Kinderfanger (2023) Movie Script

1
[suspenseful music playing]
[music continues]
[car alarm in distance]
[boy grunting]
[muffled voices chatter]
[fluorescent light hums]
[suspenseful music resumes]
[buzzing]
[man] I'll give him
something to cry about!
Are you serious?!
[woman] Okay.
[man] Darren, what the hell
happened to you, huh?
Where have you been?
-[flesh ripping]
-[man screaming]
[bones crunching]
[music continues]
[gentle music on piano]
[faint chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
[gasps]
[muffled]
[hearing aids ring]
What?
[Olivia texting]
[no audio]
[unsettling music playing]
[dog barks]
[thudding]
[suspenseful music playing]
[creaking]
You're late.
I don't care.
Why are you late again?
The bus was full, that's all.
I'm sorry.
Use the good bowls.
[thudding]
[suspenseful music playing]
[hearing aid rings]
I said the good bowls!
I didn't spend all that money
so you could hear me,
to be ignored, did I?
Hmm?
There's my good girl.
[crickets chirping]
[wind rustling]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music playing]
[vibrating]
[sighs]
["Claire de Lune"
by Claude Debussy]
[hearing aids ring]
Foothill Park.
[suspenseful music playing]
[TV on, indistinct]
[suspenseful music playing]
[crickets chirping]
Marcus?
Marcus!
Marcus!
Marcus!
[running footsteps]
-[brush crunching]
-Marcus?
[branch snaps]
[eerie whisperings]
[swing set creaking]
[hearing aids ringing]
[running footsteps]
[ringing fades]
[suspenseful music playing]
[muffled grunting]
[man] Such a good girl.
[dramatic music playing]
[knocking on door]
[knocking continues]
[Constance] Olivia.
Olivia, out of bed now!
[gasps]
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I couldn't sleep last night.
You need to take
better care of yourself.
When you're tired,
you look like a boy.
[suspenseful music playing]
[copier whirring]
Okay.
[suspenseful music playing]
[cell phone vibrates]
[eerie whisperings]
[whisperings continue]
[Tracy] Love you. Bye.
[crickets chirping]
[door creaking]
[music continues]
[texting]
[clattering]
[music continues]
-[cell phone vibrates]
-[gasps]
[keyboard clacking]
[Olivia] Hey!
Is this the only angle you have?
This one camera,
is that all you have?
-Get out!
-Sure.
I'm done here anyway.
I'll let myself out.
[suspenseful music resumes]
Why were you looking at that?
And who was that boy?
Look, if you don't know him...
-Stand back.
-...you can't help me.
And I definitely can't help you.
Now, unless you plan
to use those,
I'd step aside.
-[blows]
-[small gasp]
Take it easy.
You've got to be kidding me.
[suspenseful music resumes]
[eerie whisperings]
[low growling sounds]
[plays unsettling tune]
[eerie whisperings]
[suspenseful music intensifies]
[music fades]
[suspenseful music resumes]
[man on TV] You can't beat
yourself up forever, Shaun.
It's not your fault she's gone.
-It was a thief
with a shotgun--
-[Shaun] Don't do that.
[man] Well, it's true.
[men on TV continue, indistinct]
[soft creaking]
[suspenseful music playing]
Olivia?
[TV continues, indistinct]
-[gasps]
-Where's the book?
[suspenseful music playing]
Liv. I'm here.
Liv!
[thud]
[screams]
Kid!
Kid!
Wait!
I don't have
your stupid book, okay?
You can't be here.
Look, I really don't want
to hurt you, but I really can.
So I'm asking.
Give me the book, please.
First tell me why you're
following these kids.
Okay.
Okay, fine.
Wait.
Hey!
I know what you're doing
and I've called the police.
No, you don't,
and no, you didn't.
I've seen it!
The thing in your book.
You're lying.
I was at the park.
I was looking for a kid
I work with and...
He's missing,
and I think you know why.
No.
You didn't see it,
because if you saw it,
you wouldn't be here to tell me.
You'd be dead.
Then I'll prove it.
I'll show you.
Tell me what it is.
Fine.
You won't believe me anyway.
