What Is Evil Come Evil Go About?
The premise of Evil Come Evil Go in 316 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a stark, sun‑bleached stretch of Los Angeles, a city known for its glittering promises becomes the backdrop for a raw, unflinching meditation on faith turned obsession. The streets hum with the rhythm of buskers and the murmur of sermons whispered from sidewalk corners, while an undercurrent of dread seeps through the neon‑lit alleys. The film’s tone is deliberately hard‑edged, blending gritty realism with a ritualistic atmosphere that feels both intimate and unsettling, as hymn‑like chants echo against cracked storefronts.
Sarah Jane Butler strides through this world with the certainty of a prophet, convinced that a divine mandate compels her to purge what she perceives as moral corruption. Her presence is magnetic and unnerving, a hymn‑humming figure whose fanaticism is wrapped in a veneer of serene devotion. When she encounters Penny, a young lesbian navigating the delicate balance of love and parental expectations, the two form a charged partnership that blurs the line between mentorship and domination. Their dynamic is built on a fragile mix of reverence, control, and a shared yearning to amplify a singular, extreme vision.
The duo’s ambitions stretch beyond the pavement, hinting at grander schemes that could broadcast their doctrine to a wider audience. They speak of television projects, public performances, and a self‑styled “Sacred Order,” suggesting a desire to institutionalize their creed. This escalating pursuit of influence creates a claustrophobic tension, as each character wrestles with their own desires and the weight of the other’s expectations, leaving the audience to wonder how far their devotion can go before it eclipses their humanity.
Through its atmospheric cinematography and relentless, hymn‑like score, the film invites viewers into a world where belief and brutality intertwine, and where the promise of salvation becomes a precarious dance on the edge of obsession. The presence of a quiet guitarist lingering on the periphery adds an ominous, watchful rhythm, underscoring the uneasy partnership that drives the story forward.
What Happens in Evil Come Evil Go?
The complete story of Evil Come Evil Go, from the first scene to the last, in 529 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In a disturbing, hard-edged tale, about faith twisted into control, “Sister” Sarah Jane Butler is a hymn-humming religious fanatic who believes God has chosen her to cleanse the world of those who seek pleasure through sex. She seduces a bar patron and guts him after they leave together, a brutal first act that sets the tone for what follows. She then drives to Los Angeles, where she lures another man to his death and, in a chilling final twist of her creed, scrawls on a mirror, “God is Love, not Sex,” as a stark public proclamation of her mission. (portrayed by Cleo O’Hara)
While busking and preaching on the street, Sarah befriends Penny, a naive lesbian who is being supported by her wealthy but ashamed parents. Penny, played by Sandra Henderson, is drawn into Sarah’s orbit and gradually becomes part of a dark plan that centers on control, devotion, and obedience. Sarah moves in with Penny and takes her on as a devoted disciple, initiating her into “Sister Sarah’s Sacred Order of the Sisters of Complete Subjugation” by tying her to a bed, stripping her, and teasing her with a knife as they sing a defiant tune. The moment is underscored by a visceral, ritualistic atmosphere, reinforced by their shared performance on the streets and the dangerous certainty of their bond.
As the pair rouses themselves to expand their influence, they begin to dream bigger: they sing in public spaces, they plot a television series that Sarah will use as a platform for her views, and they intimidate Penny’s tenants in a bid to cement their control. The dynamic grows increasingly claustrophobic, a coercive duet where faith and fear feed each other in a dangerous symbiosis.
Sarah has Penny lure a man home, and while he and Penny are intimate, Sarah suddenly stabs him to death. Penny is horrified by the murder but remains under Sarah’s sway, bobbing along in a nightmare she can’t escape. As the bodies accumulate, Penny’s ex-girlfriend Junie visits—and in a brutal moment, Sarah garrotes Junie with a scarf while she is with Penny, another chilling lesson in obedience and power. Junie is portrayed by Jane Tsentas.
