Deliver Us From Evil

As the desert sun beats down on a small group of soldiers in 2010 Iraq, their boots kick up clouds of sand as they navigate the unforgiving terrain. Lt. Griggs, ever cautious, dispatches two reconnaissance specialists, (Jimmy Tratner) and Mike Santino, to investigate an eerie underground cave discovered by chance. Jimmy's camera captures every moment, including the unsettling flicker of its light as it falters and ultimately succumbs to darkness. The sudden loss of illumination is soon replaced by the haunting sight of hundreds of bats fleeing the cave, their leathery wings beating in unison like a macabre chorus. As Santino ventures deeper into the cave, his flashlight casting an otherworldly glow on the ancient human skulls that line the riverbed, Jimmy's pleas to retreat fall on deaf ears. It is then that the Latin inscription on the back wall of the cave is illuminated, its cryptic message hinting at a malevolent presence lurking in the shadows.

Fast-forward to present-day New York City, where Detective Ralph Sarchie (Ralph Sarchie) is struggling to come to terms with a particularly gruesome discovery: a lifeless infant, its small body eerily still. The coroner's persistence eventually persuades him to relinquish his grip on the tiny form, but the emotional toll of this tragic find is evident in his haunted expression.

As Sarchie and his partner, Butler, patrol the city streets, they receive a call reporting a domestic disturbance at the residence of Jimmy Tratner. Unbeknownst to them, their "radar" – an uncanny intuition that seems to guide Sarchie toward cases with unsettlingly violent undertones – is about to be put to the test once more. Upon arrival, they find Jimmy's wife cowering in a state of distress, her battered form a testament to the brutal reality of domestic abuse. However, as Sarchie and Butler attempt to apprehend Jimmy, he reveals a darker side, his desperation escalating into violent resistance that culminates in a savage slashing of Sarchie's arm. The pursuit is eventually brought to a halt, but not before Sarchie's rage is reined in by Butler's timely intervention. As the dust settles, Sarchie's gaze lingers on Jimmy's bloodied fingernails, an unsettling harbinger of the darkness that lies ahead.

As Sarchie's arm heals from its gruesome laceration, he and Butler respond to a distressing call at the local zoo, where pandemonium ensues upon their arrival. A frantic mother has allegedly tossed her 2-year-old son into the lion enclosure, only for the chaos to unfold further as the woman escapes and the power flickers out. In the midst of this bedlam, Sarchie and Butler split up to track down the distraught parent, their search punctuated by a growing sense of unease as the zoo's animal inhabitants begin to behave erratically. It is amidst this escalating chaos that Sarchie stumbles upon Jane, her fingers bloody and worn out from desperate digging into the earth as she mindlessly recites the lyrics to "The End" by The Doors. As he apprehends her, his gaze falls upon a hooded figure lurking within the lion's den - a man who, upon being approached, slowly backs away into the shadows, eventually vanishing into the darkness. Sarchie gives chase, but finds himself narrowly escaping the clutches of two newly emerged lions.

Upon arriving at the police station with Jane in tow, they are met by Father Mendoza, a priest who claims to have a long-standing connection with the troubled woman. He implores Sarchie and Butler to listen to his theories about Jane's erratic behavior, positing that her actions are not driven by madness, but rather by an unseen force - a malevolent presence that he believes has taken hold of her. According to Mendoza, there exists two types of evil: secondary, which is perpetrated by humanity; and primary, a darker, more ancient power that lurks beyond the veil of reality. He is convinced that Jane is a vessel for this primary evil, and urges Sarchie to take his concerns seriously. Though Sarchie remains skeptical, he takes Mendoza's card nonetheless, sensing that the priest may yet hold the key to unraveling the mysteries that surround them.

