The Messengers 2007

As the cinematic canvas awakens in black and white, Mary Rollins (Shirley McQueen) endeavours to conceal her two offspring, Lindsay (Tatiana Maslany), a teenage daughter, and Michael (Jodelle Ferland), a young son, within an ancient farmhouse. Her maternal instincts urging her to shield them from the unknown, she instructs Michael to be brave as they enter a bedroom, the stark monochrome palette heightening the sense of foreboding. As the door creaks shut behind them, Mary exhorts her son to hide under the bed, his tearful whispers attempting to pierce the silence. The room begins to shudder, and an unseen force thrusts their mother against the wall, leaving her dazed and frightened.

As the door slams open, a dark presence vanishes as suddenly as it appeared, leaving Michael and Lindsay to confront the terrifying reality. The sisters huddle together, their fear palpable, as they plead for answers about their mother’s whereabouts. An invisible force responds by hurling Lindsay over the banister of the staircase, sending her plummeting down the steps. Later, she is dragged into the basement by an unseen hand, leaving behind a trail of deep nail marks etched into the wooden floor.

Michael seeks solace in the kitchen, hiding within a cupboard as the malevolent force stalks him. In a heart-stopping moment, it emerges and gently coaxes the trembling boy out from his hiding place. As the screen fades to black, the title credits roll, ushering in a new chapter of colour and vibrancy.

The narrative resumes with Jess (Kristen Stewart) arriving at the farmhouse, her presence announced by the creaking of the old car’s tires on the rural highway. As she steps out into the crisp air, the cupboard door behind her slides open and shut, an ominous harbinger of the supernatural forces that lurk within. Her curiosity piqued, Jess explores the dusty recesses of the farmhouse, her gaze lingering on a wind-up tractor nestled deep within the shadows.

As she reaches for the toy, it springs to life, its mechanical hum a stark contrast to the eerie silence that pervades the atmosphere. Jess’s attention is soon diverted by an unsettling noise emanating from the basement, where the wooden floor bears the telltale marks of Lindsay’s desperate struggles against the unknown forces. Her father, Roy (Dylan McDermott), attempts to reassure her about the house’s charms, but Jess is increasingly unsettled by the unspoken tensions that simmer just beneath the surface.

As Denise (Penelope Ann Miller), Jess’s mother, scrubs away at the walls, a faint watermark hints at the presence of something sinister. Later, as she changes the sheets, Ben (Evan and Theodore Turner), a young boy with an uncanny sense of intuition, glimpses two bloodied legs peeking out from beneath the fabric. The camera pans up to reveal Jess’s enigmatic expression, her eyes betraying a deep unease that will soon become a desperate quest for answers about the dark forces that haunt their home.

Here’s a rephrased version of the section:

As John Burwell (John Corbett) drifts into town, he finds himself entwined in the rustic rhythms of sunflower farming. His employer, Roy Rollins, entrusts him with the task, promising payment when the harvest is sold. Meanwhile, Jess’s world begins to unravel as she becomes inexplicably drawn to the cellar, where unsettling visions await her. The ghostly apparition of a childlike figure leaves its mark on her arm, resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Her parents’ absence has left her feeling isolated and vulnerable, babysitting her brother while they’re away.

The police officer’s (Michael Daingerfield) words are laced with skepticism when Jess frantically calls for help, citing attacks on their home and its subsequent destruction. He warns that if she fabricates a similar scenario again, there will be consequences. The doctor’s inquiry into Jess’s emotional state prompts her parents to reveal their struggles with “emotional issues” stemming from their departure from Chicago. As they return home, tensions simmer between them, particularly regarding Roy’s refusal to sell the farm, opting instead for an unknown offer 15% higher than their initial purchase price.

Jess’s curiosity gets the better of her as she discovers a pocket watch open on its own, revealing a woman’s photograph within. The argument between her parents only adds fuel to the fire, with Mom and Dad at odds over the decision to leave the city behind. As Jess pedals her bicycle through town, she crosses paths with a local boy who invites her for a ride in his pickup truck. Over coffee, they discuss their suspicions about the Rollins’ abrupt departure from town, which Jess believes is actually a more sinister tale of demise.

Jess also shares the harrowing story of her drunk driving accident, which left little Ben hospitalized and struggling to regain speech. The treatment of his condition has only exacerbated the financial woes besetting the family, leaving them feeling trapped and powerless against the challenges they face.

