The film begins with a wild, untamed woman (played by Pollyanna McIntosh) who, despite her rugged appearance, appears to care for a young child. A wolf, seemingly domesticated, also circles the child, adding to the disturbing atmosphere. It is hinted that this woman is the last survivor of a cannibalistic Native American tribe that has wandered the northeast coast for years, a detail tying back to the events of the 2009 film Offspring.
In contrast, we meet Chris Cleek (portrayed by Sean Bridgers), a seemingly charming country lawyer who spends a cheerful day at a barbecue with his family. However, the dynamics are revealed to be far from normal. His eldest daughter, Peggy (played by Lauren Ashley Carter), sits apart from the festivities, clearly troubled. Meanwhile, their son, Brian Cleek (depicted by Zach Rand), observes a disturbing scene where several boys bully a girl, yet rather than intervening heroically, he simply decides to shoot hoops instead. When Chris inquires about the day, Brian's gleeful response about his basketball shots raises chilling questions about his sense of morality.
As night falls, Chris embarks on a hunting expedition and unexpectedly encounters the Woman bathing in a nearby stream. Intrigued and uncontrolled, he attempts to capture her with a net, returning home with her unconscious form. What follows is a disturbing series of events where Chris, convinced that his family must "civilize" her, locks her in a storm cellar, demonstrating the depths of his twisted ideology.
The subsequent day reveals the darker personalities of Chris's children. At school, Brian’s sadistic side emerges when he maliciously interferes with a girl's hair. Peggy, on the other hand, projects a withdrawn demeanor, suggesting deeper issues beneath her surface. An alarming incident occurs when Chris's first encounter with the Woman results in her biting off his ring finger, a grotesque symbol of his violent tendencies. Despite his wife's objections, Chris relentlessly pursues his cruel objectives.
As the narrative unfolds, the oppressive environment Chris has created leads to harrowing scenes in the home. Chris's seemingly small gestures conceal his sadistic nature. He bathes the Woman in boiling water and later resorts to using a power washer, an act that horrifies Belle (played by Angela Bettis), Peggy's mother. Tension rises further as Peggy intervenes to protect the Woman, resulting in her forced isolation and the Woman being dressed in a gown—an unsettling transformation imposed by Chris.
The narrative takes a dark turn when Chris brutally rapes the Woman while his son, Brian, watches with detached curiosity. Evidence of Chris's true nature emerges as he disregards Peggy's discoveries of Brian's transgressions and dismisses Belle's unease about the family's escalating violence.
Tensions culminate when Peggy seeks to escape this nightmare. Her pleas fall on deaf ears as her teacher, Ms. Raton (played by Carlee Baker), walks into a trap set by Chris. In a horrific event, Chris and Brian imprison Ms. Raton in a dog cage, revealing a grotesque reality that includes Socket (portrayed by Alexa Marcigliano), a girl who resembles one of their savage dogs, highlighting what sacrilege has befallen the family's humanity.
Meanwhile, Peggy manages to free the Woman, leading to a graphic reckoning with Chris and Brian. In a thrilling climax, the Woman exacts her revenge: she brutally attacks Belle and Brian, ultimately turning her fury upon Chris, ripping out his heart in a scene of poetic justice. Left alone, Peggy, now faced with the aftermath of her family’s horrors, grasps the chance for escape.
In a surprising twist, the Woman shows a maternal instinct towards Peggy and her younger sister, inviting them to join her, not as adversaries, but as potential family. As they transition from a place of trauma and despair into the depths of the woods, Peggy is torn between her past and the possibility of a new life. This haunting conclusion leaves a chilling impression: the boundaries of family, survival, and the instinct to nurture run deeper than blood.
