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The Void (2017) Plot Summary & Timeline

The Void (2017) movie poster

The Void is a 2017 sci-fi and mystery film directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie, running 1 hour 30 minutes. This page retells the whole story in 747 words (about 3 minutes to read) and covers 15 key events in order, 5 characters, where and when it is set and 3 themes. Looking for the cast, ratings and where to stream it? See the movie page for The Void.

to read the plot summary
3 min
key events in the timeline
15
characters profiled
5
themes explained
3
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The Void (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 30m
Genres
Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror
Original language
English
No spoilers

What Is The Void About?

The premise of The Void in 263 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.

In a desolate stretch of country road, a routine night shift turns into a desperate rescue when Daniel Carter spots a lone figure stumbling from the shadows, bloodied and barely conscious. He hurries the stranger to the nearest medical facility—a small, aging hospital perched on the edge of a forgotten town—hoping the lights inside will offer safety. The building, still echoing with the memory of a recent fire, becomes the unlikely stage for an unsettling chain of events that quickly spirals beyond ordinary emergency care.

Inside, Allison—a nurse whose strained history with Daniel adds a quiet tension to every exchange—tries to marshal dwindling resources amid murmurs of unease. The staff, patients, and even the building’s aging infrastructure seem caught in a slow, inexplicable shift, as ordinary ailments give way to bizarre, unsettling changes. The atmosphere thickens with a creeping dread, blending the sterile chill of a rural clinic with an otherworldly, almost mythic sense of something far older lurking in the walls. Shadows lengthen in the dim hallways, and the hum of fluorescent lights feels like a distant reminder of a world that once made sense.

As the night deepens, Daniel is forced to confront the growing chaos, rallying a handful of bewildered survivors—including a pregnant teenager and her cautious grandfather—into a fragile alliance. Together they must navigate the hospital’s hidden underbelly, a maze of forgotten tunnels that promise an uncertain escape. The film teases a relentless, suffocating tone, where each breath may reveal another fragment of the mystery, and the line between human frailty and monstrous transformation blurs in the flickering darkness.

Full plot

What Happens in The Void?

The complete story of The Void, from the first scene to the last, in 747 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout.

Spoilers ahead

The film begins in a desolate rural setting where chaos ensues as two individuals desperately flee from two armed men. One of them is shot and left wounded, while the other narrowly escapes into the night. The attackers, one older and one younger, approach the incapacitated woman. In a chilling act of cruelty, they cover her in gasoline before igniting her, leaving her to burn to death. Meanwhile, an enigmatic figure cloaked in a white robe, marked by a sinister black triangle on their face, watches the horrifying scene unfold from a distance.

In a different location, Officer Daniel Carter finds himself patrolling a lonely country road when he receives a dispatch call. His night takes a turn when he spots a bloodied man crawling out of the woods. Initially mistaking him for a drunken teenager, Daniel soon realizes the gravity of the situation as he rushes the injured man into his squad car, blood staining his uniform. Despite the nearby hospital being in the process of closing due to a recent fire, he heads there, hoping for urgent medical assistance.

Upon arriving at the hospital, a frantic nurse named Allison, who is revealed to be Daniel’s estranged wife, attends to the injured man. Daniel takes a moment to greet teenage Maggie and her grandfather Ben, who are there for Maggie’s pregnancy check-up. As the doctor examines the bloodied man, Daniel discovers heroin marks on him, prompting him to wash off the blood. He converses with Dr. Richard Powell, who subtly warns Daniel about going easy on Allison, hinting at the shared trauma of losing a child.

At the same time, nursing intern Kim interacts with patient Cliff, expressing her frustrations with the hospital’s dire staffing situation. However, tension escalates when Daniel witnesses a horrific act: Beverly, a nurse, plunges a pair of scissors into Cliff’s eye. As panic ensues, Daniel shoots Beverly, who reveals that she has grotesquely mutilated her own face. In shock, he stumbles into a bathroom, overwhelmed by the events occurring around him.

Unconscious, Daniel experiences haunting visions of a dark landscape, and upon waking, he insists on reporting the violent incident. His determination clashes with the concern from both Allison and Dr. Powell. Meanwhile, state trooper Mitchell arrives to investigate a nearby mass murder, raising questions about the events transpiring at the hospital.

As Daniel exits to find his car, he’s confronted by the mysterious figure clad in white. A confrontation ensues, leaving Daniel stabbed and once again unconscious. As he teeters on the brink of consciousness, another scream reaches him from the junkie’s room—a grotesque, tentacled version of Beverly attempts to attack the junkie. Daniel and Mitchell manage to contain her, but the situation spirals out of control when the original attackers burst into the hospital demanding the junkie.

In a moment of chaos, the junkie takes Maggie hostage, leading to a standoff that results in Dr. Powell being mortally wounded in the midst of conflict. As things spiral wildly, Daniel witnesses her grotesque transformation, with tentacles emerging from someone he loves. Just when fears escalate, he makes a desperate plan to retrieve weapons from his car, accompanied by the reluctant duo—Vincent and Simon, who harbor their dark desires for revenge.

