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Amityville: The Awakening (2017) movie poster

Plot Summary

Amityville: The Awakening (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 85 min · English
Echo score 37
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Directed by
Franck Khalfoun
Starring
Mckenna Grace, Cameron Monaghan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bella Thorne, Thomas Mann, Jennifer Morrison

Facing financial hardship, a family moves into the infamous Amityville house. Soon, unsettling events begin to occur, and teenage Belle discovers disturbing truths about her mother’s past and the sudden, mysterious revival of her brother from a coma. As the strange occurrences intensify, Belle must confront the malevolent forces residing within the house and fight to protect her family from a terrifying evil.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Amityville: The Awakening
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Amityville: The Awakening: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Amityville: The Awakening (2017) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

The film begins with intense news coverage surrounding the horrific events that transpired at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island, New York. In 1974, a young man named Ronald DeFeo, Jr. brutally killed his entire family, claiming that he was influenced by chilling voices echoing through the house. The reporters grapple with the sinister presence that seems to linger in the infamous residence.

Fast forward over forty years later, Joan Walker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) relocates to this very house with her children: Belle (Bella Thorne), Juliet (Mckenna Grace), and James (Cameron Monaghan), alongside their dog, Larry. Following a tragic accident that left James brain-dead years ago, Joan yearns for a fresh start in this new environment. However, Belle, sensing no hope for a change in her brother’s condition, remains skeptical.

As Belle adjusts to her new school, her peers are aware of her living situation and subject her to ridicule. The only student offering her any kindness is Terrence (Thomas Mann). One night, Belle finds Juliet wandering the hallways aimlessly, and as they return to her room, an alarming beeping from James’s room draws their attention. Joan rushes in, desperately trying to revive him as he flat-lines, but miraculously, she brings him back.

While at school, Belle conducts research about the ominous history of the house, uncovering the tragic events that unfolded there. Terrence introduces her to a DVD of the classic "Amityville Horror," featuring James Brolin and Margot Kidder. Enthusiastically, Belle agrees to watch it with him at the house, setting the stage for eerie events to follow.

During a meeting with Dr. Milner (Kurtwood Smith) and her sister Candace (Jennifer Morrison), Joan expresses her conviction that James is improving, but Dr. Milner harbors concerns based on his experiences with similar cases. Frustrated by her family's hopefulness regarding James, Belle storms out and discovers Juliet engaged in a conversation with James, wherein she insists he is responding with knowledge only Belle possesses.

Belle eventually experiences a terrifying nightmare involving blood-stained wallpaper and a haunting encounter with Ronald DeFeo, Jr. That following night, Terrence, along with his friend Marissa (Taylor Spreitler), arrives to watch the movie at the stroke of 3:15 AM, echoing the time the infamous murders took place. As the power unexpectedly cuts out, they venture into the basement to locate the fuse box, unearthing remnants from prior owners, like an ominous "High Hopes" sign. Once the lights flicker back on, Joan scolds Belle for having friends over without her consent.

As Dr. Milner and Candace conduct tests on James, Dr. Milner suddenly experiences a disturbing vision, causing him to leave the house in haste. Meanwhile, Belle and Juliet confront further hauntings characterized by shadowy figures and unsettling dreams in which James is able to walk only to aim a gun at Belle.

Candace arrives with a computer designed for James to communicate using his eyelids, allowing words to appear on-screen while Belle confides in Marissa about the tragedy surrounding her brother's injury. Belle learns that James was injured in an attempt to protect her from bullies and struggles with the guilt of that night. The trio begins to suspect that James may be possessed and that the house's dark history feeds this supernatural unrest.

In a moment of desperation, Belle seeks to engage James, only to be met with chilling messages on the computer, “KILL ME” followed by “GET OUT.” In the midst of this, Joan appears, believing that James truly wishes to live as she witnesses him regain some strength. Terrence then urges Belle to expose the truth about James's possession.

