A group of outlaws known as the Dalton Gang are planning a big train heist. Their leader, Duncan Dalton (Zachary Knighton), is handsome, confident, and a natural leader. He runs with a wide spread of caricatures in his posse. There is the solemn native American, the cocky loudmouth, the nerdy bookkeeper, the brazen lady gunfighter, a few more expendables and a sagacious African American named Lester (Stan Shaw). Lester is vital as he took Duncan into his care years prior after Duncan’s parents were gunned down in the night. Lester also rescued Duncan’s little brother, Jake (Devin Druid). Jake isn’t an outlaw. He makes an honest living by sweeping out saloons and saving his coins. His goal: to one day buy back his parent’s land and be a rancher himself. 

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After a street gunfight, Duncan is short one man to successfully pull off the robbery. Reluctantly, he takes Jake on his payroll to fill the shoes of the look-out. The earnings Jake would net could enable him to get his parent’s land. The heist happens mostly without incident with a few exceptions. Jake isn’t cut out for the outlaw life and he stumbles as a lookout. Since his innocence stops him from killing, several train patrons escape the scene. One of these escapees returns and shoots Duncan in the stomach. The gang is shaken. The other bad news is that the treasure captured isn’t money or gold, but a girl locked in a chest. The mystery girl, named Pearl, knows a doctor nearby who can treat Duncan. With dubious caution and little alternatives, the gang makes their way through the woods into an abandoned town. There is no doctor, but a brightly lit brothel, open for business. The owner, Maria, has her girls treat Duncan’s wounds while simultaneously tending to the desires of the rest. Jake declines the offer of a woman’s company, resigning to the parlor. Maria takes a shine to him, finding his purity as wholesome and good. “You’re a special boy, Jacob.”

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This is where The Pale Door shifts gears completely. Koontz attempts a hard left turn à la From Dusk till Dawn. The beautiful brothel employees reveal themselves as gross witches as they tear into outlaw flesh with their teeth and nails. At least in FDTD, I clearly understood the vampires’ motivation. The witches here arbitrarily murder their victims. I couldn’t tell if they wanted to eat, drink or just play with guts. The only revelation is that Maria wants Jake for his blood. His purity would ensure their livelihood for years to come. Or something like that.

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The few survivors shoot their way out and band together in a church to guard Jake. I am still scratching my head about why a church was that close to a brothel in the first place. Soon, it becomes the formulaic “holed up in a building and repel various attacks” model. Great examples of this plot are Aliens, Dog Soldiers and Night of the Living Dead. Those films had stakes I was invested in. Here, I was bored. The odd scenes of witches doing witchy spell stuff were neither inviting or interesting. Everything in this film has already been done way better.