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Timeline

The Monster (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 91 min · English
Directed by
Bryan Bertino

During a fierce storm, a mother and daughter set out on a late-night drive to visit the girl’s father. A sudden accident leaves them isolated on a deserted road, and they soon realize they are not alone. A terrifying presence emerges from the surrounding woods, stalking them and determined to keep them trapped in a nightmare.

Drama Horror Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Monster
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Monster (2016)

Where can you watch The Monster? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Hoopla, Kanopy and Fandango at Home Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Monster Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Monster (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Driving to Custody

    Kathy drives her daughter Lizzy through the dense woods, headed to her father's home for scheduled custody time. Lizzy, having endured the struggles of living with an abusive and alcohol-dependent mother, expresses her deep desire to stay with her father permanently.

    When
    Twilight
    Where
    Dense Woods

  2. Wolf Encounter

    As they travel, Kathy accidentally strikes a wolf with their vehicle. The injuries on the wolf, however, indicate a violent attack, hinting at the presence of a larger danger in the woods.

    When
    Twilight
    Where
    Dense Woods

  3. Call for Help

    Injured from the collision, Lizzy calls for a tow truck and an ambulance. This decision marks the beginning of a harrowing night, as they await help in the isolated wilderness.

    When
    Twilight
    Where
    Inside the Car

  4. Jesse's Arrival

    Tow truck driver Jesse arrives to assist but is quickly thrust into chaos when Lizzy notices the wolf’s body has mysteriously vanished. Confusion and fear sweep over them as the reality of their situation becomes apparent.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  5. Jesse's Attack

    In a shocking turn of events, a severed arm falls onto the hood of Kathy's car, revealing Jesse's gruesome injuries. Before they can react further, the unseen creature drags Jesse into the woods, leaving Kathy and Lizzy terrified.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  6. Monster's Assault

    The creature attacks their vehicle, drawn by the sound of music from Lizzy’s teddy bear. Kathy is pulled out of the car, but their lives are spared momentarily by the sound of an approaching ambulance.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  7. Ambulance Attack

    As they take refuge in the ambulance, the horrifying reality sets in when the creature brutally kills the EMT team. This gruesome scene marks a turning point in the night, escalating their fight for survival.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Ambulance

  8. Realization of Light

    Kathy, suffering from internal injuries, comes to a crucial realization that the creature is repelled by bright lights. This discovery sets the stage for a desperate plan to confront the beast and protect Lizzy.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Outside the Ambulance

  9. Heartfelt Goodbye

    In a poignant moment, Kathy tells Lizzy that she is the best thing in her life and prepares to lead the monster away. This emotional farewell underscores their bond as Kathy sacrifices herself for her daughter's chance at survival.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  10. Lizzy's Courage

    Paralyzed by fear, Lizzy finally gathers her courage and fights back against the creature using a hammer. Her determination is ignited as she strives to save her mother and herself from the monstrous threat.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  11. Kathy's Demise

    Tragically, Kathy is attacked, leaving her lifeless body lying in the woods. Lizzy's rage and grief propel her to confront the creature head-on as she prepares for a final stand.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  12. Final Confrontation

    Using her mother’s lighter and a spray can, Lizzy creates a blaze to lure the monstrous creature towards her. In a desperate struggle, she ensures the creature's defeat by delivering a final blow with a large stick.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Dense Woods

  13. Flashback of Regret

    In a haunting flashback, Lizzy remembers a bitter confrontation with her mother, where Kathy, under the influence of alcohol, expressed her fears that Lizzy would surpass her in life. This memory adds emotional depth to Lizzy's journey.

  14. Emergence into Dawn

    As dawn breaks, Lizzy emerges from the dark woods, symbolizing her transformation and resilience after facing unimaginable horrors. This moment signifies not just survival, but a new beginning and hope for her future.

    When
    Dawn
    Where
    Dense Woods

Last updated: November 04, 2024 at 00:11

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Timeline questions answered

The Monster Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Monster (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was the wolf already injured before Kathy hit it?

The wolf's injuries indicated it had been attacked by something else before the car accident. This detail foreshadows that the monster was already present in the woods, lurking and attacking animals before the family arrived.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the drive, the wolf's wounds suggested a violent attack rather than just a vehicle collision, hinting at the monster's presence.

  • wolf injury
  • monster presence
  • woods danger
Q2

What is the monster afraid of?

The monster is repelled by bright light. Kathy discovers this crucial weakness after observing how the creature retreats from the ambulance's headlights and her lighter's flame.

Foreshadowing: The monster consistently avoids the ambulance's lights, giving Kathy time to formulate her plan.

  • monster weakness
  • light
  • brightness
Q3

Why does Kathy sacrifice herself for Lizzy?

Kathy sacrifices herself because she knows she's dying from internal bleeding and wants to give Lizzy a chance to escape. The moment also represents her attempt at redemption after years of alcohol abuse and emotional neglect, finally being able to protect her daughter.

Foreshadowing: Their argument at the start of the drive establishes the strained mother-daughter relationship that makes this sacrifice meaningful.

  • Kathy sacrifice
  • mother-daughter
  • redemption
Q4

What happens to the EMTs in The Monster?

The monster attacks the ambulance while Kathy and Lizzy are inside, brutally murdering the entire EMT team. This escalates the threat and leaves them completely alone with no hope of professional rescue.

Foreshadowing: The creature's pattern of attacking anyone who arrives to help establishes it will target the EMTs.

