The Marsh King's Daughter 2023

In the depths of Northern Michigan’s wilderness, young Helena (Brooklynn Prince) resides with her parents, Jacob Holbrook (Ben Mendolsohn) and Beth (Caren Pistorius), in a small cabin that serves as their humble abode. The tranquil atmosphere is disrupted when Beth summons Helena back to the cabin, only to be ignored by the young girl who instead finds herself in the midst of a lesson on tracking deer alongside Jacob. As they venture deeper into the forest, Helena’s eagerness to prove herself leads her to take a shot at a deer, though she ultimately misses the mark, disappointing Jacob. In an attempt to console his daughter, Jacob bestows upon her a tattoo on her forearm, symbolizing a “reward” for her efforts.

As their days in the wilderness unfold, Helena and Jacob’s bond grows stronger through their shared experiences in the forest. One fateful day, they stumble upon the mangled remains of an animal that had gnawed off its own limb to escape confinement. This gruesome discovery serves as a poignant reminder of the harsh realities of survival. Meanwhile, Beth’s increasing desperation to leave their isolated life behind becomes more pronounced, and her pleas to Jacob to take action are met with his characteristic indifference.

Just as it seems that their lives in the wilderness will continue uninterrupted, an unexpected arrival on an ATV sets off a chain of events that would alter the course of Helena’s life forever. A stranger appears at their doorstep, lost and seeking assistance, but Beth’s urgent pleas for him to leave are met with Jacob’s violent reaction. The consequences of this fateful encounter are devastating, and Helena finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her own sense of morality.

Years would pass before the full extent of these events would come to light, and when it does, adult Helena (Daisy Ridley) has transformed into a suburbanite, concealing her facial tattoos beneath layers of makeup as she navigates a life that is vastly different from the one she once knew. Her days are filled with the monotony of a desk job, punctuated by moments of tenderness as she connects with her daughter Marigold (Joey Carson) and husband Stephen (Garrett Hedlund). However, when the past finally catches up to Helena in the form of Special Agent Illing (Yanna McIntosh), she is forced to confront the secrets she has kept hidden for so long.

As Jacob’s presence becomes a palpable threat once more, Helena’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel. Her husband Stephen learns the truth about her troubled past, and the couple’s relationship is put to the test as they face the reality of their situation. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Helena must find the strength to confront the demons that have haunted her for so long, all while navigating a treacherous landscape where the lines between truth and deception are constantly blurred.

As Helena sits mesmerized by the news broadcast, a chilling reality washes over her - her own birth was the direct result of Beth’s traumatic abduction and subsequent demise, a tragic event that had left an indelible mark on her family. Meanwhile, Stephen takes Marigold to a nearby hotel for the night, leaving Helena alone with her thoughts. She retreats to her childhood sanctuary, where hidden memories await, including a worn hunting knife and a trusty wand. As she swims in the isolation of the forest lake, Jacob and his accomplice are picked up at a gas station, their sinister plans unfolding like a ticking time bomb.

Sheriff Clark pays Helena a visit, bringing with him a somber reminder that Beth never got to meet Marigold - a poignant truth that underscores the complexity of their family dynamics. Helena confides in Clark about her deep-seated fears, revealing how she felt Beth’s love was forever tainted by Jacob’s presence, as if he had stolen a piece of Beth’s heart. Clark offers words of reassurance, promising that Stephen will forgive Helena when he learns the truth.

The news that Jacob’s body has been found in a charred car near the Canadian border sends shockwaves through Helena’s world. She hesitates to reveal this devastating truth to Stephen, fearing his reaction and the potential consequences for her own sense of identity. Meanwhile, the shadows cast by Jacob’s malevolent presence continue to loom large over their lives.

As the days pass, Helena becomes increasingly agitated, her grip on reality tenuous at best. She takes Stephen and Marigold on a visit to Sheriff Clark, hoping to find solace in the nostalgia of her childhood stories. But it’s Clark who serves as a harsh reminder that Jacob’s actions were rooted in his own darkness, rather than any inherent goodness. Helena awakens from a nightmare, convinced that Jacob has infiltrated their home, only to discover the telltale signs of Marigold’s playfulness.

Her paranoia reaches new heights at the farmers market, where she mistakes a passing stranger for Jacob and becomes fixated on his every move. The illusion dissipates as quickly as it formed, leaving Helena with an eerie sense of unease. Back home, she sets up a series of traps around their perimeter, her anxiety spiking with each passing moment.

As bedtime approaches, Helena tucks Marigold in, her mind drifting back to the wilderness where Beth once gave her a straw doll - a symbol of hope and innocence. But it’s not long before the sound of a bell shatters the silence, signaling the discovery of a gruesome trap set for a rabbit. The phone rings, and Sheriff Clark offers words of wisdom, urging Helena to move forward despite the darkness that has haunted their family for so long. Yet, as she gazes upon the straw dolls scattered throughout Marigold’s room, Helena can’t shake the feeling that Jacob’s malevolent spirit is still lurking just beyond the edge of reality, waiting to strike again.

As Helena’s words hung in the air like an unspoken promise, Stephen was left wondering what secrets lay hidden behind her enigmatic smile. With a sense of foreboding, she set out on a journey into the wilderness, her footsteps echoing through the stillness as she made her way to the childhood cabin that held so many memories for her. But instead of finding solace in the familiar surroundings, Helena was met with an unexpected reunion - Jacob, the man who had once held such power over her life.

His presence sparked a torrent of emotions within her, as he revealed his true intentions: to reunite their family and recapture the idyllic life they once shared in the wilderness. But for Helena, that chapter was long closed, replaced by a new reality and a newfound sense of belonging. As she stood firm against Jacob’s pleas, the weight of their troubled past came crashing down around her - memories of his brutality, of Beth’s disappearance, and of the lies that had been woven to keep her trapped in a life that was never truly hers.

As the tension between them reached a boiling point, Helena found herself face to face with Clark, who had quietly followed her into the wilderness. But before she could share her tale of woe, Jacob reappeared, his actions as swift and brutal as they were unexpected. With Clark’s life cut short and Helena trapped in a pit, Jacob vanished once more, leaving behind only the echoes of their troubled past.

But Helena was far from defeated. Using the very lessons Jacob had taught her to survive against him, she managed to escape and track him down through the wilderness. As their cat-and-mouse game reached its climax, Jacob found himself facing not just a determined hunter but also a woman who had finally come to terms with the truth about his manipulation and abuse.

In a moment of raw fury and retribution, Helena flung herself and Jacob off a cliff, their bodies crashing into the river below. As they struggled to stay afloat, Helena retrieved a gun and ended Jacob’s reign of terror once and for all - her actions fueled by a newfound sense of strength and a determination to protect her family from those who would seek to harm them. With Jacob’s body left to drift downstream, Helena kayaked back to civilization, her journey marked by the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.