The film unfolds against the backdrop of 1970s West Berlin during a tumultuous period known as the German Autumn, where real-world events such as the hijacking of an airplane by the PLAF and the imprisonment of RAF members serve as a chilling context. It begins with a frantic teenage girl named Patricia, portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz, as she races through the streets to her psychologist’s office. There she meets Dr. Klemperer, an elderly physician played by Tilda Swinton under the pseudonym Lutz Ebersdorf. Patricia brings forth disturbing allegations that the instructors at her dance academy are witches intent on hijacking her body. Skeptical, Dr. Klemperer listens but is left astonished as Patricia bolts from his office, inadvertently leaving behind her bag of personal belongings.
Meanwhile, American ballerina Susie Bannion, brought to life by Dakota Johnson, arrives in Berlin fresh off a train. Intent on pursuing her passions, Susie makes her way to the dance academy, eager to audition after receiving an invitation from the esteemed dancer Madame Blanc. During her audition, Susie captivates the room with her raw talent; unbeknownst to her, Madame Blanc can feel her remarkable presence from a distance, appearing almost to teleport into the audition space to observe. With Patricia’s untimely departure from the academy, Susie is promptly admitted, a decision that sets in motion a series of haunting events.
That evening, as the instructors convene, it is revealed that they are not merely teachers but a coven of witches. In a chilling vote, they discuss replacing their ailing leader, Mother Markos, who is absent due to her failing health. It becomes evident that they intend to continue the sinister rituals initiated with Patricia by finding a new vessel—Susie. In the midst of this darkness, Susie meets fellow dancer Sara, played by Mia Goth, who aids her in settling into the academy. As Susie becomes more intertwined in their web, she is told of Patricia’s supposed alliance with radical revolutionaries.
As the plot unfolds, the tension escalates when Susie's dancing inadvertently causes the disfigurement of another student, Olga, who is then brutally disposed of by the coven. Dr. Klemperer, suspecting something deeper at play, begins reading Patricia’s diary, unveiling her theories of the school's instructors as witches and discovering their links to ancient, malevolent forces—three witches known as Mother Lachrymarum, Mother Tenebrarum, and Mother Suspiriorum. His skepticism begins to wane as incidents around him increase in strangeness and horror.
While Sara and Susie investigate the dark secrets of the academy, they grow closer. However, Sara's curiosity leads her to confront terrifying truths and ultimately discover disturbing remnants of their fellow students, including the tormented souls of Patricia and Olga. Dr. Klemperer’s desperate attempts to extricate himself from the witches' grasp culminate in chilling stakes as the coven intensifies its ritualistic pursuits.
As the climax approaches, Susie's fate intertwines with that of Madame Blanc who seems both a mentor and an enigma, fostering a bond that is laden with the weight of ancient powers. During an ominous recital, each character's hidden truths and the full extent of the witches' plans unfold in a harrowing display. Susie's enlightening revelation leads to visceral confrontations with Mother Markos, ultimately revealing her true identity as Mother Suspiriorum herself.
In an explosive resolution, Susie reclaims her agency, summoning forth Death to exact retribution on the coven that sought to manipulate her. As horrors unfold within the catacombs, Susie shows compassion to those trapped in torment, marking a grim but definitive end to the witches' reign. In a poignant denouement, Susie visits the ailing Dr. Klemperer, revealing the tragic fate of his wife—her narrative serving as a haunting reminder of sacrifice amidst horror.
By dawn, the remnants of the previous night’s ordeal fade into eerie normalcy, setting the stage for Susie’s haunting legacy as the new leader of the coven. As she stands before Dr. Klemperer one last time, she assures him of the love that persisted even in anguish, before the credits roll, and we glimpse Susie, now imbued with formidable power, smiling enigmatically as she stares off into the unknown.
