Horsemen 2009

The film begins with an older man and his dog embarking on a winter morning hunt when an unusual sight captures his attention: a serving tray perched on a stand in the middle of a frozen lake. As he approaches, he notices the eerie phrase “Come and See” etched on several surrounding trees. Curiosity piqued, he lifts the tray’s lid, and though his reaction is one of shock, his fate remains a mystery.

Enter Detective Aidan Breslin (Dennis Quaid), an emotionally detached widower grappling with the weight of loss after his wife’s death. His mundane existence with his two sons is marked by a lack of personal connection, deepening the void left behind. When he receives a call regarding a potential murder, he races to the lake, only to be faced with a grim task: identifying a man’s teeth, leveraging his expertise in dental forensics. Though able to ascertain details about the victim’s sex, race, diet, and approximate age, the cause of death remains elusive, with the haunting message “Come and See” echoing on the trees that enclose the crime scene.

Breslin’s investigation soon unveils a chilling pattern: the murder of a beloved wife and mother, showcasing unmistakable elements of a ritualistic killing. Strung up on hooks, her bedroom awash in red, and the autopsy revealing she was stabbed with precision and subsequently drowned in her own blood—what’s more, she was found pregnant with the fetus brutally removed. The words “Come and See” omnipresent on the walls enhances the sinister air surrounding the case.

With each piece of physical evidence, Breslin uncovers that four individuals were involved in the crime, employing a camera tripod to document the horrific act. Attempting to offer solace to the distraught daughters, he is soon interrupted by their father’s arrival.

At home, Breslin’s attempts to restore familial bonds with his sons, Alex and Sean, are perpetually thwarted by his obsessive work life. Another murder emerges, mirroring the previous one with alarming consistency, as a man hangs lifeless in a room devoid of color. This leads Breslin to a tattoo parlor, where the builder of the hook rigs reveals he crafted four in total. An additional murder unfolds in a hotel room, marked by the absence of rigging and only three instances of “Come and See” scrawled on the walls.

Little by little, Breslin’s son Sean shares insights prompting him to liken the killings to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, with the hues of each room echoing the colors associated with each Horseman. The phrase “Come and See” taunts the investigators, hinting at the impending unmasking of a dark reality and an approaching apocalypse.

Unexpectedly, Breslin is contacted by Kristin (Ziyi Zhang), who he meets in an effort to console her grief. However, their conversation takes a dark turn as she reveals the fetus of her sibling, shocking Breslin with her admission of involvement in the murders. As an arrest follows, her interrogations depict her as mentally unstable, almost welcoming death. Breslin comes to believe she embodies the Horseman of Death, delivering fatal blows to each victim.

As Alex retreats further from his father, especially after Breslin’s insistence on stopping the annual celebration of their late mother’s birthday, a glimmer of reconciliation begins to shine through. Breslin makes efforts to connect with his sons, but further developments in the case invariably pull him away. A mishap during an attempt to apprehend the Horsemen yields additional clues, including a partially recovered hard drive leading to a website with an alarming future date.

Cory, a boy who recently came out as gay, confronts his intolerant brother, Taylor, spiraling into violence and drawing blood. As Taylor awakens in a green-lit room, he finds himself bound, witnessing Cory’s descent into madness as he commits suicide while trying to expunge his own heart.

The aftermath sees Taylor questioned by Breslin while he, alongside his partner, searches Kristin’s home and uncovers video footage of her mother’s murder. Unraveling layers of trauma, Breslin realizes Kristin was subjected to abuse by her father, leading to an arrest that complicates the case.

Despite his boss’s attempts to divert him to another investigation, Breslin remains resolute, suspecting that another victim remains at large—only three of four constructed rigs have been used. Approaching Kristin, he asserts that the remaining victim aligns with the Horseman named Pestilence. Unwilling to reveal their leader, Kristin allows Breslin to reach a sobering conclusion: he’s been intricately tied to this case from the start, driven by a protective instinct as he worries about his family’s safety.

When Breslin’s partner, Stingray, faces an attack while probing into Breslin’s home at his request, Aidan races back to find a disquieting scene—the entire sanctuary where his son Sean sleeps is painted white, the color associated with the leader of the Horsemen.

Clues direct him to a theater, reminiscent of the time he first met his wife. However, when he arrives, an assailant knocks him unconscious, and he awakens handcuffed to seating, horrified to see his son dangling above him on the final rig. A harrowing exchange follows as Alex bleeds profusely and confronts his father about his emotional isolation during their mother’s death.

In a heart-stopping moment, Breslin breaks free and shoots down the rig, but the ensuing chaos leaves Alex’s fate uncertain as he lays in his father’s arms. Ultimately, the narrative closes with a poignant moment where Sean awakens from a nightmare, only for Breslin to calm his fears, whispering, “Don’t you worry about Alex. Alex is going to be okay.” But in a twist revealed through the director’s commentary, the weight of reality looms—the conclusion lacks a happy ending, casting shadows over the finality of Alex’s fate.