A search party on the trail of escaped convicts in 1855, are captured by the Butcher Bird — a religious zealot who worships a physical God he keeps in a crate and offers human sacrifice to. Their only hope of salvation lies with Dutch, a murderous convict who will stop at nothing to save his captured friend.

SYNOPSIS:

In remote bushland, a search party of convicts and British soldiers track five escaped men. At the head of the group is First Officer, Mr. Kelly and Jerry, an Aboriginal tracker. Among the convicts is Dutch, an aggressive young man who would have been hanged long before if not for Selwyn, the only friend Dutch has ever had.

On the second evening, a fog rolls through their camp as birds and animals fall dead around them. Dutch spots it first, a massive figure seven feet in height moving through the fog wearing a heavy cloak of feathers and a black steel mask. A huge censer swings before the figure, casting a poison fog that flows through the camp, rendering all unconscious.

Dutch awakes to the sunrise to find the camp empty. He searches for Selwyn but can’t find him. Scouring the camp, Dutch finds heavy drag marks leading away among pools of blood and cast-off shoes. Following the trail, Dutch finds Jerry and together they hatch a plan to free Selwyn and the rest of the convicts.

But the Butcher Bird notices them and their rescue attempt fails, resulting in Dutch’s capture. He is to be sacrificed before the God of the Butcher Bird, which is a pained creature kept in a massive crate. The Butcher Bird sets about turning Dutch into a macabre bird; implanting feathers beneath his skin and talons under his nails as he places him upon a perch of spikes. Offered to his God, as are the other men, convict and soldier alike, rammed into tiny cages hanging above low fires that slowly roast them from the feet up.

However, Dutch’s rage enables him to pull himself free of the spikes and take Jerry’s spear from the offerings to the God. Limping toward the Butcher Bird, Dutch drags his bloodied feet across the stone and grips the spear. Yet, it isn’t the Butcher Bird, Dutch moves to kill first.

Dutch opens the crate to gaze upon the God. His face grows ashen as the cries of “strike” ring through the cave, as the Butcher Bird scrambles awake with a screech as Dutch stares in shock at the God within, a God the Butcher Bird feasts from.

Dutch grips the spear and strikes true. Yet, within the woods, a new darkness approaches, and God’s can never die.