/ 30 September 2023

‘Next Exit’ explores the afterlife

Next Exit

The only definite thing about life is death. Everybody will die and deal with death in some way. People have always
been fascinated by death. How to avoid it, where we’ll go after death, whether there’s an afterlife and if there is a greater meaning to life. But we never think about what would happen if we knew the answers to these questions. 

Next Exit is a sci-fi comedy drama that poses the question: what would happen if humans had scientifically proved that there is an afterlife? We follow two people, Rose and Teddy, who are going to die for a scientific experiment. As they make a road trip together, they discuss the problems in their lives. While going through these trials and tribulations, they fall in love and find a reason to keep living.

The reality of life is that living is nearly impossible to understand. We go through difficulties and experience pain, sometimes so bad that we no longer want to live. The nature of living is not easy. To my understanding, we are here for our souls to develop and our greater consciousness to expand. Life is complicated and no human can do it alone.

People are social animals, we need to belong to a community and have others around for support. Isolation affects people psychologically and physically. The negative effects of isolation are heart disease, appetite loss, paranoia, and suicidal ideation, which may lead to suicide.

Rose and Teddy didn’t know each other before their trip. Along the way, the audience learns that they are lonely and unfulfilled people, which is why they want to die. As they open up to each other, their wounds start healing and their will to live is rediscovered. 

Often when people know they are dying, they try to mend relationships and misjudgments made throughout their lives. This may be a way to ease their conscience before they discover the truth about mortality.

The film explores the usual arguments about euthanasia. Many people say that the doctors who practise euthanasia are killing their patients, or that the doctors and patients are playing God by deciding when to die. 

But, when the concept of euthanasia was developed, the initial idea was that terminally ill patients would not have to suffer long before death. 

In some countries, before a patient can be euthanised, they must be examined and approved by at least two doctors to ensure that the likelihood of surviving their illness is low and that euthanasia is the best course of action for the patient. 

South Africa prohibits euthanasia — even if it is informed by a patient who is competent to make the decision — both “physician-assisted suicide” (when a doctor provides the means for a person to take their life) and “voluntary active euthanasia” (when a doctor’s action is the cause of death, as theologist Chris Jones wrote in The Conversation in 2022). 

One of the benefits of euthanasia is it gives the patient control of their illness and determine the end of their life. 

There’s always been a fascination about what happens after death. Many try to connect to the souls of their loved ones through sangomas and spirit mediums. Many believe that family members who die become ancestors, who guide us in life and watch over us. 

Christians believe that how you live your life will determine whether you went to heaven or hell. Some people believe there is nothing after death, and others believe in reincarnation. These are all theories; we will only discover the truth when we die. 

Next Exit offers an insightful examination of life and death. The two main characters must come to terms with the complicated nature of life and the finality of death. In life we always have the opportunity to learn and grow from our mistakes; once you die, it’s done.

When times are hard, often we want to escape our problems. We have to learn to deal with these issues and grow stronger from them. We may never know when our time will come, but every day above ground is an opportunity to do better.

Every time someone near us dies, we are reminded of our mortality and wish we had more time with them and for ourselves. 

We might not know how much time we have left, but with the time we have, we must appreciate the people around us and experience life. 

Drake once rapped in Nicki Minaj’s song, Moment 4 Life, “Everybody dies, but not everybody lives.” 

I believe life is a gift, so don’t waste it worrying about death.

Should you or anyone you know be struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the South African crisis line, available 24 hours, at 0800 567 567.