Year: 1990
Runtime: 98 min
Language: English
Director: Robert Resnikoff
A Los Angeles police officer finds himself facing a seemingly unstoppable killer brought back from the dead by dark forces. As the death toll mounts, he uncovers a dangerous connection between opposing forces and must stop the escalating violence. The investigation leads him down a twisted path, challenging his beliefs and forcing him to confront the supernatural.
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Patrick Channing, infamously dubbed the Pentagram Killer, instigates a terrifying spree of ritualistic murders, all in the name of Satan. His heinous signature involves inscribing a pentagram symbol onto the skin of his victims before delivering the final blow.
On the other side of this horror, we find Russell Logan, a determined detective in Los Angeles, who is fueled by an unwavering commitment to halt the Pentagram Killer. He receives a cryptic phone call from the clairvoyant Tess Seaton, who ominously warns him that Channing’s fate is not to be decided by the law. Tess provides Logan with pivotal information about Channing’s next target. As the clock ticks down for the would-be victim, Logan decides to heed Tess’s warnings and embarks on a tense stakeout, leading him to Channing’s hideout. Their confrontation ends with Logan managing to apprehend Channing but not without suffering a severe stab wound to his torso—a toll paid for his pursuit of justice.
After a period of recovery, Logan, breaking his promise to Tess, pushes for the death penalty for Channing. Yet, Tess makes another desperate call to Logan, urging him to reconsider his decision regarding Channing’s fate. Despite her pleas, Logan’s resolve remains ironclad. The grim consequence of his choice becomes apparent as Channing meets his demise in the gas chamber.
However, a jaw-dropping twist occurs; owing to his dark devotion to Satan, Channing seemingly achieves the “First Power”, enabling him to resurrect—a prelude to gaining two more supernatural abilities. Emerging from death, Channing can now manifest or vanish at will and possess others. Driven by a burning desire for revenge against Logan, who disrupted his sinister plans, Channing embarks on a ruthless series of killings specifically targeting Logan.
As the plot thickens, Channing zeroes in on Logan, who had previously arrested both him and Tess, creating an intense cat-and-mouse dynamic. Logan narrowly escapes from Channing’s vengeance while striving to protect Tess. In his quest for answers, Logan revisits his childhood home, where his grandmother brings up a haunting memory linked to a victim of Channing. Both Logan and Tess begin experiencing disturbing psychic visions, unearthing a horrifying family secret: Channing’s grandfather is actually Logan’s father, a product of incest involving his own daughter. The grandmother, in her silence, had been complicit in this gruesome legacy.
This shocking revelation propels the narrative toward its climax at a desolate water treatment facility, where Logan confronts Channing after Tess has been abducted from their apartment. In a dramatic twist, Channing, possessing the body of a nun, battles Logan fiercely. To vanquish this malevolent force, Logan plunges a hidden knife within the crucifix into Channing’s chest. As this fierce struggle reaches its frenzy, a misinterpreted gunshot from a police officer lands Logan in serious condition.
In the aftermath, Tess’s visit to Logan in the hospital takes a terrifying turn when he awakens only to attack her. When she comes to herself, she realizes another psychic vision has surfaced, this one showing Channing now taking possession of Logan. The grim story concludes with Channing’s spirit still at large, looming over Tess with foreboding words that imply a paranormal legacy continues to linger and torment them.
Last Updated: November 21, 2024 at 13:38
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