Reeker

Reeker

Year: 2005

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Dave Payne

MysteryHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsGory gruesome and slasher horrorTerrifying haunted and supernatural horror

When a group of strangers finds themselves stranded at a deserted desert motel, they are plagued by unsettling visions of people dying. As they struggle for air and answers, a rotting, predatory entity stalks them, forcing the survivors to uncover the cause of the haunting and escape before they become its next victims.

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Timeline & Setting – Reeker (2005)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Reeker (2005). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 2000s

Set in the early 2000s, the events unfold in a contemporary world with mobile phones, webcams and a nightlife culture. The mood relies on modern technology to reveal threats and link characters across moments of danger. The era’s casual drug trade and road-tripping sensibilities feed the film’s sense of peril.

Location

Desert highway, Halfway Motel, Diner, Area 52 (Kelton)

The story unfolds along a desolate desert highway where help is scarce and danger lurks. The Halfway Motel and a closed diner become claustrophobic hubs where characters confront fear, secrets, and a hostile force. Area 52 in Kelton marks a fateful waypoint—a remote drug exchange that triggers escalating violence. The stark landscape amplifies tension and foreshadows the night’s brutal events.

🏜️ Desert 🏚️ Motel 🛣️ Highway 🗺️ Area 52

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:46

Main Characters – Reeker (2005)

Meet the key characters of Reeker (2005), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Trip (Scott Whyte)

An impulsive, thrill-seeking member of the group who steals pills from Radford. His arrogance and disregard for danger push the night toward chaos and conflict. He is ultimately overpowered by the hooded creature and dies amid the violence.

💊 Drug culture 🧠 Reckless 🔪 Violence

Cookie (Arielle Kebbel)

A quick-witted member of the group who stands up for safety but is drawn into risky choices. She is loyal to her friends and becomes a casualty of the creature’s attack in the outhouse. Her death marks a turning point in the group’s dynamics.

💖 Loyalty ⚠️ Danger 🕯️ Memory

Nelson (Derek Richardson)

A pragmatic, anxious friend who tries to anchor the group and warn others. He experiences a brutal, escalating series of threats and ultimately dies in the motel/road sequence after a failed escape.

🧭 Resourceful 😨 Anxious ⚠️ Danger

Jack (Devon Gummersall)

A blind but perceptive member who relies on senses beyond sight. He navigates the danger with calm analysis and survives the initial onslaught, contributing to the attempt to understand the threat.

🧠 Clever 👁️ Blind 🧭 Perceptive

Gretchen (Tina Illman)

A practical, survival-minded friend who helps stabilize the group. She endures the crash and, along with Jack, survives the night, providing a grounded perspective amid chaos.

👟 Practical 💪 Resilient 🗺️ Survivor

Henry (Michael Ironside)

A wary RV traveler searching for his missing wife. He becomes linked to the nightmare as a figure connected to the crash and the events at the motel, culminating in a fatal turn tied to a heart attack.

🚐 RV Driver 🧭 Search for wife 💔 Tragedy

Rose (Marcia Strassman)

Henry’s missing wife, whose memory and presence punctuate the investigation after the crash. Her absence and the explanation given by others add to the mystery surrounding Henry and the night’s events.

💔 Missing loved one 🕯️ Memory 🗺️ Connection

Radford (Eric Mabius)

A ruthless drug dealer who supplies pills for a desert rave and pursues Trip after the theft. He exerts a menacing presence throughout, appearing in visions and contributing to the night’s danger.

💊 Drug dealer 🕵️ Deceiver ⚠️ Threat

The Reeker (David Hadinger)

A hooded, predatory creature that attacks the group in various forms. The being embodies the film’s sense of unstoppable threat and drives the horror of the night.

👹 Monster 🕳️ Threat 🌒 Horror

The Dad (Paul Greenstein)

The family patriarch who, early in the journey, returns from a deer impact with part of his face injured, signaling the start of a deadly ordeal for the family.

👨‍👦 Family 🛑 Early danger 🧭 Road trip

The Mom (Carole Ruggier)

A member of the family caught in the unfolding danger. She is part of the opening crisis and the family's broader encounter with the unknown.

👩 Family 💔 Domestic danger 🏚️ Shelter

The Kid (Paul Butcher)

The younger member of the family group, present as the car travels through the night. He is part of the core ensemble facing the night’s terror.

👶 Youth 🧭 Vulnerability 🧩 Puzzle

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:46

Major Themes – Reeker (2005)

Explore the central themes of Reeker (2005), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧭 Survival

Desert heat and sudden threats force the group to rely on limited resources and quick decisions. Trust fractures as paranoia grows, with danger coming from both human predators and a supernatural presence. The night becomes a test of will, courage, and loyalty as they fight to outlive the danger.

🌫️ Reality vs Illusion

Events blur the line between perception and nightmare, as characters confront a threat that defies easy explanation. The motel deaths mirror earlier real-world fatalities in the crash, suggesting a twist about causality and memory. The killer’s appearances feel like manifestations rather than ordinary danger, challenging what the characters know as real. The ending hints that memory and perception shape what actually happened.

💊 Crime & Consequences

The drug deal and Trip’s theft of pills ignite a chain of pursuit, threat, and violence. Reckless choices escalate into deadly outcomes, showing how illicit behavior can pull innocent people into a fatal spiral. The film ties exploitation and criminal risk to the night’s brutal price, underlining that crime rarely stays contained.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:46

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Reeker Summary

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Reeker Summary

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More About Reeker

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