Jackals

Jackals

Year: 2017

Runtime: 85 min

Language: English

Director: Kevin Greutert

Echo Score: 50
ThrillerHorror

A young man is abducted by two enigmatic figures and taken to a remote cabin, forcing him to face his estranged family. As his past is revealed, the family seeks help from a cult deprogrammer to break his mind control. The cult retaliates, leading to a violent confrontation that tests family bonds and results in a brutal showdown.

Jackals (2017) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Jackals (2017) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the forest‑shrouded outskirts of a quiet town, a desperate reunion unfolds when a young man is suddenly taken to a secluded cabin. The stark isolation forces him to confront a family he has long avoided, pulling old grievances into the sharp light of the present. The cabin itself becomes a crucible, its creaking walls echoing both the cold uncertainty of the woods and the simmering tension among those inside.

Jimmy Levine arrives as the family’s hired deprogrammer, a specialist accustomed to navigating the fragile boundaries between belief and coercion. He joins Andrew Powell, a father haunted by the disappearance of his son, and Kathy Powell, a mother whose love is tangled with unresolved hurt. Their son Justin sits at the center of this uneasy gathering, his silence and guarded demeanor hinting at deeper entanglements. Campbell, the older brother, and Samantha, a former girlfriend clutching a newborn, complete the circle, each carrying their own mix of hope and resentment.

The atmosphere is thick with dread and anticipation, a blend of psychological unease and the looming threat of an unseen influence. The family’s appeal to Levine hints at a shadowy cult that has held Justin in its grip, suggesting a world where loyalty can be twisted and minds reshaped. As the night deepens, the cabin becomes a stage for the fragile dance between rescue and further entrapment, with every character confronting not only external forces but the knots of their own past.

All the while, the forest outside whispers with unnamed presences, and the very air feels charged with a silent warning. The story balances a stark, almost tactile horror with the raw emotions of a broken family seeking redemption, inviting the audience to wonder how far each will go to reclaim what has been lost before the darkness fully closes in.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:53

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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.

Home siege horror movies like Jackals

Families trapped in their homes, fighting for survival against relentless attackers.If the desperate, confined battle in Jackals gripped you, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar stories of families under siege, fighting for survival against invaders in isolated locations. These films share a high-intensity, claustrophobic vibe with a dark tone and heavy emotional weight, perfect for fans of tense home invasion thrillers and survival horror.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a simple but effective pattern: a family's safe haven is breached, forcing them into a desperate defensive battle. The story escalates steadily through waves of attack, testing bonds and revealing character under extreme pressure. The focus is on the immediate, visceral struggle for survival within shrinking safe zones.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their core premise of a home-under-siege, the high intensity of the sustained threat, and the claustrophobic, anxious mood they generate. They share a dark tone, straightforward survival-focused plots, and a pacing that builds tension steadily towards a violent confrontation.

Cult confrontation thrillers similar to Jackals

Grim stories about families battling cult indoctrination, leading to violent fallout.If the themes of cult indoctrination and violent deprogramming in Jackals fascinated you, discover more movies with similar plots. This collection features grim thrillers and horrors about families battling cults to save loved ones. These films share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, disturbing themes, and often feature ambiguous or bleak endings, perfect for viewers who like psychologically intense stories.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character being extracted from a cult, forcing a painful reckoning with their indoctrination. The story delves into psychological manipulation and the immense difficulty of breaking brainwashing. This internal conflict typically erupts into external violence as the cult retaliates, testing the limits of familial love and sacrifice.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their central focus on the dynamics of cults, deprogramming, and the violent consequences that follow. They share a dark, grim tone, heavy emotional weight from exploring psychological trauma, and often feature straightforward narratives driven by intense family conflict and survival.

Unlock the Full Story of Jackals

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Jackals Summary

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Jackals Summary

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Jackals Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Jackals

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Jackals

More About Jackals

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Discover movies like Jackals that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.