The pair dump their victims in the woods, repeating a grisly pattern as they move through each encounter. They spot a couple having sex and, after the woman leaves, the man approaches them and departs with the duo, a sign that the cycle may continue, even as Penny remains conflicted and fearful about what she’s become. A guitarist who has trailed the group throughout the film remains an ominous presence, finally following from a distance as the credits roll with the eerie refrain of their wanderings.
As the credits loom, the mood tightens: the film closes on the unresolved tension of a duo whose fanatic devotion has eclipsed any sense of humanity, leaving the audience with an unsettling question about belief, power, and the price of obedience. The final note, sung softly in the background, hovers over the woods where the last bodies lay, a reminder that the line between salvation and domination can be dangerously thin.
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah
- Penny, Sandra Henderson
- Junie, Jane Tsentas
Evil Come Evil Go Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Bar murder initiation” to “Guitarist and credits”. 12 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Bar murder initiation
Sarah seduces a bar patron and lures him away from the crowd. Once outside, she gruesomely guts him, establishing her violent creed of cleansing through sex-related acts. This act kicks off her murderous campaign.
When:Night Where:Bar
- 2
Second murder in Los Angeles
She drives to Los Angeles, where she lures another man into a deadly trap. She kills him and, as a final act, scrawls 'God is Love, not Sex' on a mirror.
When:Night Where:Los Angeles
- 3
Busking and Penny’s arrival
While performing on the streets, Sarah preaches her radical doctrine and spots Penelope, a naive young woman supported by wealthy, ashamed parents. They strike up an uneasy alliance as Penny is drawn to her charisma.
When:Day Where:City streets
- 4
Penny’s initiation into the order
Sarah moves into Penny's life and subjects her to a ritual induction. She ties Penny to a bed, strips her, and teases her with a knife while they sing, demonstrating the deep control Sarah exerts over her new disciple.
When:Evening Where:Penny's home
- 5
Public performance and TV dream
The pair sing on the streets to recruit followers as they lay out plans to turn Sarah's creed into a television series. The scheme gives them a platform to spread their message.
When:Day Where:Street
- 6
Intimidating Penny’s tenants
Sarah uses Penny to threaten Penny's tenants, tightening their grip on the building's occupants. The intimidation deepens Penny's submission and reinforces Sarah's dominance.
When:Evening Where:Penny's building
- 7
Luring and killing another man
At Sarah's direction, Penny lures a man home. While they have sex, Sarah stabs him to death, demonstrating their collaborative capacity for murder.
When:Evening Where:Penny's home
- 8
Penny’s horror and obedience
The murder horrifies Penny, but she continues to obey Sarah's commands, sinking deeper into their predatory dynamic. The relationship tightens as Penny's moral boundaries erode.
When:Night Where:Penny's home
- 9
Junie’s arrival and murder
During disposal preparations, Penny's ex-girlfriend Junie visits and becomes another victim. Sarah garrotes Junie with a scarf as she is having sex with Penny.
When:Night Where:Penny's home
- 10
Dumping bodies and the woods encounter
Sarah and Penny dump their victims in the woods. They spot a couple having sex; the man approaches and chats with them before leaving with the duo.
When:Night Where:Woods
- 11
The potential murder of the next man
The man chats with them and then leaves with the duo, implying a future murder. The encounter underscores their escalating danger.
When:Night Where:Woods
- 12
Guitarist and credits
A guitarist who has trailed the group throughout the film appears in the credits sequence and sings 'Evil Come, Evil Go' as the credits roll. The performance reinforces the film's dark mood as it ends.
When:End of film Where:Credits sequence
Who Are the Main Characters in Evil Come Evil Go?
6 characters, among them Penelope von Prut (Penny) – Sandra Henderson, Sister Sarah Jane Butler – Cleo O'Hara and Junie – Jane Tsentas: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- PV
Penelope von Prut (Penny) – Sandra Henderson
Played by Sandra Henderson
Penny is a naive, emotionally vulnerable woman drawn into Sarah's cult-like circle. Her loyalty to Sarah grows as she is used to further violent plans, revealing how pressure and dependence erode personal agency. Her internal conflict surfaces as she complies out of fear and the desire to belong.
