Haunter Explained (Movie Plot And Ending)

Haunter is a 2013 horror movie that features time loops directed by Vincenzo Natali. The film is centred on a girl who finds herself living the same day over and over until she discovers a hidden door in the basement of her house. The film presents an intriguing concept and is well executed. Do give it a watch before you read further. Here’s the plot and ending of the 2013 movie Haunted; spoilers ahead.

Contents

Here are links to the key aspects of the movie:

• – Plot Explained
• – The Premise
• – Who is Edgar Mullins, the lanky man?
• – What happened to Lisa and her family?
• – The Missing Clothes
• – Who is Olivia? What causes Lisa to awaken?
• – Who is Frances Nichols?
• – Lisa’s brother is Woke
• – Lisa’s parents are Woke
• – Connecting with Olivia one last time
• – Ending Explained

Haunter Movie: Plot Explained

Haunter Movie: The Premise

In 1985, Lisa has been living the same day repeatedly – the day before her birthday. She’s tired of being part of the same conversations time and over until one day, she discovers a secret locked door in the basement behind the washing machine. Lisa’s mother keeps asking about a set of missing clothes, and Lisa doesn’t have any idea what might have happened to them, and frankly, doesn’t care.

Every time Lisa plays her clarinet, she feels she’s interrupted by a voice. This one time, she hears a sound in the attic and goes to investigate. Lisa finds an old home video of her family when they first moved into their home. The footage shows a shadowy presence in the house. Lisa uses an Ouija board to contact the entity that’s been calling out to her. When she asks the question “Are you alive?” the marker moves to “Yes”. Right after, Lisa is haunted by another male entity.

Later, Lisa notices that her dad is smoking after dinner, and her mother seems to be okay with it. The nature of the loops has now begun to change. Then she notices her father trying to get the car to work and is frustrated. This is a drastic character change that Lisa sees in her father. That night, Lisa again hears the voice calling out to her and sees a hand reach out above her covers.

The next loop further changes, and Lisa finds her father throwing things around, angry because someone has removed the spark plugs from his car. They are interrupted by a knock on the door, revealing a lanky man claiming to be from the phone company. When Lisa meets him alone, he warns her to stop contacting the living or the others. This confirms to Lisa, that she and her family are dead.

Who is Edgar Mullins, the lanky man?

So let’s go back to when it all began. The house originally belonged to an ordinary couple with an abnormal child named Edgar. Edgar killed his parents and turned into a serial killer who was never caught. Throughout his life, Edgar kidnapped girls who he suffocated by leaving them in a running car in his house allowing the Carbon Monoxide to kill them. After that, he incinerated the bodies in his basement. Eventually, Edgar died of old age in 1983, but his evil prevails till the present day.

Over decades, Edgar’s spirit possessed the males in each of the families that resided in the house and altered their minds. He got each father to kill his family and himself by using the same running car technique.  

What happened to Lisa and her family?

The first family that became victims of Edgar’s evil spirit was Lisa’s. Edgar possessed Lisa’s dad, and this is why we see some time loops showing an alternate character for the otherwise well-mannered dad. Over time, the father got aggressive and realized what he was turning into. So he hid the spark plugs of his car when he sensed Edgar’s plan. 

The Missing Clothes

Lisa’s mother, who was afraid her husband might hurt her and the kids, decided to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night. So she packed a bunch of clothes (these are the ones missing that she keeps asking about). But before she could leave, Lisa’s dad, fully possessed by Edgar, used ether to knock out the family, took them over to the car, fitted the spark plugs back in, and used the running car technique to kill the whole family.

Who is Olivia? What causes Lisa to awaken?

Olivia and her family are the current residents of the house in the year 2013. Her father is currently being possessed by Edgar, and she’s been researching the house’s history. Olivia is seeking Lisa’s help to stop Edgar as she suspects what is happening to her dad is the same thing that has happened to the previous occupants. Olivia ends up finding Lisa’s necklace in the garage, and this creates a link to Lisa and wakes her up from her purgatory. Olivia is the one who communicates with Lisa via the Ouija board and it’s her hand which reaches to touch Lisa through the covers.

Lisa initially makes contact with Olivia in person when she finds Olivia in her bed. Olivia tells Lisa to look under the floor. When Lisa searches the floor, she finds Edgar’s journal and the key to the hidden basement door. Lisa enters the door to find random objects and sees the vision of a burning girl. After this, Edgar calls and warns Lisa to stop snooping around else he’d take away her family. Though Lisa is shaken up seeing her family dilapidate, she presses on.

Lisa encounters Olivia in the bathroom and possesses her, and Lisa(Olivia) finds herself in 2013. Olivia’s dad is doing the same thing that we see Lisa’s father doing – trying to get the car fixed; he is possessed by Edgar. Lisa(Olivia) faints when she encounters the spirit of Edgar, and Lisa is back with her parents.

Who is Frances Nichols?

Frances was Edger’s first victim. Edgar had killed Frances by leaving her in the running car in 1953. Lisa goes back into the basement looking for her brother, and Edger traps her in the place he used to burn his dead victims. Lisa finds Frances’ ring and touching it causes he to form a link with Frances. As Lisa climbs up to the garage, she sees Frances trying to escape – this is Frances’ purgatory. Lisa explains to Frances that she’s been dead for decades. Before anything, Edgar drags Frances away.

Lisa’s brother is Woke

Lisa’s brother realizes he’s dead when he finds his glasses and wears them. He claims he was wearing them the night they all died and that he’s been scared of finding them because he was afraid of the truth.

Lisa plays the clarinet to connect with and possess Olivia in 2013 once again. Lisa(Olivia) sees a recording from Olivia, who explains everything about Edgar. Lisa(Olivia) tries to leave the house to call for help, but she’s bound to the home and can’t leave. She faints.

Lisa’s parents are Woke

When Lisa gains consciousness, her mother is by her side and discloses that she knows that they’re dead. Remembering and touching the missing clothes that she’s been looking for reminds her about the attempt to escape and how they never made it out alive.

Lisa heads to the garage to talk to her dad and reminds him about what he did. He breaks down crying but Lisa explains that Edgar was controlling him and the murder wasn’t his fault.

Since the entire family is aware they are dead, they get an opportunity to leave the house and ascend to the heavens. Lisa stays back to help Olivia and take down Edgar.

Connecting with Olivia one last time

Lisa enters Olivia’s body again and heads to the basement and enters the secret door. Lisa(Olivia) touches all the items hoping to awaken all the dead people to destroy Edgar together. Edgar(Olivia’s Father) intervenes and knocks Lisa(Olivia) unconscious. When she comes to, Lisa is still in Olivia’s body. As Edgar(Olivia’s Father) starts the car, Lisa(Olivia) attacks him and makes a run for it. 

Haunter Ending Explained

The ending of Haunter shows Edgar(Olivia’s father) attacking Lisa(Olivia) in the lawn. Because Lisa touched the other victim’s objects in the basement, all the dead girls and families show up and take down Edgar, incinerate him, and send him to hell. Olivia’s father gains consciousness and is shocked knowing what he was about to do, but Lisa(Olivia) consoles him saying they’ll be a happy family.

Lisa bids Olivia goodbye and goes to bed. The next day, Lisa is no longer stuck in purgatory and wakes up to a new day in heaven with her parents. It is finally her birthday, and she embraces her parents and goes out to face her after-life.

And that brings the film to a close. What did you think about the plot and ending of the movie Haunter? Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.