White of the Eye

A series of murders of rich young women across Globe, Arizona shocks the community. Detective Mendoza notices a distinctive signature in the killings and starts connecting the clues to a single killer. The pattern suggests a methodical, personal MO that points toward someone connected to the victims.

Mendoza tracks Paul White to Dr. Sutter's home where he is installing hi-fi equipment near the latest crime scene. Their cordial talk about sound equipment turns tense as Mendoza questions whether Paul still hunts and probes what he knows about the victim. The encounter plants Paul as a prime suspect in the murders.

Back at the police station, Mendoza's partner Phil uncovers Paul's criminal record and prior violence. Investigators compare photos from the crime scenes to Paul's behavior, slowly building a case around his modus operandi. The mounting evidence sharpens the focus on Paul White.

Flashbacks reveal Joan's relationship with Mike and how Paul was drawn into their lives. The two men travel across the country, from New York City toward Malibu, as their tangled dynamics unfold. These memories hint at the dangerous undercurrents in Paul’s personality.

On the deer hunting trip, Paul shoots a deer and brutally mutilates it, blood splattered on his face, exposing a chilling facet of his psyche. Mike senses something deeply unstable in Paul as the situation escalates. The trip marks a turning point in their fragile dynamic.

Mike catches Joan and Paul together; he pulls a gun but relents and leaves, illustrating the volatility between the trio. The moment injects trouble into the present-day bond and foreshadows further betrayals. Joan’s trust in Paul begins to crumble.

In present-day, Joan encounters Mike at Stope's Creek and learns he’s been in prison and bears a head injury that supposedly grants him visions of the past and future. He pleads with her to keep their reunion secret from Paul. The strange talent makes Mike seem like an unreliable ally in the escalating danger.

Joan suspects Paul is having an affair with Ann Mason after finding his truck behind her house. In a defensive move, she flats Paul's tires, an act that unintentionally provides Paul with an alibi for the most recent murder. The mistrust between Joan and Paul intensifies.

The killer enters the bathroom, grabs the victim, and drowns her in the tub after a brutal attack. Distraught, Joan discovers twine under the raised bathtub and pries loose an inlaid soap-dish to reveal plastic bags filled with body parts beneath. The grisly reveal confirms Paul’s darkest secrets are real.

Joan confronts Paul about the mounting evidence and his role in the killings. He professes that he has been 'chosen' to put women 'out of their misery' and insists he loves Joan, signaling a dangerous, irrational mindset. The confrontation leaves Joan terrified but resolute.

Paul locks Joan in the attic, then dons an explosive vest and face paint as he becomes increasingly unhinged. He chases their daughter Danielle through the house, and the family dog, Shasta, is killed in the chaos. The house becomes a deathly trap for the desperate escapees.

Mike, who has been lying in wait at an abandoned quarry with a machine gun, rescues Joan and disarms Paul. Paul taunts him, savoring the echo of his own sound in the empty space, then Mike opens fire. Joan dives into the quarry lake as Paul and Mike die in a final, explosive confrontation.

Joan is finally reunited with her daughter Danielle. In a late conversation with Detective Mendoza, she reflects on the ten years of Paul’s nihilistic terror and the destruction he left in their lives. The film closes on a note of cautious relief and enduring trauma.