Scarecrows

Scarecrows

Year: 1988

Runtime: 83 mins

Language: English

Director: William Wesley

HorrorHorror

Five men hijack a payroll shipment at Camp Pendleton, then kidnap a pilot and his daughter to fly them to Mexico. During the flight a double‑cross forces one thief to parachute with the money onto an isolated farm, where eerie scarecrows stand sentinel. The remaining crew follows, confronting the thieves and their former partner throughout a single, night‑long, harrowing confrontation.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Scarecrows yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Scarecrows (1988)

Trace every key event in Scarecrows (1988) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Heist at Camp Pendleton

Five paramilitary mercenaries orchestrate a daring heist, stealing three million dollars from Camp Pendleton and taking two hostages: Al, a pilot, and his teenage daughter Kellie, along with their dog Dax. They flee by plane toward Mexico with the loot and the captives. The operation is brutal, and they show no hesitation about eliminating anyone who stands in their way.

Camp Pendleton
2

Escape and Parachute Pursuit

Bert seizes the loot and parachutes out of the plane, landing in a dark field near an abandoned farmhouse. Corbin and Jack parachute after him, joining the pursuit while the remaining crew tries to keep the escape plan intact. The desolate landscape and looming farmhouse hint at danger ahead.

Dark field near abandoned farmhouse
3

Bert's Grim Discovery

Bert's landing leads to a grim sequence: his parachute tangles in a tree, he discovers a scarecrow and graves, and he spots an empty farmhouse in the distance. He steals away in a truck parked at the house, driving down a desolate road with the loot. The eerie setting signals trouble to come.

Desolate road near farmhouse
4

Truck Breakdown and Death in the Field

The truck breaks down, and Bert tries to flee on foot with the trunk full of cash. He enters a grove of scarecrows and is stabbed to death by a living scarecrow. The murder closes the first arc of Bert's fate in the field.

Grove of scarecrows
5

Arrival at the Farmhouse

Curry, Roxanne, and Kellie arrive at the farmhouse after landing. From the roof, Curry spots the loot near three crosses in the distance, and notes that the scarecrows present earlier have disappeared. They locate Bert's truck and find his parachute bag hanging from a tree, filled with blood, confirming his fate.

Farmhouse and surrounding field
6

Confrontation with Bert

Inside the house, Bert confronts the group again, and Curry begins punching him. Bert's abdomen is eviscerated, yet he remains alive, and bullets prove ineffective. Corbin decapitates him, ending the threat.

Farmhouse interior
7

Kellie Discovers Her Father

Kellie flees into the field and discovers her father's eviscerated body hung from a scarecrow post with barbwire. The revelation shatters the group, and Kellie reacts with anger and grief.

Field near farmhouse
8

Loot Driving the Field

Jack notices that more dollar bills have blown into the field near the house, and the group rushes outside to gather the money. They scramble to collect as the cash continues to drift across the field. The hoard seems to lure them deeper into danger.

Field near farmhouse
9

Jack is Slain by a Scarecrow

Jack is killed by one of the scarecrows, which dismembers him with a handsaw before stabbing him in the face. The field becomes more deadly as the supernatural threat intensifies. The survivors scramble to regroup.

Field
10

Scarecrows and a Haunting History

Curry finds three scarecrows in the field and realizes they are possessed by the spirits of three deceased Satanist farmers—Jakob, Benjamin, and Norman Fowler. A photograph of the trio hangs inside the farmhouse, confirming the source of the haunting. He begins to suspect the farm's history explains the terror around them.

Field and farmhouse
11

Roxanne's Fatal Encounter

Roxanne is killed by a scarecrow while the group attempts to leave, and Corbin shoots a scarecrow as Kellie and Corbin flee toward the plane. The split forces complicate their escape and deepen the peril.

Field / near plane
12

Curry's Death and the House Haunting

Back at the house, Curry discovers Bert's severed head and limbs have reanimated, and is confronted by a grotesquely disfigured Jack who stabs him to death. The farmhouse becomes a locus of reanimated horrors as the living dead return.

Farmhouse interior
13

Final Flight and Betrayal

Kellie pilots the plane away from the field with Corbin and her dog Dax. A repossessed Al boards the plane and stabs Kellie in the wrist, triggering a struggle. Corbin returns, and in a final act detonates a grenade, killing Al and himself.

On the plane
14

Aftermath and Morning News

A morning news broadcast reports that the plane was found near San Diego, with the charred remains of two individuals reportedly feasting on by Kellie's dog before being tranquilized. Kellie is found still in the cockpit, alive but in shock.

Morning San Diego area / cockpit

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:33

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

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.

Relentless single-night siege horror movies like Scarecrows

Stories where a group is hunted through a single terrifying night with no escape.If you liked the non-stop, night-long terror of Scarecrows, you'll find more movies like it here. These horror stories feature groups trapped and hunted through one harrowing night, emphasizing fast pacing, high intensity, and a desperate fight for survival against overwhelming odds.

relentlessclaustrophobicdesperatebrutalnight-longsiegesurvival

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a simple, linear structure: a group is isolated, a threat is revealed, and a series of violent encounters whittles down the cast until dawn. Character development is minimal, prioritizing relentless forward momentum and the visceral experience of survival against an unstoppable force.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared structure and relentless mood. They prioritize a fast pace and high intensity, creating a claustrophobic, breathless viewing experience defined by a siege narrative that offers little respite and often culminates in a bleak outcome.

Supernatural punishment horror movies like Scarecrows

Stories where criminal or immoral protagonists are hunted by supernatural forces of vengeance.For viewers who enjoyed Scarecrows' theme of thieves being hunted by demonic scarecrows, this list features similar movies like it. These stories explore supernatural vengeance against criminals, often with a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and bleak conclusions about crime and punishment.

supernaturalvengeancebleakpunitivekarmicdarkbrutalmoral collapse

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a crime or transgression that summons a supernatural force of vengeance. The protagonists, already morally compromised, are systematically hunted and punished. Their journey is not one of redemption but of inescapable doom, reinforcing themes that evil acts beget horrific consequences.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups movies by their shared thematic focus on karmic horror and dark morality. They combine crime or betrayal plots with supernatural elements, resulting in a heavy emotional weight and a bleak tone where the horror feels like a direct consequence of the characters' sins.

Unlock the Full Story of Scarecrows

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

Scarecrows Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Scarecrows, 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.

Scarecrows Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Scarecrows

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

Characters, Settings & Themes in Scarecrows

Scarecrows Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Scarecrows that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Scarecrows Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Scarecrows

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Scarecrows: 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 Scarecrows

Similar Movies to Scarecrows

Discover movies like Scarecrows 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.