Not all of us stopped believing
in monsters when we grew up.
In Germany, it's known
as Der Kinderfanger.
The child snatcher.
But you'd probably know him as
the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
We thought it was
just some scary story,
but it was real.
[suspenseful music playing]
He was a man who stole
the kids no one wanted.
The neglected ones.
The unloved.
He's not a man anymore.
He's something else.
[Olivia] That story
is hundreds of years old.
That's impossible.
[Wallace] Not if what's
in this book is real.
You see, it's a creature
that's survived
hundreds of years
with one goal:
to lure away neglected kids,
to feed on them.
He's kept alive by their pain.
That's what he feeds on,
the hurt.
Whenever he needs to feast,
he returns looking
for children.
Then, he plays his song,
so only the broken ones
can hear.
And once they do,
they belong to him.
-They'll do whatever
he tells them to do.
-[Olivia] Like what?
[Wallace] Things no one
should ever see.
Which is why I plan to stop him.
Say I believed you,
where are the kids taken?
If I knew that
I wouldn't be here.
Could I save one who was?
Could I get him back?
Honestly, I don't think so.
But since this
isn't exactly science,
I figure the best way to
find out is to kill the thing.
That's my plan anyway.
Okay.
Okay what?
I'll show you.
That's the deal, right?
Okay, that's the deal.
Kid, wait!
Hey! Stop!
Kid, wait!
[suspenseful music playing]
Hey, are you okay?
Are you hurt?
You don't have to be afraid.
[music intensifies]
[cracking sounds]
[growling]
[screams] Help!
[screams continue]
[Wallace] I thought you said
we were going to the park.
[Olivia] We are.
So, where exactly
did you see it?
In the trees.
You always been?
No.
Why are you doing this, anyway?
There's enough monsters
in the world.
Someone's gotta kill them.
What makes you that guy?
I have my reasons.
[Olivia texting]
[cell phone rings]
Was that your phone?
No.
[ringing continues]
It's over here. Come on!
It's over here!
Oh, no.
This is Tracy's.
[suspenseful music playing]
Where is she?
Tracy!
[Wallace] Shh!
Did you tell her
what you saw here?
-Was she with you?
-No.
Hey, do you think it took her?
It doesn't take adults
the way it takes kids,
but it'll kill 'em
if they threaten his children.
[unsettling music plays]
What is it?
[hearing aids ringing]
You don't hear that?
Hear what?
The music.
[suspenseful music playing]
[muffled scream]
-Olivia.
-[continues screaming]
No, no, no. Olivia!
Olivia, no!
What's happened? Olivia!
[birds singing]
-[panting]
-[muffled] It's okay. it's okay.
[hearing aids ringing]
The girl just left.
I don't know why.
She was just gone.
-I wasn't gonna leave you here.
-Tracy?
-Wait, what time is it?
-I don't know.
No, no, no.
-I gotta go.
-What?
I have to go. I'm sorry.
Wait, wait.
I think you heard its song.
-The Piper's song!
That's gotta mean something.
-I have to go, I'm sorry!
I'll see you later.
[suspenseful music playing]
[eerie whisperings]
[Tracy gasps]
[Tracy whimpers] No.
No.
[whispers continue]
-[boy gasps]
-[Tracy sobs]
[whispers resume]
[screams] No!
[dog barking]
[door creaking]
[soft creaking]
No, no, no. No.
What lie was it this time?
One of my students
went missing, Mom.
-I'm sorry.
-What if I fell?
What if someone broke in?
But I guess you only
care about yourself.
Mom, please, you don't under--
Shut up!
Save your tears.
You forget, I know what you are.
You're just lucky I decided
to keep it to myself
for as long as I have.
That can change.
Now... you play by the rules,
or you get punished.
Give it.
[hearing aids ringing]
[silence]
[muffled] That's my good girl.
[melancholy music playing]
Mama?
What?!
Mama, he...
he hurt me.
Not another word.
-Not another word.
-But--
No. Your grandfather
put a roof over your head
and food in your mouth.
And lies from
filthy little girls
would tear this family apart.
Do you understand me?
That's my good girl.