Determined, Belle heads into the basement, where she finds a chilling message scratched into the wall: “KILL THEM ALL.” At the same time, Juliet encounters a sinister sight in the lake. Belle reveals her fears of James being possessed to her mother. Joan, philosophical and shaken, recounts her declining faith in God following her husband's death and the trauma surrounding James, which led her to make a fateful decision in moving to the Amityville house in search of a miracle.

Later, as Belle plans to escape the house with James, Joan confronts her and unintentionally renders her unconscious. Upon awakening at 3:15 AM, Belle observes Joan and Juliet at a table, enjoying what appears to be a meal prepared by James—only to realize it was an illusory dream. Upon fully regaining consciousness, she witnesses James, now entirely overtaken by possession, rise from his bed, just as Candace arrives at the house.

In a whirlwind of chaos, James retrieves a firearm from the basement and, haunted by the looming evil, kills Candace and Larry before turning his sights on Joan. Armed with a crucifix, Joan attempts to ward him off, but tragically, James succumbs fully to the darkness and shoots her. As he approaches Juliet, Belle instinctively intervenes, launching herself and James through the window.

Upon falling outside, the dark presence leaves James's body, reverting him to his frail state. In his final moments, he expresses gratitude to Belle for saving him, leaving her in tears beside him.

In the aftermath of this tragic night, Belle faces a police investigation concerning the deaths of Joan, James, and Candace. Despite the terror they've endured, Juliet supports Belle’s account, and evidence against James surfaces, pointing to the tragic legacy of the haunted Amityville house, which continues to echo with sorrow.

Last updated: November 02, 2024 at 13:23

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Plot questions answered

Amityville: The Awakening Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Amityville: The Awakening (2017): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does James suddenly wake up from his coma in the Amityville house?

James wakes up because Joan desperately tries to revive him when he flat-lines, and she miraculously brings him back. However, this revival is not a true miracle, it is the moment the house's dark presence takes hold of James, beginning his possession.

  • james coma
  • revival
  • possession
  • amityville house
Q2

Why does James become possessed by the Amityville house?

James becomes possessed because the house's malevolent entity seeks a vessel. Having been brain-dead and vulnerable, James becomes the perfect target. The dark presence uses him to carry out violence, as it did with Ronald DeFeo, Jr. decades earlier.

Foreshadowing: The news coverage at the beginning establishes that Ronald DeFeo, Jr. claimed the house's voices told him to kill his family.

  • possession
  • james
  • evil entity
  • amityville haunting
Q3

Why does Joan move her family to the Amityville house despite knowing its history?

Joan moves there because she is desperate for a miracle to save James, who has been brain-dead for years following an accident. After her husband's death and losing faith in God, she clings to the hope that the infamous house might somehow revive her son. Her grief and desperation blind her to the danger.

  • joan walker
  • amityville house
  • desperate mother
  • miracle
Q4

What triggers James to start killing his family members?

James turns violent when the possession fully takes control of him. After receiving the chilling messages "KILL ME" and "GET OUT" on his communication device, James breaks free from his bed, retrieves a firearm from the basement, and kills Candace and Larry before turning the gun on Joan. The house's evil has completely consumed him.

Foreshadowing: Belle's nightmare shows James walking and aiming a gun at her, foreshadowing his violent turn.

  • james violence
  • possession
  • shooting
  • candace death
Q5

What do the messages "KILL ME" and "GET OUT" mean that James types?

The messages "KILL ME" and "GET OUT" are James's desperate attempts to communicate through his eyelid-tracking computer. "KILL ME" shows he is aware of the possession and wants to be stopped before he harms anyone. "GET OUT" is a warning to his family, urging them to flee the house before it's too late.

  • kill me
  • get out
  • communication
  • james warning
Q6

Why does the dark presence leave James at the end of the movie?

The dark presence leaves James when he is thrown through the window and falls outside the house. This physically removes him from the domain of the Amityville house, severing the entity's hold on him. Once freed, James reverts to his frail, non-possessed state and thanks Belle for saving him before dying.

  • dark entity
  • possession ends
  • james death
  • amityville curse
Q7

What is the significance of 3:15 AM in the movie?

