It Comes at Night

Main Plot

It Comes at Night follows a family living in a secluded house in the woods, trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a mysterious and deadly disease. The family, consisting of a father, mother, and their teenage son, has established strict rules to maintain their safety and protect themselves from the outside threats. Their isolated existence is disrupted when another family, seeking refuge, arrives at their doorstep. Initially, the two families attempt to coexist and share resources, but as paranoia and fear of the unknown grow, tensions rise. The fragile trust between the families begins to unravel, leading to a series of unsettling events that challenge their survival instincts and moral boundaries. The film explores themes of fear, isolation, and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones in a world where danger lurks around every corner.

Characters

• Joel Edgerton plays Paul, a protective father who enforces strict rules to safeguard his family from a mysterious threat in a post-apocalyptic world.
• Christopher Abbott plays Will, a desperate man seeking refuge for his family, whose arrival tests the fragile trust and survival instincts of the main characters.
• Carmen Ejogo plays Sarah, the wife of Paul. She helps protect their family from a mysterious threat, navigating trust and survival in a post-apocalyptic world.

Ending Explained

In the ending of It Comes at Night, the tension reaches its peak as the story's central conflict—survival amidst a mysterious, deadly threat—culminates in a tragic resolution. After a series of escalating fears and paranoia, Paul and his family are faced with the arrival of Will and his family, who initially seem to offer a potential alliance against the unseen danger outside. However, trust quickly erodes as suspicion grows, particularly after the death of the family dog, which heightens the sense of dread. The climax occurs when Paul discovers that the illness plaguing the world has infiltrated their safe haven. In a desperate attempt to protect his family, he confronts Will, leading to a violent altercation. The conflict spirals out of control, resulting in the death of both Will and Paul. The film concludes with Sarah, left alone with her son, who is now showing signs of the illness. This ending underscores the futility of their efforts to maintain safety and trust in a world ravaged by fear and disease, highlighting the fragility of human relationships under extreme stress. The cyclical nature of fear and the inevitability of loss resonate deeply, leaving the audience with a haunting sense of despair.