The ending of the 1976 film Taxi Driver is one of the most debated "reality vs. fantasy" sequences in cinema. Some viewers believe the bloody climax and the subsequent "hero's welcome" for Travis Bickle are a dying dream or a hallucination occurring as Travis bleeds out in the hallway. This interpretation suggests that a violent vigilante being hailed as a celebrity by the media and reconciling with Betsy is too "perfect" to be real. However, director Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader have historically stated that the events were intended to be real. Their goal was to provide a biting social commentary on how society can inadvertently glorify a disturbed individual if their violence happens to target the "right" people (criminals). The final shot, where Travis sees a disturbing flash in his rearview mirror, implies that he hasn't been "cured"—he is still a ticking time bomb, and the cycle of violence is destined to repeat.