Year: 2013
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Director: Vincenzo Natali
A teenage ghost seeks shelter within a family already threatened by a sinister presence—the spirit of a deceased serial killer with the ability to possess others. While trying to protect her new family, she discovers unsettling secrets about their past and must face the demons of her own tragic history, battling to keep the evil force at bay.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Haunter (2013), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Lisa Johnson, the ghost of a teenage girl who becomes aware that she is dead, haunts a house in northern Ontario with a quiet, unsettling presence. Her family—parents and a brother—live there without realizing the truth of their own deaths, and they are trapped in the same day they were murdered in 1985. As Lisa grows more conscious of her spectral state, she discovers an eerie ability: she can reach out to people who exist in different timelines, touching moments that belong to others who inhabited the same house. A pale, ominous man appears to warn her to stop, a chilling reminder that some doors should not be opened. Nevertheless, she pushes ahead, using personal items from victims who died in the house to forge connections with Olivia, a member of a family living there in the future who will become the next set of victims.
With the help of Olivia and the spirits of other murdered girls, Lisa begins to move through the timelines of those who vanished, gradually unraveling the house’s long history. She uncovers the truth behind the place and its previous resident, Edgar Mullins, a serial killer whose coffin of crimes continues to echo through time as he possesses the fathers of the families who reside in the house, carrying out murders long after his own death in 1983. As the pieces fall into place, Lisa guides her own unknowingly dead family toward the acceptance of their fate, a process that awakens them to their new reality and empowers them to assist her in the fight against Mullins.
After her family finally escapes to the afterlife, Lisa remains behind to confront Mullins and end his terror. The battle is tense, with Lisa nearly being swallowed by Olivia’s body as Mullins shifts his focus toward new victims. She summons the spirits of Mullins’s past victims, creating a chorus of ancestral witnesses that stalls his next move long enough for more of his victims’ echoes to rally to her side. In a dramatic moment, Mullins is incinerated in the furnace where he once killed; Olivia’s father regains control of his body, shaken but lucid enough to recognize the new, fragile peace that has been earned. Lisa reassures him and Olivia that they can rebuild a happy family in the afterlife, then says a bittersweet goodbye to Olivia before drifting into sleep. Yet she awakens to find her family by her side on their birthday in heaven, freed from the loop that Mullins had trapped them in and finally able to move forward together.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:19
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Characters trapped in repeating cycles must uncover a dark truth to break free.If you liked the eerie time loop mystery in Haunter, explore more movies where characters are caught in supernatural cycles. These films share a complex, puzzle-like narrative, a tense and melancholic mood, and a focus on unraveling a dark secret to escape an endless repetition.
The narrative typically follows a protagonist, often already deceased or disconnected from normal time, who becomes aware of a repeating cycle of events. The plot involves investigating clues across different iterations, interacting with past or future versions of other characters, and ultimately confronting a powerful supernatural force to break the loop, often at a great personal cost.
These films are grouped by their unique narrative structure that creates a sense of entrapment and intellectual engagement. They share a specific blend of mystery, supernatural horror, and a protagonist's desperate race against a cyclical fate, resulting in a distinctively eerie and mind-bending viewing experience.
Ghostly protagonists confront their past to help others and find their own peace.For viewers who appreciated the emotional depth and bittersweet resolution of Haunter, this thread collects ghost stories where the spirit's journey is central. These movies explore themes of grief, loss, and acceptance, combining supernatural thrills with a heavy, melancholic, and ultimately cathartic emotional core.
The story is driven by a ghost protagonist who is initially confused or trapped. Their arc involves discovering the truth of their demise, understanding their connection to the living world, and often acting as a protector against a greater evil. The climax centers on a final confrontation that allows them to resolve unfinished business, leading to a poignant and bittersweet ending where they find peace through acceptance.
This thread groups films that use the supernatural as a vehicle for exploring heavy emotional themes like grief and closure. The similarity lies in the specific character arc of the ghost, the blend of eerie tension with deep sadness, and the cathartic, though not entirely happy, conclusion.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Haunter in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Haunter is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
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