Now, you stay here
until you learn to behave.
[suspenseful music playing]
[hearing aid rings]
[Olivia] Ah!
-[gasps]
-[slap]
[groans]
[ears ringing]
[man on TV, indistinct]
[woman] But you are my dad.
[man] You gonna tell 'em
how you betrayed your family?!
[TV continues, indistinct]
[sighs]
[knocking on door]
[woman] Can we just talk?
It was just a stupid mistake.
[man] I'm done talking to you.
[turns TV off]
May I help you?
I'm looking for Olivia?
She's not here.
-I just wanna talk--
-[lock clicks]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music playing]
[dog barking]
[sobbing]
[thud on window]
[sniffling]
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't
know if you could hear me.
Olivia, I know
how to find Marcus.
Go away.
This is our chance.
We can save him.
We can help him.
I mean, don't you want that?
Please stop.
Please.
Olivia, we know exactly
where he's going to be.
Marcus is following
the Piper's command.
He's going home
to kill his parents.
We can stop him together.
I'm sorry.
I can't come with you.
I'm sorry.
Yes, you can.
You're stronger than this.
Than her.
[screams]
[gentle music playing]
[laughs]
[screams]
[Olivia laughs]
[suspenseful music playing]
Yeah.
[sobbing]
[ears ringing]
[muffled voices]
[muffled audio]
[ringing continues]
[suspenseful music playing]
[eerie whisperings]
[low growl]
[plays unsettling music playing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[distant sirens]
[dog barking]
[woman shouting]
[quick snarl]
[suspenseful music playing]
Marcus.
[music continues]
[man shouting]
[woman screams and cries]
[baby cries]
[switches clicking]
[shrieks]
[both screaming]
Marcus!
[breathing heavily]
Thank you.
Don't thank me, help me.
Wait, wait!
We can't just rush in there.
We need a plan.
He's going to kill them.
Exactly! You want that to be us?
How did you do that back there?
He listened to you. How?
Maybe I just... surprised him?
Or you were right.
Maybe there is a way
to bring them back.
[suspenseful music playing]
[electricity zapping]
Want to find out?
[music intensifies]
[Wallace] You grab him, I'll
stick him with the tranquilizer.
[thudding]
-[man screams]
-[bones cracking]
[Wallace] Oh... God.
[eating sounds]
You ready?
[screams]
[shrieks]
[Marcus grunting]
[panting]
[Olivia] It's okay, Marcus.
It's okay.
[distant siren]
[dog barking]
Are you hurt?
No one tells you
how bad dead bodies smell.
Never thought
I'd smell that again.
Again?
You asked me why I'm here, um...
that's why.
Avery went missing on a Tuesday,
but on Friday he came home,
and he... tore my parents apart.
I was eight.
You saw it?
I couldn't stop it.
I guess I just went
with avenging him instead.
What if I was wrong?
What if we can stop it?
What if we could do something
and save him?
Whatever you're going to try,
do it fast.
Let's go to Westin Music.
[Constance] Olivia!
Olivia!
Answer me when I--
[scoffs]
[mutters then laughs]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Olivia] This should
hold him in.
-[Marcus snarls]
-[both gasp]
[hearing aid rings]
[plays "Claire de Lune"
by Claude Debussy]
[muffled] Olivia. Olivia.
[suspenseful music playing]
[muffled] What's he saying?
[mouthing] No.
-[softly] No.
-[clattering]
[music intensifies]
I think they're here. Hurry!
Olivia, they're here!
Olivia?
We have to go!
[groans]
No! No!
-No!
-Let's go!
-No! Marcus!
-We gotta go!
Marcus! [screams]
Get off! Get off me!
[Piper growling]
[Piper growls]
[clattering]
[wood cracking]
-No!
-[rapid footsteps departing]
[sobbing]
Marcus!
Wait!
-[hearing aid ringing]
-Are you okay?
Why would you do that?
I almost had him.
I was getting through to him.
You're alive because of me.
I could have saved him!
I'm sorry. I am.
But we were beat, Olivia.
-I get it--
-No, you don't!
No, you don't!
He's all I had!
He's all--
He's all I had.
