Totem (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place primarily in a family home where sisters Kellie and Abby live with their father James. Key scenes occur at a school track area and within the house's crawlspace, which becomes a focal point of the supernatural activity. As the haunting intensifies, the family moves to a secluded tiny house in a deserted location, emphasizing a claustrophobic and isolated setting.

• family home
• tiny house
• isolated location
• supernatural setting

The events unfold in contemporary, present-day times. The setting features everyday routines like track practice, Christmas ornaments, and shared family meals, creating a stark contrast between normal domestic life and the supernatural disturbances that disrupt it.

• present day
• modern times
• contemporary setting

The totem is a malevolent object that serves as a conduit for a vengeful spirit connected to the sisters' deceased mother, Lexy. It threads through the family, manifesting through visions, rearranging objects, and dangerous manipulations that escalate fear within the household. The artifact amplifies emotions like anger and fear rather than healing, exposing how easily humans are manipulated by objects that resonate with loss.

• totem
• supernatural object
• vengeful spirit
• haunting

The movie explores three interconnected themes: a supernatural haunting where a malevolent totem disrupts family life, grief and family dynamics strained by the death of a mother, and the dangerous power of objects that resonate with loss. The totem becomes a conduit for emotion, amplifying negative feelings and leading to deadly consequences as the family struggles with unresolved trauma.

• haunting
• grief
• family
• object power
• loss

Kellie is a 17-year-old girl whose grief over her mother's death twists into a dangerous obsession with power through the totem. She uses the supernatural object to manipulate her surroundings, ultimately harming those around her and endangering her family. Her fragile attachment to what she believes she needs drives a murderous path, making her both a protagonist and antagonist in the story.

• Kellie
• protagonist
• grief
• obsession

Abby is Kellie's younger sister who navigates the eerie events with quiet resilience. She seeks safety for her family while maintaining hope that their lives can return to normal. Her empathy and vigilance keep her connected to Kellie even as the haunting strains their bond, representing the innocent victim of her sister's descent.

• Abby
• younger sister
• resilience
• family bond

The death of Lexy (the mother) casts a long shadow over Kellie and Abby, fueling rivalry and protective instincts between the sisters. Family members misinterpret signals as sabotage, exposing fragility and resentment. The story explores how love can slip into control, jealousy, and danger when processed through unresolved grief, ultimately leading to tragic consequences.

• grief
• family dynamics
• loss
• mother death

James is Kellie and Abby's father, who is initially skeptical of the supernatural claims and protective of his family. He becomes entangled in the crisis as he tries to reason with Kellie while facing threats to his loved ones. His attempts to preserve the family are tested as violence erupts, representing the helpless parent watching his daughter's descent into madness.

• James
• father
• protective
• family

Robin is James's girlfriend who moves in and tries to normalize life for the family, often clashing with Kellie's grief and volatile outbursts. She shares a past with the deceased Lexy and has a mutual concern for Abby's safety. Robin becomes a stabilizing, though contested, presence in the household and faces danger alongside the family during the escalating crisis.

• Robin
• girlfriend
• family dynamic
• support

Bernard is Lexy's father (the sisters' grandfather) who arrives with a mix of memory and doubt. He initially refuses to believe the supernatural threat but shifts to a reluctant, protective stance as the danger escalates. His illness adds a fragile, tense urgency to the crisis, representing the legacy of trauma passing through generations.

• Bernard
• grandfather
• Lexy father
• illness

The movie combines supernatural horror with psychological domestic tension. A menacing unseen force disrupts normal life through visions, rearranging objects, and dangerous manipulations. The horror escalates methodically from strange occurrences to outright violence, creating a consistently stressful and emotionally draining experience that explores how unresolved grief can manifest in destructive supernatural ways.

• horror
• supernatural
• psychological
• tension