It Comes at Night 2017

The desolate tale unfolds with a somber tone as we meet Bud (David Pendleton), a frail and afflicted individual, who is met with concern and compassion by his daughter Sarah (Carmen Ejogo) as she tends to his needs while donning a gas mask. In a stark juxtaposition, the once-wholesome family of Paul (Joel Edgerton), Sarah, and their son Travis (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) are forced to abandon all sense of normalcy, opting instead for an isolated existence amidst the eerie silence of the woods. The family’s refuge is shrouded in secrecy, with the ominous implication that a catastrophic virus has decimated the world beyond their sanctuary.

As Travis’s subconscious wrestles with the trauma of his grandfather’s brutal demise, he becomes haunted by recurring nightmares. In these vivid hallucinations, he finds himself approaching a bedridden figure, only to be met with a blood-curdling scream as Bud’s eyes flutter open. The family is jolted awake once more when they’re confronted by an uninvited guest, Will (Christopher Abbott), who attempts to break down the door in desperation. Paul and Sarah spring into action, armed with firearms, ready to defend their home against the unknown threat.

As the situation unfolds, Paul’s paranoia reaches a fever pitch as he interrogates Will, demanding to know if there are others lurking beyond the treeline. Will’s solemn declaration that he has seen nothing but desolation for 80 miles only serves to heighten the sense of unease. The family’s fragile grip on reality is further strained when Travis’s nocturnal visions take a dark turn, featuring Will’s anguished countenance looming over him like a specter.

In a calculated gamble, Paul decides to release some water to his would-be intruder, but only after extracting a promise that Will will provide truthful answers. As the days pass, the family’s dynamics are tested by the tension and uncertainty surrounding their isolated existence.

As Paul navigates the winding roads of rural America, he takes Will on a journey to locate his wife and child, their trusty pickup truck serving as a mobile command center against an unknown threat. The tranquility of the woods is shattered when gunfire erupts, striking at the very fabric of their fragile security. Paul’s instincts kick in, and he springs into action, grabbing his firearm and disarming one assailant with a swift bullet to the chest. Will, meanwhile, engages another aggressor in hand-to-hand combat, only to be restrained by Paul, who then takes it upon himself to dispatch the would-be attacker. The tension is palpable as Paul inquires about any familiarity between the fallen men, but Will reveals he knew none of them, opting instead to keep one prisoner alive to extract crucial information about the sinister forces at play.

Upon returning to their humble abode, both families are welcomed with open arms by Paul and Sarah, who establish clear boundaries to avoid any unnecessary friction. As they settle into a sense of normalcy, the two households begin to mingle, sharing laughter and warm moments around the dinner table or during spirited game nights. Will and Kim’s bond strengthens through intimate moments, while Travis finds himself increasingly smitten with Kim, his fixation manifesting in vivid dreams that defy explanation. In one surreal sequence, he awakens to find Kim standing before him in her lingerie, only for her to suddenly transform into a vessel of dark, viscous fluid that pours forth from her mouth.

As the days blend together, Travis finds himself drawn to Kim’s quiet introspection, striking up conversations with her during late-night vigils when sleep eludes them. Her wistful longing for sweet treats sparks a melancholic response in him, as he confesses his own lack of enthusiasm for sugary indulgences – a peculiar trait that leaves her feeling sympathetic. The following evening, Stanley’s incessant barking sets off an alarm within the household, prompting Paul and Will to investigate the source of the canine’s distress. As they venture into the darkness, Stanley leads them on a wild goose chase through the woods, eventually disappearing from view.

Later, Travis stumbles upon Andrew, the toddler, lying motionless on the floor, his memory seemingly erased. With a gentle hand, Travis guides the young boy back to the safety of his own room, only to be startled by an otherworldly thumping sound that reverberates throughout the house. Paul and Sarah spring into action, arming themselves with firearms as they converge upon the kitchen to confront the source of the disturbance. There, they find Stanley, his once-luminous coat now dulled by illness, lying in a pool of blood. With heavy hearts, Sarah ushers Travis away from the scene, allowing Paul to deliver a merciful end to the suffering canine. As the sound of gunfire echoes through the night air, Travis’s tears flow freely, mourning the loss of his beloved family pet.

As the group gathers to dissect the unfolding chaos, Travis reveals that his discovery of Andrew was accompanied by an unsettling realization: the door separating the kitchen and living room had already been breached when Stanley’s lifeless body was found. The tension is palpable as Will and Kim bristle at Travis’ inquiry into Andrew’s sleepwalking habits, with Andrew himself offering a vague denial of any nocturnal excursions. Paul intervenes, proposing a temporary moratorium on inter-family interactions, only to later express concerns that Travis may have unwittingly exposed the other family to potential contagion by not wearing gloves while assisting Andrew.

That night, Travis’ nightmares return with a vengeance, transporting him to a realm where he’s wracked by illness and beset by grotesque boils. As he spits up bile, Bud appears in his bedchamber, wheezing away as black-eyed specter of impending doom.

The morning brings a cacophony of coughs and wails from Andrew’s direction. Paul, armed with an air of superiority, demands entry to Will and Kim’s bedroom, accompanied by Sarah, who takes up position in the corner like a human tripwire. When Will fails to respond, Paul resorts to threats, eventually gaining entry at gunpoint. Will, now the de facto hostage, is dragged outside, where he’s forced to surrender his family’s meager supplies.

As Paul wheels Will away into the treacherous woods, Sarah keeps Kim and Andrew in her sights. The fragile truce between them shatters when Paul attacks Will, prompting a desperate struggle that culminates with Sarah ending Will’s life with a bullet to the head. Kim, bereft of hope, flees with Andrew as Paul trains his gun on the trio.

In a devastating sequence of events, Paul mistakenly takes out Andrew first before turning his attention to Kim, who begs for her own demise. The sound of gunfire and screams still echoing through the forest, Travis bursts onto the scene, only to be met with the sight of Sarah’s concerned gaze as she notes his unwell appearance – a telltale sign that he’s been harboring an unseen illness, now manifesting in the form of fluid dripping from his nose.

As the relentless passage of time slowly drains Travis’s vitality, his loved ones are left to bear witness to his gradual surrender to the merciless virus. Sarah’s desperate attempts to reassure him that everything will be alright are met with a growing sense of resignation, as if Travis is already aware that his fate is all but sealed. The eerie silence that follows is punctuated only by the soft glow of a lamp, which casts an otherworldly light on the desolate scene unfolding before our eyes.

As Sarah’s tears stream down her face, she gently coaxes Travis to release his grip on life, offering what comfort she can in the face of his impending demise. Meanwhile, Paul retreats to a solitary existence in another room, his anguished sobs echoing through the stillness as he mourns the loss of his dear friend.

In the film’s haunting final moments, we are left staring at a tableau of devastation, as the newly infected Paul and Sarah sit in stunned silence, their faces reflecting the crushing despair that has consumed them. The camera lingers on this heart-wrenching image before finally succumbing to the darkness, leaving the viewer to ponder the unforgiving consequences of this apocalyptic world.