As Sarchie (Wahlberg) completes the paperwork for a long night of chasing down leads with his partner Butler (Jackson), he's suddenly connected to the world beyond the zoo. A video message from his wife Jen and their young daughter Christina brings a glimmer of normalcy, but it's short-lived as Butler informs him that the zoo will take a few days to process the footage of the night's bizarre incidents. Meanwhile, Sarchie's sharp ears pick up on an unsettling conversation between two detectives discussing a case where a woman received a disturbing call from her deceased father, instructing her to "shut the door, the damn door." The eerie tale resonates with Sarchie, prompting him to offer to take the case off the hands of his colleagues. He and Butler pay a visit to a family plagued by inexplicable occurrences at their home, where they claim to have seen ghostly apparitions and heard strange noises emanating from the recently repainted basement.

As they descend into the musty darkness, Sarchie and Butler are met with an eerie silence punctuated only by the stench of decay. The air is heavy with the scent of neglect, as if the very house itself has been abandoned for years. Butler retreats upstairs to find some fresh air, while Sarchie's radio suddenly crackles to life with static, as if the darkness itself is trying to communicate something.

Their investigation yields a gruesome discovery - a body wrapped in a tarpaulin, later revealed to be that of Lt. Griggs (a revelation that will have far-reaching consequences). As they delve deeper into the mystery, Sarchie uncovers a web of deceit and corruption that seems to tie everything together. He returns home to his wife Jen and daughter Christina, but even the familiar comfort of family life can't shake off the sense of unease that's taken hold.

The next morning, Jen and Christina attend church, while Sarchie remains behind, his faith faltering. His wife shares with their daughter a painful truth - that Sarchie once attended church regularly, but now finds no solace in its teachings. His doubts have taken root, and the darkness he's uncovering seems to be mirrored in his own soul.

As Sarchie and Butler continue to unravel the tangled threads of Griggs's life, they discover a disturbing connection between their victim and two other men: Jimmy and Santino (the enigmatic painter from the lion enclosure). Their research reveals that all three were dishonourably discharged for attacking an army chaplain. The revelation sends Sarchie on a quest to uncover the truth about this trio of miscreants, and he's led to a devastating conclusion - Lt. Griggs took his own life by drinking paint thinner, but it was Santino who wrapped his lifeless body in that tarpaulin. The darkness that lurks within the hearts of these men is a contagion that threatens to consume them all.

As the detectives pore over the surveillance footage from the zoo, a chilling narrative begins to unfold. The first segment shows Jane, her eyes fixed on Santino as he methodically paints over an eerie inscription in the lion pit. Her expression transforms from curiosity to horror, and she frantically tosses her child into the enclosure before fleeing the scene. Santino's indifference to the traumatic event is chilling, as if he's deliberately concealing a dark truth.

Next, the grainy footage captures Sarchie's harrowing experience in the lion pit. The priest walks away from the scene, seemingly conversing with the lions themselves, only to be startled by the sudden appearance of a bloodied figure on screen. Butler, however, remains oblivious to the supernatural occurrences unfolding before his eyes.

Meanwhile, Christina's peaceful slumber is shattered when she's beset by an inexplicable scratching sound beneath her bed. She dashes to her mother's room, screaming in terror. Later that night, Sarchie returns home to confront Jen's ire over his distant demeanor and lack of emotional connection with their daughter. As he tries to make amends, he's met with a disquieting discovery - the bloodied figure reappears, this time hovering above his daughter's bed in the mirror. The apparition vanishes as Sarchie spins around, leaving him shaken.

As the visions continue to haunt him, Sarchie seeks solace in Mendoza, a priest with a tumultuous past who has found redemption through his faith. Over drinks at a pub, Mendoza shares his own story of addiction and how it led him down a path of self-discovery. He then plays an audio clip of a disturbing exorcism involving Claudia and her five-year-old daughter, an experience that deeply unsettles Sarchie.

Intrigued by the priest's words, Sarchie invites Mendoza to examine the surveillance footage. The priest remains unfazed by the strange occurrences, instead positing that Sarchie possesses a heightened sensitivity to the occult, a gift and a curse that sets him apart from others. As the detective delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural, he's left grappling with the weight of his own "radar" - a constant reminder of the evil lurking in every corner of the world.

