Plot summary

1964 - Del Howison proposes to his girlfriend Sue in Honey Island Swamp. Investigating nearby noises afterward, Del and Sue witness Victor Crowley decapitating a man named Bernard. Crowley then kills Del and dismembers Sue with a hatchet.A voiceover recounts Victor Crowley's origin. Born deformed from a voodoo curse put on his parents, Victor's father kept the boy hidden in Honey Island Swamp. When a children's Halloween prank went awry, the Crowley house caught fire. Victor's father tried axing down the door to rescue his son, but accidentally split Victor's head with a hatchet and killed him. Legend says the voodoo curse turned Victor into a ghost who now haunts the swamp in search of his father.Andrew Yong, the sole survivor of the Honey Island Massacre ten years earlier, appears on his ex-wife Sabrina's talk show to promote his ghostwritten memoir "I, Survivor." During the uncomfortable interview, insinuations suggest Andrew might have been 'The Bayou Butcher,' even though he was exonerated, as no evidence of Victor Crowley's existence was ever uncovered.Andrew's careless publicist Kathleen escorts him to a signing at Queen Bianca's Spells and Books. There, Andrew has several odd encounters with enthusiastic fans as well as angry accusers.Accompanied by her boyfriend Alex and their friend Rose, aspiring director Chloe Benjamin attends the signing. Hoping to raise financing for a feature, Chloe tells Andrew that she is shooting a mock trailer in New Orleans for a Victor Crowley-based movie called "Hatchetface." Before Chloe can ask Andrew to participate for authenticity, Kathleen rushes Andrew away.Kathleen tells Andrew that he has been offered a coveted interview on "Real Crime Stories," but producers insist that he return to Honey Island Swamp for the segment. Andrew refuses. Kathleen convinces Andrew to go by claiming he will earn one million dollars.Upon boarding the private plane with Kathleen, Andrew learns his ex-wife Sabrina will also be hosting his "Real Crime Stories" interview. In addition to two pilots, plane passengers include videographer Casey, audio technician and Casey's boyfriend Austin, makeup artist J, and production assistant Zach.Chloe, Alex, and Rose arrive at Honey Island Swamp to take a tour hosted by Dillon, an aspiring actor. With Chloe insisting on authenticity, Rose searches YouTube for videos of people attempting to recite the Victor Crowley voodoo curse exactly.One of the plane's engines suddenly explodes. As passengers panic, J gets torn in half when he is launched through a door. Zach is violently ejected through a window.Zach's mangled body lands in front of Chloe, Alex, Rose, and Dillon. Dillon and Rose rush toward the sound of the crashing plane while Chloe and Alex stay behind. Rose drops her phone while it is still playing videos featuring the voodoo curse.Dillon and Rose help Andrew, Kathleen, Sabrina, and Austin out of the wrecked plane. However, Casey remains pinned underneath seats. Facing the threat of drowning from rising swamp waters, Casey reveals to Austin that she is pregnant.Rose's phone plays a video of Reverend Zombie reciting the voodoo curse. Swamp waters begin bubbling as Victor Crowley resurrects. Andrew rushes everyone back inside the airplane cabin when he hears Victor Crowley's cries echoing.Chloe and Alex stumble upon the site of Crowley's former home when they go looking for the plane. Crowley suddenly tackles Alex and smashes his head with a hammer. Chloe flees while Crowley retrieves his hatchet.Crowley chases Chloe to the airplane where he seemingly murders her outside for everyone to see. Crowley then disappears into the fog.After several arguments as well as discussions about what to do, the survivors realize Chloe is still alive. Dillon earns a romantic moment with Rose for volunteering to retrieve Chloe.A water snake swimming in the flooded cabin compels Kathleen to flee outside. Crowley scalps Austin through the door Kathleen leaves open. Austin drops dead. Crowley then severs Kathleen's arm and shoves it up her pelvis until Kathleen's hand comes out of her mouth. Crowley also crushes Chloe's head with his foot. Still pinned to the cabin floor, Casey finally drowns.Sabrina reveals that Andrew was only going to be paid $25,000 for his interview. Sabrina continues berating her ex-husband, prompting Rose to insult Sabrina in return.Andrew wonders aloud why Victor Crowley has returned after ten years. Dillon theorizes Crowley's resurrection is related to the ten-year anniversary of the previous massacre. Rose explains that she was playing audio of the voodoo curse through her phone.Rose recovers Kathleen's phone. Crowley smashes out the plane's windows and begins sawing his way inside. Dillon proposes trying to start the second engine and pushing Crowley into it.While Dillon starts the engine from the cockpit, the other three survivors swim outside from underneath the plane. Crowley finally breaks into the cabin to find everyone gone.Rose insists on going back for Dillon. Instead, Andrew instructs Rose and Sabrina to run while he gets Crowley to chase him. Sabrina steals Kathleen's phone from Rose and flees into the swamp alone. Rose hides from Crowley in a tree. Andrew returns to Dillon at the plane and retrieves a flare gun.Sabrina hides in Dillon's tour boat. When Kathleen's ringtone gives her location away, Crowley kills Sabrina.Rose runs back to the plane with Crowley in pursuit. Andrew fends off Crowley by firing a flare into his face. Rose misses Crowley with a thrown hatchet. Andrew misses Crowley with a second flare. Andrew tries tackling Crowley, but is unable to force him all the way into the engine.Dillon tells Rose, "I would have had your babies" before tackling Crowley into the engine himself. The engine tears up both men.Later, Channel 6 newscaster Camille Parker reports on the crash of Flight KWAJ #331 in Honey Island Swamp, identifying Andrew and Rose as the only survivors. An eyewitness reports discovering additional bodies in the swamp. Watching the broadcast at home, Maryann Dunstan pumps her shotgun in preparation for finally taking revenge against Victor Crowley.