Saint Death is a terrifying, supernatural, horror thriller structured similarly to blockbuster horror movies such as, “The Ring” and “Saw.” The film tracks a suicidal girl fighting for her life during the Mexican holiday “The Day of the Dead” as the sins of her small town provoke revenge from a supernatural killer who’s embodied with the goddess of death.
Inspired by an ancient belief — that during the three-day celebration the spirits of the deceased can cross over to the realm of the living — Saint Death will take audiences on an attractively horrific journey into the supernatural and ravishes the fast-paced adventure with next-level blood and gore. The story’s inventive kills brush a stroke of similarity and brandability to films like “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Friday the 13th,” and “Evil Dead.”
Opening on a frightening tease, the camera follows a tormented elderly nun through rustic catacombs. Using an ancient dagger, she performs a ritual human sacrifice, unleashing the powerful curse of Saint Death. The spirit of revenge — assimilated with a tortured soul — materializes into a monster of a man. With a creepy mask and a rusty pair of old pruning shears, Saint Death is born.
His first victim is a local journalist, ALLEN RANDELL. Imposing a psychological threat, Saint Death embeds realistic, child-like hallucinations into his victim’s consciousness, blurring the lines of reality and making him vulnerable. However, ALLEN is an infamous alcoholic so the town initially believes his grisly demise to be the result of a drunk-driving accident.
Her father’s untimely death sparks the protagonist, JAMIE, to return to the quiet border town after being estranged for several mysterious years. At her father’s house, she reunites with her longtime friends, PALEY and TY. The recently retired sheriff, JOE THERON, shows up to deliver news that ALLEN’s death was no accident; it was murder!
Tension culminates as THERON, like a fallen king, struggles to sustain power over the town in spite of its new, “by the book” sheriff, ANGEL ESPERANZA. The latter is convinced the killings are linked to Hispanic immigrants coming in to town for the Day of the Dead celebration. Following a disturbing encounter with THERON, JAMIE makes a purposeful decision to pursue answers, taking CARLOS on a journey towards certain demise.
Upon discovering a mysterious videotape, JAMIE learns that her father was documenting the ritualistic cleansing of a young Hispanic boy who was possessed by the spirt of Saint Death. The boy, DANTE, is also the same child seen in the hallucinations ALLEN had. Furthermore, the film reveals that the boy, Saint Death’s evil spirit, and the physical monster are one in the same—forming an unholy, revenge-seeking trinity.
Meanwhile, TY is chased through an abandoned refinery. In desperation, he unloads his gun into Saint Death, but the monster is unfazed. This confirms that the demon cannot be killed by worldly means. Unable to flee, Ty is left decapitated by Saint Death’s shears.
Sheriff ESPERANZA links the murders — the word “venganza” (revenge) is written at the two scenes—and embarks on a mission to warn and protect JAMIE. Drunk with power, THERON is now convinced CARLOS and JAMIE are behind the killings so he begins a manhunt, committing brutal killings in the process. He and his henchman chase CARLOS and JAMIE through the “Day of the Dead” parade and apprehend the two. Their devious plan is to dispose of them in the desert.
It is there in the desert that Saint Death once again appears to finish what he started. In a riveting finale, THERON’s sins literally come back to haunt him as Saint Death summons the undead to rip him to pieces. Cornered with no way out, JAMIE is dragged to the land of the dead while CARLOS is left alone in the desert.
A flashback ensues of JAMIE clinging to life in a hospital after her last suicide attempt. Since she was technically dead once before, the only place Saint Death can harm her is in his world.
In the land of the dead, Saint Death’s innocent form, DANTE, shows her the past and how things came to be. A shocking reveal shows that THERON pioneered a violent, racist gang which executed Hispanic immigrants belonging to the Saint Death cult. JAMIE’s father, ALLEN, was also involved.
The film’s climax reaches its zenith when JAMIE must face her fears in an epic final showdown. Wielding the same ritual dagger the nun originally used to unleash the curse, she plunges the ancient blade into Saint Death’s skull. DANTE’s soul is free and the evil spirit is sent back to hell, thus ending the curse.
Finally, a twist of events teases a sequel. In the last scene, when all is calm, the camera shows that JAMIE is now possessed by the spirit of Saint Death. She appears in her demonic form, launching the franchise.
The Team
DAVID WILSON
Founder
STRATEGY
Creative Head
STRATEGY
Producer
