Amityville Exorcism (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in Amityville, New York, specifically centering on the infamous 112 Ocean Avenue house. The supernatural evil spreads beyond this location through tainted lumber that travels to other properties, infecting multiple homes in the area.

• amityville
• 112 ocean avenue
• new york
• haunted house
• setting

The 112 Ocean Avenue house is the infamous real-world location known for the 1974 DeFeo family murders. In this film, the house serves as the source of tainted wood that carries a demonic curse across multiple properties, making it the origin point of the spreading malevolent influence.

• 112 ocean avenue
• defeo murders
• amityville horror
• haunted house
• cursed lumber

Demonic possession is the central horror element, with the entity Legion taking control of Amy Dukane. The film explores how evil can blur personal boundaries and threaten family bonds, using the tainted lumber and house as conduits for the demon's influence.

• possession
• legion
• demon
• amy dukane
• supernatural

The story is rooted in the brutal familicide committed by Charles Humes, who killed his wife and two daughters. This trauma reverberates through the town and fuels cycles of violence. The haunted houses and cursed wood symbolize unresolved pain carried across generations, linking personal catastrophe to supernatural vengeance.

• family trauma
• charles humes
• generational trauma
• murder
• tragedy

Father Benna performs the exorcism on Amy, confronting the demon that previously killed his brother Father Jonas during a failed ritual at 112 Ocean Avenue. The film explores the limits and costs of faith when confronting ancient evil, balancing protection with vulnerability for both the priest and those he seeks to save.

• exorcism
• father benna
• priest
• ritual
• faith
• father jonas

Father Benna is the priest who conducts the exorcism on Amy Dukane. He is haunted by the memory of his brother Jonas, who died during a prior exorcism at 112 Ocean Avenue. Despite this trauma, he remains determined to confront the demon and save Amy, even at personal cost.

• father benna
• priest
• exorcist
• jeff kirknedall
• hero

Amy Dukane is the young woman who becomes possessed by the demon Legion. As the possession takes hold, her personality transforms dramatically, turning friendly interactions into terror. Her ordeal drives the central conflict until the exorcism attempts to free her from the demon's control.

• amy dukane
• possessed
• victim
• legion
• main character

Charles Humes is a general contractor who committed the brutal familicide of killing his wife and two daughters. He claimed demons possessed him due to tainted wood from 112 Ocean Avenue. His rationalization masks deeper paranoia, and his past actions unleash supernatural retribution that affects others.

• charles humes
• murderer
• familicide
• contractor
• antagonist

Jeremy Dukane is Amy's abusive alcoholic father who is initially skeptical of haunting claims until he experiences the supernatural threat firsthand. As the danger escalates, he becomes a reluctant ally to Father Benna, assisting in the fight against the demonic force.

• jeremy dukane
• amy father
• alcoholic
• abusive
• ally

The tainted wood linked to the original 112 Ocean Avenue house travels to other properties, spreading the malevolent influence beyond the single location. This extended mythology connects multiple homes to the demon's reach, adding complexity beyond a simple haunted house narrative.

• cursed lumber
• tainted wood
• mythology
• curse spread
• amityville legend

Father Jonas was Father Benna's brother who died during an exorcism at 112 Ocean Avenue. His death haunts Father Benna throughout the film, adding personal weight to the ongoing struggle against evil and motivating Benna to succeed where his brother failed.

• father jonas
• brother
• death
• past exorcism
• motivation