  • EMT deaths
  • ambulance attack
  • monster attack
Q5

How does Lizzy defeat the monster?

Lizzy lures the monster toward the ambulance using her mother's lighter and a spray can to create fire. When the creature gets caught in the flames, she strikes it with a large stick to ensure it is destroyed.

Foreshadowing: Kathy's plan to use light against the monster gives Lizzy the idea to create fire as a weapon.

  • Lizzy kills monster
  • fire
  • final battle
Q6

What happens to the tow truck driver Jesse?

Jesse is killed almost immediately after arriving. While inspecting the car, a severed arm falls onto the hood, revealing he's already been attacked. The monster then drags him under the tow truck and devours him.

Foreshadowing: The vanished wolf body earlier signals that something in the woods is already hunting.

  • Jesse death
  • tow truck driver
  • monster attack
Q7

Why does the monster attack when it hears the teddy bear music?

The monster is drawn to sound, and the music from Lizzy's teddy bear alerts it to their location. This forces the creature to attack their vehicle, pulling Kathy out into the open.

Foreshadowing: The monster's sensitivity to sound is established through its predatory behavior throughout the night.

  • teddy bear
  • sound attraction
  • monster senses
Q8

What does Kathy mean when she tells Lizzy she is the best thing in her life?

This is Kathy's heartfelt acknowledgment that despite her struggles with alcoholism and abuse, Lizzy represents her greatest accomplishment and source of meaning. It serves as both an apology for her past failures and a final expression of love before her death.

Foreshadowing: The earlier flashback reveals Kathy's fear that Lizzy would become a better person than her, making this declaration meaningful.

  • Kathy dialogue
  • I love you
  • mother-daughter bond
Q9

What does the flashback scene reveal about Kathy and Lizzy's relationship?

The flashback shows a bitter confrontation where Kathy, drunk, apologized to Lizzy and expressed fear that her daughter would grow up to be a better person than she ever was. This explains the tension between them and why Lizzy wanted to live with her father permanently.

Foreshadowing: This backstory establishes the troubled family history that makes Kathy's sacrifice a redemptive moment.

  • flashback
  • Kathy alcoholism
  • family trauma
Q10

How does Lizzy survive and escape at the end?

After killing the monster with fire and a final strike, Lizzy emerges from the dark woods at dawn. The sunrise symbolizes her survival and transition from trauma to hope, though she must now process the loss of her mother.

Foreshadowing: Kathy's sacrifice was designed to give Lizzy the opportunity to reach safety.

  • Lizzy escapes
  • dawn
  • survival
  • ending

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Monster, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Monster tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Claustrophobic survival horror movies like The Monster

Trapped characters fight external horrors while confronting profound personal demons. If you liked the intense, trapped feeling and mother-daughter dynamic in The Monster, explore these movies. This thread gathers films where a small group, often family, must survive a confined nightmare, blending raw horror with heavy emotional stakes in a similar high-tension, steady-paced manner.

  • claustrophobic
  • terrifying
  • tense
  • grim
  • heartfelt
  • courageous
  • Tone: dark, tense, heartfelt
  • Pacing: steady, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically involve characters isolated in a confined space, facing a direct physical threat. The narrative uses this high-stakes scenario to peel back layers of character history and unresolved conflict, making survival as much an emotional battle as a physical one. The pacing is often steady, building dread through constant peril.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a potent mix of high-intensity horror and deep emotional drama. They create a specific vibe of claustrophobic dread where the external monster is mirrored by internal struggles, resulting in a heavy, character-driven horror experience.

The Descent movie poster

The Descent

2006
Escape Room movie poster

Escape Room

2021
House Hunting movie poster

House Hunting

2003
Crawlspace movie poster

Crawlspace

1986
Spiderhole movie poster

Spiderhole

2010
Welcome to Our Home movie poster

Welcome to Our Home

2021
Elevated movie poster

Elevated

1996
Trapped Alive movie poster

Trapped Alive

1988

Movies with bittersweet horror endings like The Monster

Stories where survival is achieved, but at a profound and traumatic personal sacrifice. For viewers who appreciated the poignant, costly victory in The Monster, this section finds similar films. These stories feature protagonists who survive a harrowing experience but are forever changed by trauma and loss, resulting in a bittersweet or bleak ending feel that resonates long after the credits roll.

  • grim
  • heartfelt
  • somber
  • traumatic
  • courageous
  • devastating
  • Tone: bittersweet, grim, heavy
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a character through a harrowing trial where they demonstrate great courage. The climax involves a victory over the antagonistic force, but this success is directly tied to the sacrifice of a loved one or a fundamental part of themselves. The story ends on a note of solemn survival, emphasizing the lasting emotional impact over pure triumph.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their specific emotional conclusion: a win that feels like a loss. They explore the theme that surviving horror can be a traumatic achievement, creating a powerful and melancholic resonance. The focus is on the emotional aftermath and the weight of survival.

The Dark movie poster

The Dark

2005
Fading of the Cries movie poster

Fading of the Cries

2011
1920: Horrors of the Heart movie poster

1920: Horrors of the Heart

2023
Bag of Bones movie poster

Bag of Bones

1000
Halloween Ends movie poster

Halloween Ends

2022
We Bury the Dead movie poster

We Bury the Dead

2024
Bad Dreams movie poster

Bad Dreams

1988
House of Dark Shadows movie poster

House of Dark Shadows

1970

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Movies Like The Monster

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Every angle

The Monster (2016) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Monster in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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