Alaska

Two poachers, Colin Perry and Mr. Koontz, stake out a polar bear mother and her cub. The mother is murdered by Perry, and the cub is captured with the intent to sell him alive to a client in Hong Kong for a fortune. Koontz urges killing the cub, but Perry insists on keeping him.

Jessie Barnes and her friend Chip spend a peaceful day in kayaks observing wildlife along the Gulf of Alaska before returning home. The scene contrasts with the peril facing Jake and his family later in the film. Their interaction hints at how nature binds the characters together.

Jake Barnes lands after a routine delivery and is greeted by his son Sean. Sean vents about the family's move to Alaska following their mother's death, while Jake tries to keep him calm and focused. The moment sets up upcoming tensions and decisions the family must face.

Jake is ordered to make an emergency run to Douglas, but his plane's engines stall and he loses control. The crash leaves the craft destroyed near Devils Thumb, forcing a desperate search and leaving Jake separated from his family. The incident triggers Sean and Jessie to take action on their own.

Frustrated by the slow police response, Sean and Jessie grab their kayaks and set off to locate their missing father. They navigate the frigid waters and begin a perilous trek through rugged terrain. Their determination marks a turning point as the siblings rely on each other.

The siblings reach a shoreline camp belonging to Perry and Koontz and discover Cubby locked in a cage beside his mother's skin. They release the cub, hoping to save him from the poachers' grasp, and then hastily retreat. The cub's freedom changes the dynamics of the pursuit.

Perry and Koontz realize Cubby has escaped their camp and begin tracking the kids, intent on recapturing him. Meanwhile, Charlie the helicopter pilot arrives nearby to help locate the children, though the poachers' misdirection threatens to derail the search. The chase intensifies as the two sides converge.

Charlie lands to assist but is deceived by Perry and Koontz, who hide the kids' kayak and hand him a broken oar as a decoy. Realizing they've been lied to, Charlie heads back toward Devils Thumb to resume the rescue. The deception deepens the danger for the kids.

After a perilous mountain drop, the kids take shelter in an old rusty cabin, then press on by canoe along a river. They lose their canoe in a waterfall but are rescued by Chip and his grandfather Ben, who were on a caribou hunt. Ben decides to help the siblings continue their journey.

With Cubby by their side, the trio makes progress toward Devils Thumb, hoping to reunite with Jake. The cub's instinct and courage provide crucial guidance through the harsh terrain. The bond between humans and Cubby grows stronger as they press forward.

Perry and Koontz ambush the group with their helicopter and tranquilize Cubby, loading him aboard. Cubby wakes during the flight and fights back, causing Koontz to lower the helicopter and letting the cub escape back toward the mountains. In the scuffle, Perry is bitten by Cubby and Koontz is shot with a tranquilizer dart, disabling the helicopter's controls.

Cubby leads the kids toward the crash site and, after Sean fires a flare to summon help, Jessie lowers Sean to reach Jake. The reunion is completed when Charlie arrives to finalize the rescue. The family is safe, and Cubby is returned to the wilderness to join a new polar bear family.