In the quiet town of Ludlow, Maine, in the year 1969, the peaceful existence of its residents is shattered when local farmer Bill Baterman sorrowfully lays to rest his son Timmy in the pet cemetery. This somber occasion takes a terrifying turn when their dog Hendrix digs up a grave, leading to an inexplicable encounter with a force from beyond.
As Jud Crandall prepares to leave for the Peace Corps, he navigates his relationship with Norma, only to run into Bill, who gives him a nostalgic photo of their youth, featuring Timmy and Manny Rivers. Bill's deceitful words suggest Timmy has returned from the Vietnam War under honorable circumstances.
The following day brings unexpected chaos as Jud and Norma embark on their trip, but they are confronted by an agitated Hendrix. When attempting to return the dog to the Baterman home, they are met with a horrific sight—Timmy, alive and standing before them. The encounter takes a dark turn as Hendrix attacks Norma, prompting a frantic dash to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Manny finds himself in a chilling predicament when he discovers blood-soaked sunflowers and a thorn that pierces his hand in the crops. His conversation with Jud reveals Timmy’s potential struggles with PTSD, deepening the mystery.
As Jud returns to the Baterman house, he stumbles upon a haunting scene of Timmy looming over a slaughtered hog. Bill learns about Hendrix's strange behavior, while Timmy's disturbing true nature is unveiled in the basement, where he manically scrawls names in blood and utters chilling threats.
That night, Officer Marjorie Washburn faces a horrifying encounter with Hendrix, who taunts her about her father's suicide. Her desperate call to Mayor Hannibal Benson is brutally interrupted by the dog's assault, leaving her wounded yet alive. Elsewhere, Donna's tranquil life is violently disrupted as Timmy's sinister presence stalks her through the fields, forcing her into a frantic escape amidst the crops.
In a quest for answers, Jud and Manny consult a wise priest, unveiling the dark history of Ludlow—a settlement with a haunting past. Dating back to 1674, the Mi'kmaq tribe inhabited the land, oblivious to the horror that would come. They learn of a settler named Ludlow, who vanished only to be discovered feasting on human flesh before meeting a grisly fate. This shocking revelation rocks Jud's understanding of the town’s legacy steeped in horror and deceit.
As Timmy conducts a macabre ritual, he buries Donna in the pet cemetery, reviving her as a horrific undead creature. Donna then descends upon Norma in the hospital, creating a nightmarish scene as she brutally slaughters a doctor before cornering her former friend in the main office—her decaying body twisting in unnatural ways.
While Jud rushes to rescue Norma, Dan, along with Benson, Marjorie, and Sheriff Anderson, scrambles to hunt down Timmy and end his reign of terror. Manny, too, is resolute in his mission to confront Donna, now unleashed into her own malevolent existence.
As the group converges at the Baterman home, Bill pledges his support against Timmy. However, the ensuing chaos leads to a bloody confrontation, claiming the lives of Benson, Marjorie, and Anderson while Dan becomes another victim of Donna's fury, tragically impaled by his own rifle. In a desperate attempt to save his sister, Manny battles back against Donna, sending her back to the grave with a torrent of bullets.
With Bill guiding them through the treacherous tunnel that Timmy has constructed, Jud and Manny finally locate Norma, who is desperately trapped in a mud-filled pit. However, their reunion is cut short when Timmy targets Bill, brutally disemboweling him in a horrifying act of violence.
As they emerge from the depths of despair, Jud and Manny are relentlessly pursued by Timmy, who attempts to drown Jud in the murky waters. A timely flare shot at Timmy's head finally brings his wicked schemes to a close. With Norma freed from her confining grave, she joins Jud in Ludlow, both committed to continuing their father's legacy of repelling the darkness that looms over their town.
In the aftermath of the terror, Manny decides to leave Ludlow, entrusting the task of rebuilding to Jud and Norma, who remain ever-watchful against the evil forces that threaten to invade their lives.