3:15 AM is the exact time Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered his family in 1974. Terrence and Marissa arrive at exactly this time to watch the Amityville Horror movie, intentionally echoing the original tragedy. This moment marks the escalation of supernatural activity in the house.

  • 3:15 am
  • ronald defeo
  • murder time
  • amityville history
Q8

How did James get injured and become brain-dead before moving to Amityville?

James was injured trying to protect Belle from bullies. Belle confides to Marissa that her brother was hurt in an attempt to shield her, leaving her with deep survivor's guilt. This tragic backstory explains why Joan is so desperate to save him and why Belle feels responsible for his condition.

  • james injury
  • bullies
  • brain dead
  • protective brother
Q9

Why does Joan ignore the obvious signs that something is wrong with James and the house?

Joan ignores the signs because she desperately wants to believe James is improving. After her husband's death, she lost her faith and moved to Amityville seeking a miracle. When James shows any sign of recovery, she clings to that hope, dismissing Dr. Milner's concerns and Belle's warnings. Her grief blinds her to the reality of possession.

  • joan denial
  • mother hope
  • dr milner concerns
  • supernatural signs
Q10

What does the "KILL THEM ALL" message scratched into the basement wall mean?

The message "KILL THEM ALL" scratched into the basement wall is the house's dark influence taking concrete form. It echoes the mass murders committed by Ronald DeFeo, Jr. and serves as a direct command from the entity, foreshadowing the violent rampage James will eventually carry out.

Foreshadowing: The basement discovery of past owners' remnants and the ominous "High Hopes" sign hints at the house's accumulated evil.

  • basement
  • kill them all
  • ronald defeo
  • prophecy
Q11

Why does Juliet seem normal after the traumatic events in Amityville?

Juliet appears normal because, unlike James, she was never targeted by the house's entity. Throughout the movie, she is shown talking to James and experiencing minor disturbances, but the darkness focused its possession entirely on the vulnerable James. At the end, she supports Belle's account to police, showing she was a survivor rather than a victim of possession.

  • juliet
  • survivor
  • possession target
  • family aftermath

Movie threads

More Movies Like Amityville: The Awakening, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Amityville: The Awakening tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Dread-Filled Haunted House Stories like Amityville: The Awakening

Families confront malevolent forces within a home that becomes a prison of fear. If you liked the oppressive tension of Amityville: The Awakening, explore more movies where a family is terrorized within their own home. This collection features similar horror stories about supernatural possession, psychological torment, and the desperate fight against a malevolent force rooted in a house's dark history.

  • haunted house
  • supernatural
  • dread
  • family terror
  • possession
  • ominous
  • Tone: dark, sinister
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a family who moves into a new home, only to discover it is haunted. Unsettling events begin subtly, then intensify, revealing the property's grim past. The story centers on uncovering the truth behind the haunting while the characters fight to survive the entity's escalating attacks, often leading to tragic consequences.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together by their shared setting and core conflict: a malevolent location versus a vulnerable family. They create a cohesive experience through a consistently dark tone, high intensity scares, and a heavy emotional weight driven by themes of family trauma and loss.

Psychological Horror with Family Trauma like Amityville: The Awakening

Horror that intertwines supernatural threat with deep-seated family grief and guilt. For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and themes of grief in Amityville: The Awakening, this list features similar horror movies. These stories blend supernatural scares with deep explorations of family trauma, survivor's guilt, and psychological decay, creating a profoundly unsettling experience.

  • psychological
  • family trauma
  • grief
  • sinister
  • oppressive
  • emotional horror
  • Tone: dark, dreadful
  • Pacing: steady, psychological
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this pattern unfold by connecting a present-day supernatural threat to a tragic event in the characters' past. The horror serves to expose and amplify unresolved pain, such as the loss of a loved one or a past sin. The narrative journey is as much about confronting inner demons as it is about battling external ones, often leading to a somber or tragic resolution.

Why they belong together: These films are linked by their dual focus on supernatural horror and profound psychological themes. They share a dark, heavy tone and use a steady pacing to explore character psychology, making the horror feel personal and emotionally devastating beyond simple jump scares.

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Every angle

Amityville: The Awakening (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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