What Is The Killer Is Still Among Us About?
The premise of The Killer Is Still Among Us in 317 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a city gripped by the shadow of an unseen predator, fear ripples through quiet streets and familiar cafés alike. The atmosphere is thick with apprehension, a blend of modern urban life and a lingering, almost cinematic dread that makes every phone call and fleeting glance feel charged with hidden meaning. Authorities are racing against a relentless tide of violence, and the public mood hovers between frantic speculation and uneasy resignation.
Into this charged environment steps Cristiana Marelli, a determined criminology student whose academic curiosity becomes a personal compass. Driven by a desire to understand the pattern and motive behind the killings, she throws herself into research that blurs the line between scholarly inquiry and lived experience. Her thesis becomes more than a school project—it is a lens through which she attempts to bring order to chaos, and a conduit that pulls her deeper into the heart of the mystery that haunts the city.
Her investigation is complicated by the presence of her boyfriend, Alex, a forensic pathologist whose professional world intersects unsettlingly with the case she is dissecting. Their relationship teeters on the edge of intimacy and doubt, as each new detail she uncovers seems to cast a fresh shadow over his quiet confidence. The tension between affection and suspicion fuels a relentless inner conflict, while police efforts to crack the case add an external pressure that tightens the noose around everyone involved.
The film moves with a steady, unsettling rhythm, balancing academic rigor with the raw pulse of terror that seeps into everyday life. Its tone is a mix of brooding noir and contemporary thriller, inviting the audience to share Cristiana’s growing unease and to wonder how far trust can stretch when danger lurks so close. In this world, every whispered rumor, every fleeting phone ring, and every shared glance carries the weight of a possible clue, keeping viewers perched on the edge of uncertainty.
What Happens in The Killer Is Still Among Us?
The complete story of The Killer Is Still Among Us, from the first scene to the last, in 495 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 1 cast member page.
Spoilers ahead
A couple drives to a secluded lovers’ lane on the outskirts of Florence to be intimate, but their private moment ends in tragedy as they are both gunned down by a gloved prowler. The killer then mutilates the female victim with a knife and a tree branch, leaving a stark, brutal scene that becomes the latest chapter in a string of similar murders attributed to Il Mostro (The Monster). This wave of violence sets off a tense investigation led by people who fear the killer may be closer than anyone suspects.
Cristiana Marelli, a criminology student, launches a thesis-driven probe into the case, determined to understand the pattern and motives behind the killings. Her academic curiosity earns her pushback from those around her: her professor, the local police, and her doctor boyfriend, Alex, who grows increasingly wary of the risks, as he becomes entwined in her pursuit of answers. The investigation unfolds amid a mounting sense of paranoia, as eerie telephone calls trace their way to Cristiana and she finds herself shadowed by an unseen presence, even as she carries on with her daily life and studies.
As the mystery deepens, a bartender who had offered to share information with Cristiana is found hanged, a chilling reminder that the danger surrounding Il Mostro is real and personal. The mounting circumstantial evidence against her lover—his unexplained absences during the murder timeline, and the fact that Cristiana had confided her plans to meet with the bartender—begins to gnaw at her certainty. The suspicion grows and heats into a dangerous hypothesis: that Alex might be the killer himself.
Seeking a paranormal leg up, Cristiana attends a séance hoping to contact the victims’ spirits and illuminate the killer’s identity. En route, she drops Alex off at a theatre where a Hitchcock film is showing, a detail that will later feel ominous in retrospect. Inside the séance, the Medium—a psychic conduit for the dead—has a vision of Il Mostro slaying and mutilating another couple during a camping trip; the vision includes a male victim’s throat being slashed, a wound that eerily mirrors marks later seen on the Medium herself.
Paranoia swells as Cristiana becomes convinced that her boyfriend is the Monster. She abandons the séance in a rush and hurries back to the theatre, only to discover Alex there, quietly watching the film with other spectators. As she threads her way toward the seat beside him, an unseen figure slips into the row, sitting across from her. The film’s mood shifts in the moment, and a title card appears on the screen:
The killer is still among us.
This chilling revelation underscores the uncertainty and danger that saturate Cristiana’s world, leaving her—and the audience—gripping the edge of fear as the narrative threads toward its unsettling, ambiguous close.
The film closes with a stark note from the creators: the story was crafted as a warning to young people, with the intent of aiding real-world police work and encouraging vigilance against violence.
The Killer Is Still Among Us Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Double murder at a lovers' lane” to “Ending message and warning”. 10 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Double murder at a lovers' lane
A couple drives to a secluded lovers' lane on the outskirts of Florence to have sex. They are gunned down by a gloved prowler. The killer then uses a knife and a tree branch to mutilate the female victim.
When:Nighttime Where:Lovers' lane, outskirts of Florence
- 2
Il Mostro continues his killings
The double homicide is the latest in a string of similar killings attributed to Il Mostro. The nickname and the murders terrorize the city as investigators scramble for clues. Christiana Marelli begins to realize the case is bigger than a single crime.
When:In the weeks after the first murder Where:Florence area
- 3
Christiana starts her investigation
Christiana Marelli, a criminology student, starts researching the killer for her thesis. Her professor, the local police, and her doctor boyfriend Alex express dismay at her obsession. She dives into case files and testimonies despite their skepticism.
When:Early in the investigation Where:University library
- 4
Strange calls and stalking begin
She begins receiving strange telephone calls and is shadowed by a stalker. A sense of danger follows her as she goes about her day. At one point the stalker tries to break into her apartment while she is home alone.