- 💖 Vulnerable
- 🧭 Naive
- 🎭 Victim
- SS
Sister Sarah Jane Butler – Cleo O'Hara
Played by Cleo O'Hara
A religious fanatic who believes she is chosen to cleanse the world, she uses faith to justify murder and domination. She exerts charismatic but cruel control over Penny, orchestrating violence and manipulating those around her. Her manipulation extends to shaping Penny’s actions and the duo's deadly plans.
- 🔥 Antagonist
- 🎯 Manipulative
- 🕊️ Cult Leader
- J–
Junie – Jane Tsentas
Played by Jane Tsentas
Penny's ex-girlfriend who visits and becomes entangled in the dangerous dynamic surrounding Sarah. She represents a vulnerable witness who is not spared from the escalating violence. Her fate underscores the peril that accompanies challenging the cult-like control.
- 💔 Ex-partner
- 🧭 Vulnerable
- MI
Man in Woods – Gerard Broulard
Played by Gerard Broulard
A man encountered by the group in the woods, presented as a potential victim who may be drawn into their deadly orbit. His presence adds to the looming sense of danger and the film’s wilderness setting as a site of concealment and confrontation.
- 🌲 Woods
- ⚔️ Violent
- 🕵️♂️ Mysterious
- WI
Woman in Woods – Jacqueline Lissette
Played by Jacqueline Lissette
A figure encountered in the woods who contributes to the film’s atmosphere of peril and ambiguity. She adds to the sense that the woods are a stage for fate and violence acting beyond the control of the central characters.
- 🌲 Woods
- 🕊️ Mysterious
- L–
Lover – Doris Jung
Played by Doris Jung
A character connected to Penny, part of the social circle that becomes entangled in Sarah's manipulation. The relationship and interactions within this circle illuminate how affection and loyalty can be exploited within a coercive scheme.
- 💔 Ex-partner
- 🏳️🌈 Queer relationship
Where and When Is Evil Come Evil Go Set?
Evil Come Evil Go is set in Los Angeles. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Los Angeles
Los Angeles serves as the film's urban backdrop, exposing street life, busking, and public preaching. The city provides public spaces where performance, manipulation, and violence unfold, creating a relentless contrast between spectacle and danger. Its crowded streets and hidden corners help the cult-like plot to operate under the radar.
- 🏙️ City
- 🎭 Urban setting
What Are the Themes of Evil Come Evil Go?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Power and Control, Religious Fanaticism and Sexual Exploitation.
-
01
Power and Control
Sister Sarah Jane Butler wields religious fervor as a means to dominate Penny and bend her to a fatal cause. Penny's trust and obedience grow as she is drawn deeper into the 'Sacred Order' and its rituals. The attempted TV platform illustrates how control extends from intimate relationships to mass media, amplifying influence and danger.
-
02
Religious Fanaticism
The story centers on how faith language is weaponized to justify violence and moral cleansing. The slogan 'God is Love, not Sex' sits beside murder, revealing a chilling hypocrisy. Religion is used as a tool to regulate bodies, behavior, and loyalties within the group.
-
03
Sexual Exploitation
The plot intertwines sexuality, coercion, and violence as instruments of control. Penny's relationship with Sarah becomes a site of manipulation, where intimacy is weaponized to enforce subjugation. The dynamics expose how desire can be exploited to sustain power over others.
What Kind of Film Is Evil Come Evil Go?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A deeply unsettling and brutal descent into religious fanaticism and murder, where moments of intimacy are twisted into acts of violence under a cold and unrelenting atmosphere.
- disturbing
- brutal
- fanatical
- unsettling
- cold
- hypnotic
- religious fanaticism
- murder
- sexual obsession
- psychological manipulation
Content notes: graphic violence, sexual violence, murder, psychological manipulation, religious extremism.
Quiz
How well do you remember Evil Come Evil Go? Test yourself on the story.
