Town Was Hiding and What Bilski Could Never Fix
Spoiler Warning: The full ending of ‘Colors of Evil: Black’ is discussed in detail below.
Polish crime cinema is experiencing a remarkable resurgence on Netflix, with the ‘Colors of Evil’ franchise at the forefront of this trend. When ‘Colors of Evil: Red’ premiered in May 2024, it quickly became one of the platform’s most captivating international offerings, drawing viewers into a narrative of institutional silence, buried crimes, and a prosecutor determined to unravel the truth. The sequel was destined to make waves.
Released on Netflix on June 10, ‘Colors of Evil: Black’ continues the adaptation of Małgorzata Oliwia Sobczak’s acclaimed crime novel series. Director Adrian Panek returns to write the screenplay, with Jakub Gierszał reprising his role as prosecutor Leopold Bilski alongside Marianna Zydek, Andrzej Chyra, Robert Gonera, Beata Ścibakówna, and Adam Bobik.
The film’s shift from the coastal urban landscape of the first installment to the secluded forests of Kashubia is both immediate and intentional, using this setting to comment on how communities shield their own crimes.
Bilski finds himself in a seemingly tranquil Kashubian town where the mysterious disappearance of a child begins to unveil sinister secrets. As he follows a trail of unsettling clues, psychological enigmas, and local folklore, he must confront the darkness that lies beneath the facade of everyday life. What initially appears to be a missing child case soon reveals itself to be something far more deeply entrenched.
Bilski’s counterpart is Julia Sarman, portrayed by Marianna Zydek, a local woman who feels alienated from her community due to its handling of crime. The abduction of her son Piotrus creates a personal connection for both her and Bilski, driving their relentless investigation that ultimately exposes a systemic culture of abuse and silence intertwined with exaggerated local legends. This folklore serves not merely as atmosphere but as a veil, allowing the town’s powerful figures to obscure their misdeeds and providing ordinary citizens a way to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths.
The film delves into how these cycles of complicity are maintained, exploring the interplay of fear, social ostracism, habit, and myth-making that enables a community to remain silent. The sequel immerses itself in the forests, reveling in the insularity of local culture as a framework for understanding how evil persists across generations.
By the time Bilski and Julia grasp the full extent of the situation, they face the unsettling realization of how many ordinary individuals chose inaction, allowing the cycle to continue. While Bilski can resolve a disappearance, he cannot compel a community to confront the truths it has long chosen to ignore.
This departure from typical crime thriller conventions is where the film shines. It leaves open the question of whether a community that has buried its crimes can ever be held accountable or if an outsider with authority merely shifts the silence from one place to another. The film concludes precisely where this inquiry begins, and the filmmakers wisely choose to leave it unresolved.
Similar to its predecessor, ‘Colors of Evil: Black’ intentionally avoids being a standard whodunit, instead utilizing the crime as a means to explore deeper societal issues. As Bilski navigates the resistance surrounding the case, he discovers that the reality is vastly different from his initial assumptions, with the film’s true focus being not on the perpetrator but on the structures that enable and protect them.
The film has garnered a genuinely mixed reception. Critics have praised the stoic and grounded portrayal of Bilski, along with the film’s cinematography, noting that ‘Colors of Evil: Black’ leaves viewers unsettled by the time the credits roll and the truth is revealed.
However, some reviewers have criticized Panek’s overly intense tone, claiming it is accompanied by underdeveloped characters, resulting in a film that feels joyless and monotonous, making the identity of the culprit feel entirely predictable when it is finally disclosed.
What remains undisputed is the franchise’s ambition. Sobczak’s series includes titles such as Red, Black, White, Yellow, Blue, and Green, each utilizing color symbolism to reflect emotional states, violence, and the psychological impact of crime in contemporary Polish society. Netflix has already adapted two of these entries, leaving ample room for the universe to expand.
Share your thoughts in the comments about the ending of ‘Colors of Evil: Black’ and whether you believe Bilski can ever truly deliver justice to the communities he investigates.