Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except 1985

Returning home from the Vietnam War, Sergeant Jack Stryker (played by Brian Schulz) tries to rebuild his life after an honorable discharge leaves him scarred by the conflict. The quiet routine of postwar life lures him back to familiar ground: he reconnects with his former girlfriend, Sally, Cheryl Hausen, and rekindles bonds with his old war buddies. For a while, it seems like the worst is behind him, and a fragile sense of normalcy might finally settle in.

But the peace is shattered when a murderous cult comes to town, led by an enigmatic Charles Manson–like figure portrayed by Sam Raimi. The cult’s presence is menacing and pervasive, and it doesn’t take long for Sally to fall victim to its brutality, a horrific reminder that the danger has followed him home. As Stryker and his compatriots uncover police officers being tortured near his own house, the stakes rise from personal tragedy to a full-blown confrontation with a community on the edge.

Determined to protect those he loves and stand up to the menace, Stryker and his friends arm themselves and decide to fight back. What unfolds is a brutal, escalating war between the town’s veterans-turned-resistance and the roving cult, as casualties mount on both sides and the line between heroism and vengeance becomes increasingly blurred. The clash is relentless, unflinching, and personal, driven by a shared resolve to halt the cult’s rampage at any cost.

The story builds toward a dramatic, cataclysmic showdown. In a decisive moment, Stryker shoots the cult leader in the chest. The leader careens into a river, and, in a stark and brutal image, is impaled on a motorcycle, bringing the cult’s menace to a violent end. The aftermath leaves the town scarred and questions linger about what it takes to reclaim a life after such violence, and whether the cost of defense can ever be fully paid.