They rush to find that their path is riddled with juxtaposed dangers as they gather supplies and attempt to make sense of the madness unfolding around them. Amidst the hospital’s impending collapse and a cult revealing their sinister deeds, Daniel’s pursuit leads him into a chilling maze filled with revelations regarding Dr. Powell’s heinous experiments and the devastating loss that led him down this dark path.

Allison’s circumstances overlap with the chaos as she faces a gruesome fate on the operating table, manipulated by Powell who has sinister plans for her and her unborn child. As the horrifying reality unfolds, Daniel battles against the manifestations of nightmares and the very real threats surrounding them.

In the end, the struggle culminates in an epic confrontation with twisted horrors, including the transformation of familiar faces into monstrous beings. Vincent and Simon’s alliance becomes a lifeline as the group faces their darkest fears, culminating in a visual battleground filled with wrenching sacrifices, transformative horrors, and a desperate search for salvation.

As dawn breaks over the chaotic night, Daniel emerges into a stark, otherworldly landscape with an unshakeable bond to Allison, standing before a giant black pyramid, a stark reminder of the night’s unfathomable horrors and the dark paths chosen in pursuit of answers.

Timeline

The Void Timeline: Every Key Event in Order

15 key events in the order they happen, from “Chase and Murder” to “A New Beginning”. 12 events name a place, across 8 locations.

  1. 1

    Chase and Murder

    The film opens with a tense chase in a rural area where two individuals are fleeing from armed men. One of them is shot and wounded, while the other escapes into the night, leaving behind a brutal scene where the armed men burn the injured woman to death before getting into their car to pursue their fleeing target.

    Where:Rural Home

  2. 2

    Daniel's Discovery

    Police officer Daniel Carter is on patrol when he spots a blood-covered man crawling out of the treeline. Thinking quickly, he rescues the delirious man and rushes to the nearest hospital, although it is in the process of shutting down due to a fire.

    Where:Country Road

  3. 3

    A Shaky Reunion

    Upon arriving at the hospital, Daniel encounters nurse Allison, his estranged wife. The tension is palpable as they interact briefly before Daniel realizes the injured man has drug needle marks on his arms, causing him to reflect on his own dangerous situation.

    Where:Hospital

  4. 4

    Horrific Encounter

    Daniel witnesses nurse Beverly performing a gruesome act on patient Cliff by stabbing him in the eye with scissors. When confronted, Beverly reveals her grotesque, flayed face, leading Daniel to shoot her in self-defense.

    Where:Hospital

  5. 5

    The Darkness Within

    After passing out from the shock of the incident, Daniel experiences vivid visions of a sinister landscape and a mysterious black triangle. His unconscious state leaves him more vulnerable to the chaos that unfolds around him.

  6. 6

    A Sinister Presence

    When Daniel awakens, he learns that a state trooper is investigating a nearby mass murder. Tensions mount as he feels berated by the trooper, Mitchell, for the chaos escalating within the hospital.

    Where:Hospital

  7. 7

    A Gruesome Reappearance

    Screams echo through the hospital as Beverly, transformed into a twisted creature, attacks the junkie rescued earlier. Daniel and Mitchell fight to subdue the creature, showcasing the chaos enveloping the hospital.

    Where:Hospital

  8. 8

    Invasion of the Cultists

    The two armed men from the opening scene burst into the hospital demanding the junkie. In the ensuing chaos, Dr. Powell is killed by the junkie, escalating the already tense situation as the cultists surround them.

    Where:Hospital

  9. 9

    Desperate Measures

    Realizing that they are surrounded, the group is forced to burn Mitchell’s body to keep the cultists at bay. A shaky alliance forms between Daniel and the two armed men as they aim to survive amidst the unfolding horror.

    Where:Parking Lot

  10. 10

    Deeper into the Darkness

    Daniel, Vincent, and Simon venture into a burned section of the hospital looking for Allison while growing increasingly aware that something unnatural is at play. Their exploration leads them into a maze-like area filled with disturbing symbols.

    Where:Burned Section of Hospital

Show the other 5 events of The Void
  1. 11

    A Cult Unveiled

    Allison, trapped in a nightmarish scenario, discovers Dr. Powell’s grotesque experiments as he taunts her about bringing back his deceased daughter. The horror intensifies as he reveals that Allison is pregnant with something sinister.

    Where:Operating Room

  2. 12

    The Illusion of Safety

    As Daniel searches for Allison, he is faced with twisted illusions, culminating in a dramatic confrontation with the fleshless Dr. Powell. Daniel fights against the delusions which lead him deeper into despair and madness.

  3. 13

    The Final Confrontation

    The chaos reaches its peak as Daniel, in a desperate act, drags Powell through a eerie void of light. Their battle for survival against the primal force embodied by Powell culminates in an explosive confrontation.