[sobbing]
He's all I had.
The Piper would have killed us.
We had no--
We had no choice.
[sighs]
They're his kids.
Wouldn't you kill
to protect your kids?
Right?
Where are you going!?
To protect Marcus.
So, you could come or don't.
I don't care anymore.
Hey.
Olivia!
Olivia.
Olivia, come on. Stop.
-[eerie whisperings]
-Let's talk about this.
Olivia.
[whisperings continue]
[wind rushing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[music intensifies]
You're a thief too now, huh?
I guess I shouldn't
be surprised.
They're my things.
And you thought
you could be a mother.
[Constance laughs]
[music continues]
You are a monster.
I know what's inside you.
-Stop it, Mom--
-Shut up.
You don't get to speak.
You take people for granted.
You use them.
And you think you're ready
to care for another?
You are worthless.
I'm doing that kid a favor.
I should've given you up
a long time ago.
But no.
Instead, I lied.
I covered for you. I tried to
protect you from other people.
[man] Olivia,
where are you, baby?
Get out here!
[grunting]
But what did I get?
Huh?
[music continues]
Look what you did.
Look what you did.
[sniffling] There is nothing
good inside of you.
You can go, but you are
leaving what's mine.
No.
-Get out!
-[Olivia scoffs]
You go, you leave,
you'll be dead to me.
I'd rather be dead,
than to be your daughter.
I'm tired of wasting my life
on filth like you!
And when you get out there
and you learn
that there's no love out there,
don't come crawling back!
[sobs]
[sobs]
She's wrong.
What she said.
How do you know?
Look... kids like us,
we find our kind.
For so long, I just...
floated through life.
Hiding.
But Tracy gave me a job
and a friend.
And then, I met Marcus.
And everything got better.
For the first time
in my whole life,
I felt happy.
I'm not gonna give up
on either of them that easy.
I have to find out
what happened to them.
[Wallace] What did he
say to you?
You were signing
with him, right?
What did he say?
Nothing that made sense.
But this is not
just about Marcus.
Or your brother.
We need to end this thing.
Make that thing pay.
And I think I know how.
We need to figure out
where he's hiding.
[suspenseful music playing]
[low growl]
[music intensifies]
[eerie whisperings]
[bones cracking]
[whisperings continue]
[Wallace] Okay,
so what's your big plan?
Okay. So we know two things.
If it needs these kids
to survive,
When we take one,
he'll come.
Great.
And the other thing?
-[shrieks]
-Marcus!
[breathing heavily]
It seems like they listen to me.
[Wallace] Okay.
So, you, what, draw him out?
And you kill him.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Wallace] You sure
this is a good idea?
[Olivia] I don't know,
but it's the only idea I've got.
[music intensifies]
You really think my brother
might be in there somewhere?
[branch snaps]
You should hide.
Not a chance.
They don't like you.
Marcus did try to eat you.
Point taken.
I'm gonna be right over there,
okay?
And I'll be ready.
[clears throat]
[hums "Claire de Lune"]
[music accompanies humming]
[humming continues]
[music and humming stop]
[suspenseful music playing]
[resumes humming]
It's okay, it's okay.
You don't gotta worry.
You're safe.
[ragged breathing]
[twigs snapping]
[Olivia screams]
Olivia!
Wallace! [gasping]
-Wallace!
-[panting]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Wallace] Olivia!
Wallace! [gasps]
Olivia!
[grunts]
[music intensifies]
What the hell?
[Olivia] Wallace!
[Wallace gasps]
[rats squeaking]
Olivia?
[child laughs]
[child whispers] Wallace.
Bring him to me.
-[gasps, then screams]
-[shrieking]
[suspenseful music playing]
-[children shrieking]
-[Wallace] Help!
[Olivia] Stop. Stop.
Please, stop.
Please!
[screams]
[grunts] Stop!
[Olivia groans]
[music resumes]
[children laugh, distorted]
[panting]
Let go of me.
[panting]
Take me to him.
[Olivia grunts]
[suspenseful music playing]
Hey.
Wait, stop.
[groaning]
[music intensifies]
Marcus?
Marcus?
