Synopsis/Details
At the helm of the slowly dying Brookfield Mall in the heart of the Midwest, JASON "JAY: KAUFMANN spends his afternoons playing solitaire, hoping a miracle will come through his door. One day, such a miracle happens with the arrival of ASHTON "ASH" CLAUSE, a mysterious, alluring man who promises his new store will bring consumers back to the mall. Hesitant but hopeful, Jay allows Ash to sign the lease, unaware of his ulterior motives. Meanwhile, Jay's rebellious punk skateboarding, GABRIEL "GABE", counts the days at the Zumiez store where he works, alongside his insecure, self-obsessed girlfriend, LISA, and their lackadaisical manager, JESSE. During one of his lunch breaks, however, Gabe meets Ash in the food court, where he reveals that he may have known Gabe's deceased mother, PAULINE. Things take a grim turn when Jay's raunchy secretary, KATHY, is killed in a mysterious car explosion, which Gabe believes Ash is responsible for. He tries to warn Jay, but Jay dismisses his claims, thinking he's just trying to get his attention. Gabe and his friends eventually grow curious enough to visit Ash's store, hoping to solve the mystery of Kathy's murder. However, Ash reveals nothing and bequeaths the trio gifts: a skateboard for Jesse, a mirror for Lisa, and a snow globe of the Brookfield Mall for Gabe. Gabe finally convinces Jay to look into Ash's past, while he and his friends take a load off for the evening. Their movie night is subsequently shattered by Lisa's unexpected death and Jesse's transformation into Ash's personal hellhound. The following day, Gabe's stepmother, JESSICA, consoles him enough for Gabe to revisit Ash's store. There, he meets Jay and, shockingly, Lisa, who appears to be alive and well. Ash subdues Jay and sic's Jesse on them, but Gabe and Lisa manage to break him free of his control, long enough for the three to escape the store. Their exit, however, is blocked by a horde of zombies, victims of their consumption. The trio works together with the remaining unturned mall personnel to escape, while Jessica races to save them. She receives an unexpected lift from Pauline, who gives her a flamethrower (a gift from hell, perhaps?) and wishes her luck. Jessica breaks into the mall, and in the ensuing carnage, manages to defeat Ash long enough for the group to escape. However, at their moment of triumph, Ash reveals to them that he managed to kill them all (minus Gabe) during the chaos. He gives Jesse an ultimatum: go with him to save his friends, or be free and watch them all die. Jesse picks the former and says goodbye to Gabe, leaving Gabe and Lisa alone to rebuild the mall, just as Jay would've wanted.
