戰爭結束了，但留下的悲劇從來都不會就此斷絕。在位于美國加州的一家傷兵醫院里，盧克（強·沃特 Jon Voight 飾）痛苦的躺在病床上。戰爭徹底的奪走了他剩余人生里的幸福和自由，半身不遂的他注定再也享受不到生為一個正常人的快樂了。因為種種，盧克每天都生活在抑郁和憤怒之中。莎莉（簡·方達 Jane Fonda 飾）的丈夫鮑勃（布魯斯·鄧恩 Bruce Dern 飾）是一名軍官。身為軍官之妻，莎莉有義務對在戰爭中遭難的軍人們進行安撫。就這樣，莎莉邂逅了盧克，并且在時間的推移之中深深的愛上了他。為了給予盧克繼續活下去的希望，她不惜用自己的身體去引誘盧克。

　　一對愛侶Liz和Malcolm去到一座偏僻的小屋度假，Malcolm卻因意外先回城了，留下Liz獨自一人，她很快發現這座小屋有著邪惡可怕的過去，如今纏上了自己。

　　Ryan O'Neil是一位在戰斗中受傷后患有PTSD的退伍軍人，他懷孕的妻子斯蒂芬妮回到家中。她的哥哥托尼是一個腐敗的警察，她的丈夫一直在為這個國家服務，她一直在幫她。瑞恩和托尼從來都不喜歡對方，而托尼試圖干涉他們的婚姻，事情變得激烈起來。但是，當瑞恩在夜晚開始在他的房子里閃現出殺手，外星人和其他奇怪生物的閃光和幻影時，他不確定這是真的還是只在他腦海中。斯蒂芬妮已經和瑞恩在一起，對丈夫的行為深表擔憂。隨著歲月的流逝，瑞恩很快就會發現他的噩夢在他身上縈繞著什么邪惡的存在。

　　The main character is Dr. Max Holst, a successful neurosurgeon. One day an intense little man named Steinmetz shows up, who has the real ability to create objects out of thin air, using only his mind. As no one believes him at first, he is held at a ward for mental patients, but manifests the key to his door and escapes. As he has a special interest in Dr. Holst, Steinmetz subsequently invites Holst to his large mansion, which is full of expensive paintings and sculptures, and proves to him that he can in fact materialise objects. Steinmetz’s abilities are evolving by leaps and bounds, and is progressing from being able to create objects only to being able to create living things. His ultimate ambition is to be able to create a human being. He tells Dr. Holst that if he will only perform a certain brain operation on him, Steinmetz will become able to attain his goal. He’s got all the necessary equipment set up in his basement. Dr. Holst, however, is too spooked by the whole thing to agree to this mad scheme, and refuses. Steinmetz then sets about manipulating Holst’s life, to pressure him into performing the operation. By then Steinmetz has become able to create a temporary human being, and in the hope that he can perhaps make his own creation perform the operation, he manifests a doppelganger of Dr. Holst. This double proceeds to take over Dr. Holst’s life, creating chaos for him professionally and personally. And then Dr. Holst starts fighting back. The ending has the dual virtue of being both unexpected and satisfying.