Jackals Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

An estranged family hires a deprogrammer to steal their edgy son back from his creepy mask-wearing friends, but the friends show up to the house party uninvited and things get awkward and stabby.

🍿 Jackals: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Attempting to Rescue Justin

Set in the 1980s, an estranged family — parents Kathy and Andrew Powell, older brother Campbell, Justin’s girlfriend Samantha, and their baby daughter — hire cult deprogrammer Jimmy Levine to retrieve their teenage son, Justin, from a dangerous cult. They successfully abduct Justin and take him to an isolated family cabin in the woods for deprogramming. Upon arrival, Justin is tied to a chair as Jimmy begins the difficult process of trying to break the cult’s hold over him. Justin, now calling himself “Thanatos,” resists their efforts, exhibiting aggressive and disturbing behavior, completely devoted to his new group. The family struggles with the reality of who their son has become and their own fractured relationships.

The Cult Arrives

As darkness falls on the cabin, the situation takes a terrifying turn. Cult members, wearing unsettling animal masks, begin to surround the property. They don’t immediately attack, instead standing silently in the darkness, creating an atmosphere of dread. The family and Jimmy realize they are under siege. The cult wants Justin back, and they are willing to terrorize and potentially harm the family to achieve their goal. The cabin becomes a battleground for survival against the relentless, masked intruders.

Under Siege

The cultists launch sporadic, brutal attacks on the cabin, testing the family’s defenses and psychological limits. Inside, tensions escalate as the family members clash over how to handle the escalating threat and whether Justin is truly lost to the cult. The deprogramming effort is abandoned in favor of survival. With limited weapons and resources, they attempt to defend themselves and the cabin. However, the cult members are numerous and seemingly fearless, employing tactics designed to isolate and terrorize the family one by one. The fight for survival becomes increasingly desperate.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Justin Powell (Ben Sullivan): The teenage son rescued from a murderous cult by his estranged family for deprogramming.
• Jimmy Levine (Stephen Dorff): A former marine and cult deprogrammer hired by the family to retrieve and help their son.
• Kathy Powell (Deborah Kara Unger): The anxious and emotionally strained mother desperate to save her cult-indoctrinated son.
• Andrew Powell (Johnathon Schaech): The estranged father determined to confront his past mistakes and rescue his son from the cult.
• Campbell Powell (Nick Roux): Justin’s resentful older brother who struggles to understand and accept his brother’s cult involvement.
• Samantha (Chelsea Ricketts): Justin’s girlfriend and the mother of his baby daughter, caught in the middle of the family’s ordeal.
• Lead Cultist (Jason Scott Jenkins): The ominous figure representing the masked cultists who lay siege to the cabin demanding Justin’s return.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Justin Powell: “They want me.” – Said to his family, indicating that the cult outside is there specifically to retrieve him.
• Justin Powell: “My name isn’t Justin, it’s Thanatos.” – Spoken while tied up during the deprogramming attempt, revealing the new name given to him by the cult.
• Campbell Powell: “You don’t remember how many times I kicked your ass young man?” – Said to his younger brother Justin during a tense moment of physical confrontation inside the cabin.
• Justin Powell: “That just brought it all right back.” – Justin’s sarcastic response to Campbell’s taunt about past fights, acknowledging their strained sibling history.
• Justin Powell: “Take Zoey and run! Now!” – In a brief moment of lucidity or desperation, Justin urges his ex-girlfriend Samantha to escape the cabin with their baby.

💰Box Office

• Budget: N/A
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: $85,410

💥 Jackals Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I checked out Jackals because I’m a sucker for 80s-set horror, especially cult stuff. This one felt pretty low-budget, but honestly, I kinda dug the vibe. It does a good job of making you feel trapped in that house with the family, and the tension when the cult shows up outside is genuinely creepy. There were a couple of moments that really got under my skin, mostly thanks to those masks – simple but effective! The family drama part felt a bit forced sometimes, but when the cult activity started, it definitely picked up the pace. It’s not a masterpiece, and yeah, the ending felt a little abrupt, but if you go in expecting a tense, no-frills home invasion-ish horror flick with a cool 80s aesthetic and some spooky mask action, you might have a decent time like I did. Perfect for a late-night watch when you want something atmospheric and a bit unsettling.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of home invasion thrillers and siege films”
  • “Viewers interested in cult-themed horror movies”
  • “Those who appreciate low-budget, intense survival stories”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Strong violence and gore”
  • “Disturbing thematic content (cults, brainwashing)”
  • “Situations involving a baby in peril”
  • “Character deaths”