[music intensifies]
[low growl]
Marcus!
[screams]
Shh!
-[gasping]
-It's me, it's me.
-[panting]
-It's Wallace. It's Wallace--
Why did you stop me?
He was right there!
[sobs]
Hey. Hey!
Hey, are you hurt?
He was right there!
And so was the Piper.
Olivia, he's going to kill you.
I don't care.
I told Marcus
I would never leave him.
I meant that.
[Olivia sniffles]
[Olivia] Where did he go?
[Wallace] I don't know.
This place is a maze.
[suspenseful music playing]
[gasping]
[Olivia sobs] Tracy.
No.
What did he do to you?
[sobbing]
No.
[Wallace] I'm so sorry.
[eerie sounds in distance]
Olivia?
[low growl]
[eerie whisperings]
[whisperings fade]
[Olivia] Marcus!
Wait, it's a trap!
[suspenseful music playing]
[ears ringing]
[eerie wind blowing]
-[Olivia] No! Marcus!
-[gagging]
[gasping] No!
[screaming]
Marcus!
Leave him!
Leave him alone!
Leave him alone! No!
Marcus!
Hey. Hey, I'm here now.
Marcus, wake up.
[eerie whisperings]
[music continues]
[Olivia] No, please!
[whisperings continue]
[Olivia sobbing]
No, no.
Wake up.
[screaming]
[gasping]
[screams]
[music intensifies]
[clatters]
-[Olivia screams]
-[man grunts]
[low growl]
[ears ringing]
-[screams]
-[hollow roar]
[music fades]
[coughing]
[raspy breathing]
[grunts]
[groaning]
[melancholy music playing]
[Wallace] You're hurt.
[grunts, then sobs]
Olivia, I need to get you
to a hospital.
[Olivia] Not him.
Please don't take him.
[crying]
[melancholy music playing]
Not him.
Olivia...
-Olivia.
-[sobbing]
Olivia, we need--we need to
get you to a hospital.
We need to get out of here.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Olivia] I just wanna go home.
[music continues]
[door creaks]
[Wallace] Are you sure
we're okay here?
Put him in there.
[groans]
[kissing] He's cold.
It wasn't meant
to happen like this.
[no audio]
I thought maybe
we were gonna be a family.
[sobs]
We need to get you
to a hospital, Olivia.
[sighs] Okay.
-Here we go. Come on.
-[Olivia grunting]
But there's something
I need to do first.
Wallace?
[exhales] Thank you.
[Olivia groaning]
[clears throat]
Don't come upstairs.
[wheezing]
[coughing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[screams]
[rapid heartbeats]
[Olivia whimpers]
[Olivia grunting]
I thought I told you
to stay away.
You remember when--
when they cut down
the cherry blossom tree
on our street?
[Olivia struggles to breathe]
I loved coming home from school,
and walking under the flowers.
[chuckles]
It smelled like honey.
And then, one day..
[grunting]
...it was gone.
That was the day
when he started.
[tense music playing]
You know, it's funny
the things you remember.
[coughing]
We remember things differently.
I remember a little girl
who didn't know
how good she had it.
Who blamed all her problems
on everyone else.
Always the victim.
Even though she was the devil.
[struggling]
[grunting]
[music continues]
[grunting]
Look what you did!
Look what you did.
Look what you did.
There is nothing good
inside of you.
[grunting]
I tried to protect
the world from you,
but they didn't want you
and neither do I.
[muffled angry grunt]
Stop that.
What are you saying!?
-Stop!
-[ragged breathing]
[Olivia screams]
-Get out of my way!
-No!
Get out!
[Olivia screams]
[music continues]
[Constance groans]
There's my good girl.
[coughing]
Olivia!?
[music continues]
Olivia?
Olivia--!
[music continues]
[raspy breathing]
[music intensifies]
[screeching]
[suspenseful music resumes]
[gasps]
Olivia?
[grunts]
[panting]
Olivia?
[crunching]
[music continues]
[dog barking]
[music intensifies]
Avery? Avery!
Avery?
Avery!
[music continues]
I'm coming for you, Avery.
[dramatic music playing]
[music continues]
[roars]