A disturbing and haunting film presented as a lost, unfinished documentary uploaded to the internet in 2014, What's After the Movie follows the journey of Tim Wilson, portrayed by [Ignacyo Matynia](../actor/ignacyo-matynia). The story begins with Tim, an aspiring filmmaker, returning home to document a deeply personal tragedy—his younger brother Sean's unexpected suicide. As he navigates his grief, Tim also seeks to uncover the truth behind Sean’s death, which leads him to a web of dark secrets and mysterious phenomena.
Soon after the funeral, Tim discovers that his parents, Gloria and Donald, are secretly disposing of Sean’s belongings. Amongst these items, he uncovers a disturbing collection: notes, drawings, tapes, and recordings connected to an obscure internet urban legend called Project MKHEXE. The material hints at something much deeper and more sinister. Sean’s phone reveals videos from the day he died, showing him in what appears to be an experiment at a childhood treehouse—an experiment tied to the creepy legend.
Tim confronts his parents about Sean's death and their suspicious activities. They deny any involvement, but he isn't convinced. He enlists the help of Sean’s friend, Nicole, played by [Jordan Knapp](../actor/jordan-knapp), who explains that Sean had become obsessed with MKHEXE—a purported Cold War-era CIA mind control project. MKHEXE supposedly combined broadcast technology, hypnosis, and occult practices to manipulate and destroy individuals, often resulting in madness and death. This secret project, known as the Nightmare Machine, was supposedly covered up, its existence erased from history, and now any trace of MKHEXE online is vanishing mysteriously.
Driven by a mix of curiosity and a desire for truth, Tim and Nicole start filming a documentary to investigate MKHEXE further, inspired by Sean’s final cryptic voicemail and the evidence they find. Their investigation leads them to eerie testimonies, photos, and media sent anonymously to Sean’s account. All signs point to the possibility that MKHEXE is not just a myth but an ongoing reality, possibly maintained by an ancient cult intent on summoning a forgotten god named Kzathguul. However, whenever they attempt to verify their suspicions, they encounter corrupted data, missing footage, and signs that someone or something is actively erasing or suppressing their efforts.
As the story unfolds, Tim’s mental state begins to deteriorate. He falls into paranoia, experiencing vivid hallucinations, insomnia, and intense fear. Family tensions rise—his mother Gloria is overwhelmed with grief, while his father appears emotionally detached. Their fractured relationships and secrets threaten to drown him. He discovers that Nicole, in her own way, had broken Sean’s heart during their friendship, adding emotional strain to his already troubled mind.
Eventually, Tim is forced out of his home and finds himself returning to the scene of Sean’s death—the old treehouse. There, he encounters the Nightmare Machine, which leads him to watch a disturbing video involving Sean seemingly possessed or taken over by MKHEXE. As Tim becomes more infected by its influence, symptoms like paranoia and hallucinations intensify. He reunites with Nicole, and together they uncover a vintage tape showing Sean in an apparently possessed state. Their reality spirals further into chaos as infected friends attack, and they are driven to retreat into Nicole’s apartment, documenting Tim’s rapid mental decline.
Their investigation points to Viktor Teufel, a retired CIA doctor believed to have created MKHEXE. A cryptic hint suggests that belief in MKHEXE’s power fuels its influence. On the way to find Teufel, Tim crashes his car after another seizure, symbolizing his descent into chaos. Their documentary becomes fractured and chaotic, revealing tales of suicides, sacrifices, and prophetic visions—collectively known as the "Box of Nightmares."
Despite their efforts, Tim and Nicole fail to contain the infection at a police station, where Nicole is fatally stabbed. Before dying, she makes Tim promise to broadcast the truth, no matter what. Returning home in a state of horror, Tim discovers that Sean was killed by their parents in self-defense—only to realize that Sean’s death was actually an act to escape the influence of MKHEXE. Enraged and overwhelmed, Tim murders his parents. The story takes a dark turn as the TV reveals the real story: Sean had taken his own life in an effort to break free from MKHEXE’s control.
In the final moments, a brutal act of despair drives Tim to blind himself as he finishes the documentary. The last scenes show the MKHEXE video playing on the screen—fully accessible now—inviting the ancient god Kzathguul into our reality, suggestive of a terrifying continuation of the dark forces once manipulated by the secret project.
Throughout this haunting narrative, the viewer is drawn into a cycle of paranoia, grief, and horror, where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. The film explores themes of trauma, conspiracy, and the dangerous allure of forbidden knowledge, leaving a chilling message about the consequences of delving into the unknown.