As the sun dips below the horizon, back at the farm, a poignant conversation unfolds between Mom and Ben. His eyes fixed on the barn, he gestures once more, prompting his mother to inquire about the nature of his fascination. Ben’s expression contorts into a grotesque grimace, his fingers mimicking the act of pulling down his eyelids, as if trying to convey the sheer terror that lurks within. The crows, those harbingers of doom, return in flocks, descending upon Drifter John (character not specified) in the sunflower fields like a black cloud of malevolent intent. Despite being savagely beaten, John miraculously survives, his endurance tested by the unyielding ferocity of the avian assault.

Meanwhile, Denise tenders her gentle ministrations to Ben’s exhausted form, only to be startled by an unsettling creaking sound emanating from within the walls. The stain on the wall, once a mere blemish, has now coalesced into a lifelike apparition, its presence rendered all the more jarring as it takes on a three-dimensional quality.

In the town’s local apothecary, Jess and her friend Bobby (Dustin Milligan) converge to reexamine the newspaper cutouts that hold such significance. As they pore over the images, Jess’s gaze lingers upon a photograph of the Rollins family, its patriarch none other than the enigmatic Drifter John.

As night begins to fall, back at the farm, John is beset by a flashback to his disastrous harvest, the memories flooding back like a tidal wave. The bank manager’s cold, calculating demeanor and the deed that sealed John’s fate flash before his eyes like a morbid specter. Summoning the courage to approach the house, he finds Denise preparing to depart with Ben in tow.

John’s mind is transported back to the loss of his own wife and child, who were on the cusp of abandoning him. In this moment, Denise becomes an unwitting proxy for John’s long-lost love, Mary. As he frantically searches for her, Denise flees behind a locked door, desperate to escape the clutches of this stranger who has taken on the visage of his own torment.

Jess and Bobby return from their excursion, their footsteps echoing through the house as they call out for Mom and Ben. But it’s not until they stumble upon the axe that their tranquil evening is shattered by the appearance of John, whose relentless pursuit sends them fleeing in terror. As the walls begin to bear the scars of their frantic flight, Jess seeks refuge in the cellar, only to find Denise and Ben already ensconced there, all three sharing a sense of foreboding.

As the darkness deepens, John’s anguished cries echo through the halls, his voice shrill with desperation as he berates Mary, demanding that she open the door. The very air seems charged with tension, the anticipation of what is to come palpable, like a storm on the horizon, ready to unleash its fury upon this hapless trio.

As John’s relentless search for his perceived family intensifies, Denise, Jess, and Ben retreat to the cellar, seeking refuge from the turmoil that surrounds them. Meanwhile, Dad returns home, only to be met with an eerie silence when he asks Bobby about the trio’s whereabouts. It is here that Roy stumbles upon the gruesome scene, taking a brutal blow to the back from John’s makeshift weapon - a pitchfork wielded with reckless abandon. In a desperate bid to reclaim her safety, Jess confronts John in the cellar, only to be met with a merciless onslaught of violence as he knocks her about with wild abandon.

As chaos ensues, seemingly random objects begin to converge on a specific point on the cellar floor before disappearing into a mysterious void, leaving behind an air of unease and foreboding. Jess narrowly avoids John’s deadly pitchfork, but it is only a matter of time before she finds herself face-to-face with the very same instrument of death that had claimed her tormentor. In a shocking turn of events, John falls prey to the vengeful spirits of the murdered former family, swallowed up by the dark and foreboding mud.

The pit’s malevolent inhabitants seem content in their belief that they have finally exacted justice, but they are tragically mistaken. As Jess watches on in horror, the apparitions reach out for her once more, only to be thwarted at the last minute by the timely intervention of Roy and Denise. The authorities arrive shortly thereafter, responding to a distress call that has been echoing through the desolate landscape.

As the dust settles, Jess is seen smiling, surrounded by the trappings of a newfound peace. The future looks bright for Ben, whose voice can be heard carrying on the wind as the crops grow strong and healthy under the watchful eye of a benevolent sun. Yet, amidst this idyllic tableau, a sense of unease settles over the farm like a shroud, as a flock of crows takes to the skies, their ominous presence serving as a harbinger of darker days to come.