The Darkness (2016) is an American supernatural horror film which is directed by Greg McLean.

An ancient spirit is awakened on a Grand Canyon vacation by an unwitting family. As the entity follows the family home, they must fight for survival. The movie is focused on a young boy similar to the movie Incarnate (2016).

The Darkness (2016) Plot & Ending Explanation

* * * Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen the movie yet, turn back now! * * *

On vacation in Arizona, Peter and Bronny Taylor visit the Grand Canyon. Stephanie, Mikey, the Carters, and another family relocated there as well. Mikey discovered a small cavern beneath the Kiva. He found black rocks with symbols carved on them. He took the rocks.

Strange things begin to happen when the Taylors return home. Briony notices that the taps in the kitchen keep turning on, and Stephanie spots handprints on a mirror. Mikey blames Jenny for both.

Stephanie vomits into a container after she gets home from school and puts it under her bed. Stephanie throws up for some time, and Bronny catches her. Bronny’s mother leaves Mikey with Bronny’s mother as they take her to a hospital for treatment. To Peter’s disbelief, Bronny’s mother finds Mikey trying to kill her cat.

Read more, Shepherd (2021) Ending Explained.

On his computer at home, Bronny looks up answers to the strange activity and discovers that Anasazi Indians believed that demons were bound to cave rocks. The demons that possess rocks can turn into crows, snakes, coyotes, wolves, and buffaloes. The family has already encountered crows and snakes. Young children are drawn into the world of demons, triggering an event known as ‘The Darkness.’

Rocks can only be banished if they are returned to where they were found by someone who is not afraid of them.

Later, Bronny and Peter found Mikey covered in black marks from a fire in his room with blood pouring from his mouth. A wolf appears in Bronny’s nightmare later that night.

Drinking becomes her coping mechanism when she is depressed. It is revealed that the part of the wall that has been damaged by fire is a portal. Stephanie is surrounded by handprints on her wall and body.

In the treehouse, Peter sees a coyote and the shadow of a demon in Stephanie’s window. The force stops choking Stephanie as he rushes in. Then he breaks down Mikey’s bathroom door and finds him covered in marks on the walls and ceiling.

His boss gave him a phone number. She is reputed to do spiritual healing with it. Gloria, Teresa’s granddaughter, serves as an interpreter. As Teresa and Gloria clean the house, they go into Mikey’s room, and they realize that this is where the real evil lives. During Mikey’s attempt to enter the portal, they recite a chant.

As Mikey walks into the portal with the demons, Peter sees him. As a result of his fear, he can’t set the stones down once he finds the stones and follows Mikey into the portal. Mikey does not fear the darkness, so he picks up the stones and puts them back down. He ends the event of ‘The Darkness’ by picking them up and putting them back down.

Mikey and Peter jump out of the portal together after the demons have been banished. Gloria declares that the house has been cleansed of evil energy once it disappears.