Professional Reviews

• FilmCritique: “”Jackals” leans heavily into its 80s cult horror premise, creating a palpable sense of dread within the confines of a single house. While the tension builds effectively, character motivations occasionally feel thin, and the payoff doesn’t quite live up to the atmospheric setup. A decent effort for genre fans looking for a contained thriller, but perhaps lacks the punch to stand out.
• IndieWatch: “The film capably establishes its claustrophobic setting and the desperation of a family at breaking point. Unfortunately, the execution feels uneven. Performances are mixed, and while the core concept is intriguing, the narrative struggles to maintain momentum, culminating in a finale that feels a little anticlimactic after the slow burn. It has moments, but they’re fleeting.

Audience Reactions

The masks and overall atmosphere were effectively creepy.: Many found the film successfully built tension and appreciated the 80s setting, despite pacing issues.

Overall Consensus: A tense, atmospheric 80s cult thriller praised for its creepy visuals and setting, though often criticized for its pacing and plot execution.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film was shot rapidly over fifteen days in December 2015, with only two additional days of shooting in July 2016.”
• “The script was written in 2006, predating notable masked home invasion films like ‘The Strangers’ (2008), although ‘The Strangers’ director was an editor on this film.”
• “The 1980s setting was primarily chosen to provide a plausible reason for the lack of mobile phones, which would complicate the siege plot.”

🖥️ How to Watch Jackals?

As of late 2023 and early 2024, the horror-thriller ‘Jackals’ (2017) is typically available for streaming on platforms like Peacock, FuboTV, and AMC+. You can also rent or purchase the movie digitally through Video On Demand (VOD) services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play Movies & TV. Check these platforms for the most current availability and pricing.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Jackals, you might like these similar films:

• The Strangers (2008): Features a similar premise of a family under siege in a remote location by mysterious, masked intruders.
• Straw Dogs (1971): A classic thriller about a family/individual defending their home against aggressive attackers, creating intense psychological and physical tension.
• Assault on Precinct 13 (1976): Focuses on a small group trapped in a building, forced to band together and defend themselves against a relentless, seemingly motiveless external force.
• You’re Next (2011): A modern take on the home invasion genre with masked attackers, though it incorporates elements of dark comedy and a survivalist protagonist.
• The Wicker Man (1973): A seminal cult classic horror film dealing directly with the unsettling and often violent nature of isolated, secretive cults.

🛒 Jackals Related Products

• 80s Horror Movie Poster Collection Book: A curated collection of iconic and obscure horror movie posters from the 1980s, capturing the unique artistic style and themes of the era.
• Cult of the Dead Board Game: A strategic horror board game where players navigate a town under siege by a mysterious cult, featuring atmospheric artwork and tense gameplay.
• Vintage Synthwave Music Compilation (Digital Album): A digital music album featuring various artists capturing the signature synthwave sounds reminiscent of 1980s horror and sci-fi film scores.
• Mysterious Cult Mask Prop Replica: A high-quality replica of a generic, creepy mask often associated with cinematic cults, made from durable materials suitable for display or cosplay.

🎧 Soundtrack

Jackals features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Cult of the Night” – performed by Synthwave Spectre
• “Family Portrait (Tension Build)” – performed by Score Collective
• “Crimson Horizon” – performed by Neon Decay
• “They’re Watching” – performed by Darkwave Duo

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

jackal sound

Ever wonder what a real jackal sounds like? This clip is one of the most-watched examples online, and honestly, it’s way more haunting than I expected – kind of puts Tabaqui’s cinematic yips into perspective!

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Okay, but what about a jackal crying? This popular clip captured in Nepal gives you another glimpse into the actual sounds these animals make in the wild, and it’s quite something!

How Do Jackals Find mates in Wild

Beyond the sounds, how do real jackals actually live and interact? This video about finding mates gives a fascinating peek into their natural behavior – definitely different from the pack dynamics you might see on screen!

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