As the movie unfolds, Sarchie's domestic life begins to disintegrate, mirroring the escalating supernatural chaos that besets his family. His wife, distant as ever, struggles to maintain a sense of security amidst the eerie occurrences plaguing their home. Christina's room, once a sanctuary, has become a battleground where toys come to life and move with an otherworldly purpose. Meanwhile, tensions between Sarchie and Jen have reached a boiling point, as she laments that her daughter feels unsafe in her own domain due to her father's absence.

In a shocking turn of events, Jane, confined to a mental institution, manages to overpower her physician and effect her daring escape. Elsewhere, Sarchie returns to the Tratner residence, where he is privy to a series of disturbing war recordings, including the haunting sequence that served as the film's ominous introduction. Mrs. Tratner reveals that she has not laid eyes on Jimmy since his incarceration, despite his recent release from custody.

As Sarchie delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Santino, he discovers that the enigmatic artist's murals are not mere expressions of artistry but rather a visual manifestation of a portal to Hell. This unsettling revelation is underscored by the recurring motifs found in Santino's work, which echo the themes of The Doors, a musical group notorious for their exploration of otherworldly realms.

As Sarchie and Butler converge on Santino's apartment, they are met with an eerie sense of anticipation. Mendoza, meanwhile, remains vigilant in his rear seat role, offering words of wisdom as Sarchie and Butler stalk their quarry through the apartment complex. However, their pursuit is soon disrupted by a series of gruesome events: Jimmy's sudden appearance, possessed and hell-bent on destruction; Butler's brutal stabbing to death at the hands of Santino; and Mendoza's timely intervention, which saves Sarchie from certain doom.

In the aftermath of this harrowing ordeal, Sarchie is consumed by grief over his fallen comrade. Back at Mendoza's apartment, he confesses his deepest regrets and shares a dark secret: a past act of vengeance that has haunted him for years. Mendoza, moved by Sarchie's sincerity, extends a fatherly absolution, freeing the troubled detective from the shackles of guilt.

As Sarchie navigates the darkened streets in his vehicle, a sudden and jarring event shatters the peaceful evening. Jane's desperate leap onto his car's hood is a stark reminder that tragedy can strike at any moment, leaving him reeling from the brutal collision of life and death. The numbing shock of her fall is only momentarily interrupted by the piercing ring of his phone, as he receives a call from Jen's phone number - a stark contrast to the silence that had previously enveloped him. Santino's menacing tone seeps into his pores, revealing the horrifying truth: the demon has kidnapped his wife and daughter.

With a racing pulse and an overwhelming sense of urgency, Sarchie hurtles through the streets, driven by a primal urge to reach his family before it's too late. Upon arrival, he is met with a heart-wrenching tableau - Santino's malevolent presence hangs heavy in the air, like a dark cloud casting a shadow over all that is pure and innocent. Sarchie's desperation turns to action as he calls for backup, summoning reinforcements to aid in the desperate bid to rescue his loved ones.

The ensuing confrontation sees Mendoza and Sarchie join forces to perform an ancient ritual of exorcism, one that would test their resolve, push their bodies to the limits, and strain their very souls. The agonizing struggle to expel the demon's grasp is a grueling marathon of spiritual warfare, with Sarchie momentarily finding solace in the haunting melody of "Light My Fire" by the Doors - a fleeting respite from the crushing weight of his ordeal.

As the forces of darkness are vanquished and the demon banished, Sarchie's heart-swelling relief is tempered by the revelation that his wife and daughter remain unharmed. The aftermath of this harrowing experience leaves him forever changed, his perspective recalibrated to prioritize the sanctity of family above all else. In a poignant twist, it emerges that Sarchie had long since retired from the police force, opting instead to continue his work alongside Mendoza - a testament to the enduring bond between two men forged in the crucible of battle against the forces of evil.