Nails

Nails

Year: 2017

Runtime: 85 min

Language: English

Echo Score: 45

Budget: $5M

Horror

After a devastating car accident leaves her physically trapped, track coach Dana Milgrom finds herself battling for survival in a hospital room. A disturbing entity known as Nails begins to haunt her, and as her cries for help are ignored, Dana’s perception of reality becomes increasingly fragile. She must confront a terrifying darkness and fight to prove her sanity while struggling to escape her physical and psychological torment.

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

Get a spoiler-free look at Nails (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 aftermath of a sudden, violent car crash, former track coach Dana Milgrom awakens to a world reduced to the sterile confines of a rehabilitation hospital. The once‑dynamic rhythm of her life is now measured in the beeps of machines and the limited motion of a body that refuses to cooperate. Though surrounded by the bustle of caregivers and the bright optimism of recovery charts, the room feels more like a cage, and every passing hour amplifies the thin line between physical pain and mental endurance.

Visiting family members try to stitch together a sense of normalcy: Steve, her husband, shuffles between hope and helplessness, while their daughter Gemma offers fleeting moments of childhood light. The staff—Trevor, a pragmatic nurse, and Dr. Ron Stengel, a curious physician—oscillate between professional detachment and genuine concern, often questioning whether Dana’s heightened anxiety is a side effect of trauma or something more elusive. The hospital’s corridors, bathed in fluorescent glow, pulse with the unspoken anxieties of patients and the weary resolve of those tasked with their care, creating an atmosphere that is both clinical and suffocating.

Amid this fragile equilibrium, Dana becomes aware of a disturbing presence that the staff dismisses as imagination. Referred to only as “Nails,” the entity seeps into the edges of her perception, turning ordinary shadows into whispered threats. As her reality begins to fragment, she is forced to confront a darkness that challenges both her sanity and her will to survive. The film balances stark, claustrophobic tension with moments of fragile humanity, inviting the audience to wonder whether the true horror lies in the unseen menace or the isolation of a mind caught between life and the lingering echo of death.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 02:58

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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.

Claustrophobic Horror movies like Nails

Characters fight for their lives while confined in a single, menacing location.If the trapped-in-a-hospital-room premise of Nails gripped you, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar horror stories where characters battle supernatural or psychological threats within a single, confining location, creating an intensely anxious and oppressive viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically center on a protagonist who is physically or situationally trapped, often in a place that should be safe but becomes a prison. The narrative unfolds linearly as the threat escalates, focusing on survival and the unraveling of sanity against an inescapable danger.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared core mechanic: a confined setting that directly fuels the horror. They create a specific, palpable sense of dread through spatial limitations, forcing a direct and relentless confrontation with the antagonist.

Bleak Supernatural horror films similar to Nails

Supernatural stories where the darkness wins, leaving no hope for the protagonists.For viewers who appreciated the grim, hopeless ending of Nails, this collection features similar horror movies where supernatural entities triumph. If you like stories with heavy emotional weight, disturbing themes, and conclusions that offer no escape or victory, you'll find more movies like Nails here.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a character, often already vulnerable, who becomes the target of a malevolent supernatural force. Their investigation or struggle only confirms the power and ruthlessness of the entity. The arc is a downward spiral into despair, ending with the protagonist's defeat or death.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by a shared, punishing tone and a narrative commitment to a hopeless outcome. The similarity lies in the emotional experience of witnessing a futile struggle against an unstoppable supernatural evil, resulting in a heavy, bleak feeling.

Unlock the Full Story of Nails

Don't stop at just watching — explore Nails 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 Nails is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Nails Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Nails, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Nails Summary

Nails Timeline

Track the full timeline of Nails with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Nails Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Nails

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Nails. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Nails

More About Nails

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Nails: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Nails

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Discover movies like Nails 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.