  4. 14

    Escape from Hell

    In the aftermath of the chaos, Simon narrowly escapes the collapsing hospital as dawn breaks. The creatures and cultists are left behind as they emerge into what seems to be a twisted version of reality.

    Where:Hospital Entrance

  5. 15

    A New Beginning

    The film closes with Daniel standing in a surreal landscape, hands held with a future that seems uncertain yet hopeful. The dark pyramid looms overhead, a haunting reminder of the horrors they faced.

    Where:Desolate Landscape

Characters

Who Are the Main Characters in The Void?

5 characters, among them Daniel Carter, Allison and Dr. Richard Powell: who each one is and the part they play in the story.

  • DC

    Daniel Carter

    Daniel is a troubled police officer grappling with personal trauma and the horrors he encounters at the hospital. His determination to save others is evident, but he is also an embodiment of vulnerability as he navigates both physical and psychological threats.

    • 👮 Police
    • 🧠 Trauma
  • A

    Allison

    Allison is Daniel's estranged wife working as a nurse at the hospital. Caught in a traumatic situation, her character highlights themes of hope and despair as her fate intertwines with dark forces and the desire to be a mother.

    • 👩‍⚕️ Nurse
    • 💔 Estrangement
  • DR

    Dr. Richard Powell

    Dr. Powell is a disturbingly obsessed doctor who delves into necromancy and dark experimentation in pursuit of his deceased daughter's return. His transformation into a grotesque figure illustrates the depths of his madness and the horror that ensues.

    • 🧑‍🔬 Scientist
    • 🦠 Madness
  • V

    Vincent

    Vincent is one half of the father-son duo seeking revenge against the cult responsible for their family's demise. His character reflects themes of loss and desperation, driving the narrative toward a tragic confrontation.

    • 👨‍👦 Fatherhood
    • 🔥 Revenge
  • M

    Maggie

    Maggie plays a pivotal role as she grapples with her own dark secret. Her character embodies the duality of innocence and malevolence, especially as her actual allegiances are revealed in shocking climaxes.

    • 👶 Expecting
    • 💀 Betrayal
Setting

Where and When Is The Void Set?

The Void is set in Rural home and Hospital. Here is why the place matters to the story.

When

The film's events occur in a modern-day setting, where contemporary elements such as police officers, hospitals, and drug culture are present. The narrative is set against a backdrop of a society grappling with darkness, violence, and the supernatural.

Where

Rural home, Hospital

The movie is primarily set in a rural area, where a grim scene unfolds at a home that becomes the site of a brutal murder. The central location shifts to a nearby hospital, described as understaffed and in the process of shutting down due to a devastating fire, which becomes a hotspot for strange and horrific events.

  • 🏥 Hospital
  • 🌲 Rural
Themes

What Are the Themes of The Void?

3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Cultism, Survival and Motherhood.

  1. 01

    Cultism

    The theme of cultism is central to the plot, as characters are entangled in a web of rituals and sacrifices led by Dr. Powell. This obsession with transcendence over death leads to horrifying transformations and experiments on human lives, raising questions about morality and the human condition.

  2. 02

    Survival

    Survival is a prominent theme as the characters navigate the chaos in the hospital. Faced with grotesque creatures and a murderous cult, they must form uneasy alliances and make drastic decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones.

  3. 03

    Motherhood

    The concept of motherhood is explored through the characters of Allison and Maggie, both in contexts of sacrifice and violence. This theme is intricately linked to the horror elements as the desire for motherhood becomes twisted in the realm of cult rituals and experimentation.

Tone & mood

What Kind of Film Is The Void?

Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.

Tone
Dark
Pacing
Fast
Story
Moderate
Intensity
High
Ending
Ambiguous

A relentlessly intense and gory cosmic horror film that traps survivors in a claustrophobic hospital besieged by grotesque mutations, creating a desperate and nightmarish fight for survival against incomprehensible forces.

  • claustrophobic
  • oppressive
  • anxious
  • gory
  • surreal
  • desperate
  • cosmic horror
  • isolation
  • body horror
  • survival

Content notes: graphic body horror, mutilation, burning alive, eye trauma, human experimentation, pregnancy peril.

Quiz

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FAQ

The Void Plot Questions

5 quick answers about The Void, taken from the plot summary, character guide and setting on this page and the film’s credits.

What is The Void about?

In a desolate stretch of country road, a routine night shift turns into a desperate rescue when Daniel Carter spots a lone figure stumbling from the shadows, bloodied and barely conscious.

Read the full plot summary

When and where does The Void take place?

The Void is set in Rural home and Hospital. The film's events occur in a modern-day setting, where contemporary elements such as police officers, hospitals, and drug culture are present.

The setting explained

Who are the main characters in The Void?

The story follows Daniel Carter, Allison, Dr. Richard Powell and Vincent; the character guide covers 5 characters in all.

All the characters

What are the main themes of The Void?

The summary picks out 3 themes: Cultism, Survival and Motherhood.

The themes explained

Who directed The Void?

The Void (2017) was directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie and runs 1 hour 30 minutes.

Steven Kostanski’s films

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