Carny

Carny

Year: 2009

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: English

Director: Sheldon Wilson

HorrorFantasyActionScience FictionTV Movie

When a traveling carnival rolls into a rural Nebraska town, its featured attraction—a caged creature claimed to be the Jersey Devil—breaks free and begins tearing residents apart. Sheriff Sam Atlas organizes a tracking team to hunt the predator, while a grieving pastor, whose son was killed by the beast, plots his own fiery vengeance.

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Timeline & Setting – Carny (2009)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Carny (2009). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Traveling carnival, forest, river, police station

The story centers on a traveling carnival that pitches its tents near a dense forest and a winding river. The woods serve as the monster's hunting grounds while the river provides a key escape route or concealment. The police station becomes the command hub where Sheriff Atlas coordinates the pursuit and confrontations unfold.

🎪 Carnival 🌳 Forest 💧 River 🏢 Police Station

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:00

Main Characters – Carny (2009)

Meet the key characters of Carny (2009), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sheriff Atlas

A determined lawman who investigates the Jersey Devil's rampage at the traveling carnival. He leads a hunting party, tracks the creature through the woods, and puts himself at risk to protect others and rescue Samara. His arc culminates in a self-sacrificial effort to stop the beast.

🛡️ Sheriff 🧭 Leader 🕵️ Investigator

Cap

The ringmaster of the carnival, ruthless and profit-driven, who plans to deliver the beast alive to a client. He uses traps and enhanced darts to control the creature and even kills his assistant to draw out the monster. His downfall arrives when the Jersey Devil claims him during the carnival chaos.

💰 Greed 🎭 Villain

Quinn

Cap's loyal assistant who helps tranquilize the beast. He becomes a casualty when Cap stabs him to draw the creature with the blood scent, showcasing the dangerous costs of ambition and manipulation.

🎯 Ally 💀 Victim

Samara

A psychic carnie who offers forewarnings and helps Atlas interpret the monster's nature. She reveals the Jersey Devil's origins and acts as a link between carnival mysticism and the investigation, guiding the search with her insights.

🔮 Psychic 🎪 Carnival mystic

Jesse

Taylor's skeptical friend who becomes a target but survives the carnage. He displays street-smart resilience and ultimately provides critical testimony that aids Atlas in understanding the monster's threat.

🧒 Teen 🧭 Survivor

Luke

Atlas's deputy who aids in the investigation and pursuit of the beast. He is wounded during the confrontation and dies from his injuries, highlighting the high cost of pursuit.

🛡️ Deputy 💀 Victim

Jersey Devil

The monstrous, legendary creature terrorizing the carnival and surrounding woods. Its bloodlust is fueled by the scent of blood, driving it to kill indiscriminately until Atlas finally confronts and sacrifices to stop it.

👹 Monster

Pastor

A paranoid religious leader who seeks revenge on the carnival and the beast for Taylor's death. He attempts to exert his own form of justice, ultimately meeting a violent end as the chaos unfolds.

🗡️ Zealot

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:00

Major Themes – Carny (2009)

Explore the central themes of Carny (2009), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🩸 Blood

Blood drives much of the carnage, with the Jersey Devil drawn to it as a trigger for aggression. The scent and sight of blood escalate both monster and human actions, turning pursuit into a bloody cycle. The violence permeates the carnival, forcing characters to confront how far they will go to survive and profit.

⚖️ Law

Sheriff Atlas embodies the struggle to uphold order amid chaos and greed. The pursuit pits official authority against vigilante impulses and the carnival's profit-driven leadership. The deputy's sacrifice tests the limits of courage and the costs of trying to restore safety.

🎭 Morality

The carnival becomes a mirror for ethical choices under pressure. Characters grapple with exploitation, loyalty, and the temptation of using the monster for personal gain. Fear and fascination blur lines between protector and predator as violence erupts around them.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:00

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Carny Summary

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Carny Summary

Carny Timeline

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Carny Timeline

Carny Spoiler-Free Summary

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Carny Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Carny

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More About Carny

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