When:Early in the investigation Where:Christiana's apartment
- 5
Bartender is found hanged
A bartender who had offered to meet with Christiana to provide information is found hanged. His death raises the stakes and shows the killer's reach extending into ordinary parts of town. Christiana uses the incident to push deeper into the investigation.
When:Shortly after the initial stalking Where:Local bar
- 6
Suspicions fall on Alex
With mounting circumstantial evidence against him, Christiana begins suspecting that Alex may be Il Mostro. His conspicuous absences during the murders and the fact that she told him about a rendezvous with the bartender feed her suspicion.
When:During the investigation
- 7
Murder of a couple known to Christiana
After a couple known to Christiana is murdered by Il Mostro, the danger feels personal. She grows more determined to uncover the killer's identity.
When:After the known couple's murder
- 8
Séance for clues
Christiana attends a séance in the hope of summoning the victims' spirits and shedding light on the killer's identity. She participates despite the ominous undertones and the unease in the room.
When:During the séance Where:Séance venue
- 9
Medium's vision of the crime
During the ceremony, the medium has a vision of Il Mostro killing and butchering another couple while camping. The male victim's throat is slashed, mirroring the killer's signature.
When:During the séance Where:Séance room
- 10
Christiana rushes back to the theatre
Paranoid and convinced that Alex is the killer, Christiana leaves the séance and rushes back to the theatre. She hopes to confront him and find some truth among the crowd.
When:After the séance Where:Theatre
Show the other 3 events of The Killer Is Still Among Us Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Alex in the theatre
In the theatre, she finds Alex quietly watching a Hitchcock film with the other spectators. His calm presence only deepens her confusion and fear.
When:At the theatre Where:Theatre
- 12
The killer is still among us
As she approaches to sit beside him, an unseen figure takes the seat opposite her. A title card interrupts the film announcing that the killer is still among us.
When:End of the film Where:Theatre seating
- 13
Ending message and warning
The end credits carry a message that the film was made as a warning to young people and to aid police in catching real murderers. It closes with a reminder that the danger may still be present in ordinary places.
When:Post-film credits
Who Are the Main Characters in The Killer Is Still Among Us?
6 characters, among them Christiana Marelli, Alex (Giovanni Visentin) and Bruno Minniti: who each one is and the part they play in the story. 5 of them link to the actor’s page.
- CM
Christiana Marelli
Played by Mariangela D'Abbraccio
A criminology student researching Il Mostro who becomes increasingly obsessive about solving the case. She is perceptive and determined, but her suspicion threatens her safety as she questions those around her.
- 🪪 Protagonist
- 🔎 Investigator
- 🧠 Intelligent
- A(
Alex (Giovanni Visentin)
Played by Giovanni Visentin
Christiana's doctor boyfriend whose occasional absences during the murders fuel suspicions about his involvement. He embodies the tension between affection and mistrust fueling the mystery.
- 💊 Doctor
- 🕵️♂️ Suspect
- ❤️ Romantic lead
- BM
Bruno Minniti
Played by Riccardo Parisio Perrotti
A bartender who offers information to Christiana and is later found hanged, making him a pivotal link in the killer’s chain of mystery.
- 🍸 Bartender
- 🕯️ Informant
- ⚖️ Victim
- M
Medium
Played by Roberto Sanna
The séance participant who claims to glimpse the victims' spirits. The medium's vision adds a supernatural layer to the investigation and foreshadows violence.
- 🔮 Seer
- 🕯️ Psyche
- 🗝️ Clue-giver
- IM
Il Mostro
The gloved killer who stalks couples and mutilates victims. The Monster drives the suspenseful cat-and-mouse chase at the heart of the film.
- 🗡️ Serial killer
- 🕵️♀️ Antagonist
- 💀 Threat
- DF
Dottor Franco Benincasa
Played by Luigi Mezzanotte
A doctor within the story and part of the medical milieu surrounding Christiana and Alex. His presence underscores the tension between science and superstition in the investigation.
- 👨⚕️ Doctor
- 🧠 Medical
- 🕵️♂️ Support
Where and When Is The Killer Is Still Among Us Set?
The Killer Is Still Among Us is set in Outskirts of Florence. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Outskirts of Florence
The action takes place along a secluded lovers' lane on the edge of Florence, blending urban and rural moods. The setting establishes a nocturnal, shadowy atmosphere ideal for a serial-killer mystery. It emphasizes a private, dangerous space where intimate moments turn deadly.
- 🌆 Florence outskirts
- 🕵️ Crime
- 🗺️ Italian locale
What Are the Themes of The Killer Is Still Among Us?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Obsession, Suspense and Paranoia.
-
01
Obsession
Christiana’s relentless hunt to identify Il Mostro drives the plot, blurring lines between investigator and prey. The fixation shapes her decisions and heightens personal risk as the mystery deepens.
-
02
Suspense
Tension builds through stalking, strange calls, and red herrings, with suspects shifting as clues surface. The sense that the killer could be someone close to Christiana keeps the audience guessing.
-
03
Paranoia
Trust frays as Christiana questions her relationships, especially with her doctor boyfriend. The line between reality and fear becomes blurred, culminating in a twist that unsettles the viewer.
What Kind of Film Is The Killer Is Still Among Us?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A tense and paranoid giallo thriller that plunges the viewer into a world of pervasive fear and suspicion, with the terror of a real-life unsolved case creating an oppressive and unsettling atmosphere.
- anxious
- paranoid
- suspenseful
- fearful
- oppressive
- disturbing
- serial killer
- crime investigation
- paranoia and suspicion
- true crime
Content notes: graphic murder, sexual violence, misogynistic violence, stalking.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Killer Is Still Among Us? Test yourself on the story.
