Strange Harvest (2024)
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A detective pair investigates a serial killer who returns after two decades to perform occult rituals tied to a rare planetary alignment.
The story
Detectives Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recount their investigation into 'Mr. Shiny,' an elusive serial killer who committed a string of murders over three decades in California's Inland Empire. The investigation begins with a series of disconnected crimes, including a dismembered woman in 1993 and a murdered boy. However, a new string of brutal murders in 2010 reveals a pattern of occult symbols and extreme violence. The detectives eventually identify the killer as Leslie Sykes, who spent years studying occult practices abroad. As Sykes begins a new spree of murders, the detectives must track him down before he completes his ritualistic mission.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Detectives Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recount their investigation into 'Mr. Shiny,' a serial killer active in California's Inland Empire for three decades. The early crimes, including a 1993 dismemberment and a child's murder, were initially seen as unrelated. By 2010, a series of gruesome murders involving blood symbols and a victim left in a pool of leeches revealed a pattern. The detectives identify the killer as Leslie Sykes, who spent two decades studying occultism in Jerusalem and Europe. Sykes begins a new spree, including a murder caught on webcam and a ritualistic 'blood eagle' execution. He taunts the police with references to 'Kaliban.' The detectives discover Sykes intends to culminate his spree during a rare planetary alignment occurring every 800 years. After Sykes kidnaps an infant and attempts to burn the child in a ritualistic pyre in the San Bernardino National Forest, the detectives fatally shoot him. A strange light is seen in the sky. In a post-credits scene, Kirby is seen searching for the cave where Sykes claimed to have had a supernatural experience.
- Original title
- Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stuart Ortiz
- Writers
- Stuart Ortiz · writer
- Cast and characters
- Peter Zizzo · Joe Kirby; Terri Apple · Lexi Taylor; Andy Lauer; Matthew Peschio; Janna Cardia; Travis Wolfe Sr.; Christina Helene Braa
- Genres
- mockumentary; horror; science fiction; supernatural
- Themes
- True Crime; Occultism; Supernatural; Serial Killers
- Tone and mood
- Naturalistic; Unsettling; Taut; Disturbing
- Premise and plot tags
- Mockumentary; Found Footage; Police Procedural; Lovecraftian
- Franchise connections
- Shared world
- Reception
- The film received largely favorable reviews from critics, with praise for its convincing mockumentary style and naturalistic tone, though some noted inconsistencies in special effects and a 'nutty' final stretch.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 7
- Production trivia
- The 'Mr. Shiny' name is a reference to a Lovecraft character.; The director was inspired by the popularity of Tiger King.; The film features a post-credits scene suggesting a shared world.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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