In a desperate quest to untangle the complexities of his tumultuous life, former Delta Force soldier Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, finds himself ensnared in an endless loop of repetition in Atlanta. For nearly 140 days, he has been stuck reliving the same day, each cycle beginning at exactly 07:00 AM. With each occurrence, he gradually learns to navigate the dangers that lie ahead, which include an assassin lurking within his apartment and another threat from a gunman stationed in a helicopter outside his window. As the day unfolds, Roy skillfully dodges attempts on his life; however, he is perpetually thwarted by the final assault at 12:47 PM, which sends him back to the beginning of the day.
Before his ordeal began, Roy’s estranged wife Jemma, portrayed by Naomi Watts, had lured him to visit her at Dynow Labs under the pretense of a job interview. Tensions arose during their meeting, especially regarding their son Joe, with Jemma misleading the boy into thinking Roy is merely a family friend. When Colonel Clive Ventor, played by Mel Gibson, the head of Dynow, discovers Roy’s presence near a classified project, he orders his removal, though not before Jemma secretly obtains a sample of his hair.
In one of the many loops, Roy attempts to reach out to Jemma, but instead, he speaks with Ventor, who chillingly informs him that she was killed in a lab accident just the day before. This revelation intensifies Roy's suspicions about the circumstances surrounding her death. Later, he finds himself at Underground Atlanta, where he spends a day with Joe, keeping the truth about Jemma's tragic fate from his son. The day takes a dark turn when assassins come for Roy, and in a desperate act of protection, he sacrifices himself to shield Joe, who manages to whisper in his final moments that he is indeed his father.
Upon awakening once more, Roy begins connecting the dots of his reality. He discovers that the assassins have been tracking him with a dental tracking device planted by Alice, his date from the previous night, who works as a dental hygienist. Through a series of trial-and-error loops, Roy devises a plan to remove the tracker and infiltrate Dynow Labs, where he confronts numerous guards and assassins. Yet, he finds himself constantly obstructed by Ventor and a mysterious warrior named Guan Yin, represented by Selina Lo.
As Roy delves deeper, Ventor finally divulges that Jemma's project, known as the Osiris Spindle, is a revolutionary quantum device with the power to rewrite history. His intentions are nefarious; he plans to wield this technology to cement his reign as the world's tyrant. Ventor also confesses to being the reason for Jemma's untimely death after a heated argument. With the stakes escalating, Ventor warns Roy: if the Spindle is activated, it will lead to the world's destruction.
As Roy gathers the pieces of this intricate puzzle, he uncovers a powerful connection to Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife, hidden within a birthday gift from Jemma that contained a secret message. This newfound understanding leads Roy to realize that Jemma may have strategically placed him within the Spindle to thwart Ventor's evil designs. Each iteration makes Roy more adept at infiltrating Dynow, ultimately resulting in his confrontation with Ventor, aided by his sword-fighting skills, which he hones with lessons from Michelle Yeoh as Dai Feng. However, his victory comes at a tragic cost as he discovers the assassins were actually targeting Joe, arriving too late to save him when the Osiris Spindle detonates, ushering in an apocalyptic fate for the world.
In the haunting aftermath, Roy grapples with overwhelming grief, cycling through loops where he mourns his loss of Joe. During one such iteration, a startling revelation strikes him—Jemma had called Joe earlier than he previously thought, igniting hope that she might still be alive. Determined, he pinpoints the exact moment and location of her demise at Ventor's hands in Dynow, precisely 14 minutes after awakening in each loop. Armed with this information, he commandeers a helicopter, eliminates the waiting assassins, and prevents Ventor from carrying out his plan to eradicate Jemma.
Upon reuniting with her, Roy shares how he has spent these loops alongside Joe, warning of the world's impending doom. Jemma urges him to enter the Osiris Spindle, revealing that he faces a choice: either awaken to relive the day or risk vanishing altogether. With a mixture of acceptance and defiance, Roy exchanges a heartfelt kiss with Jemma, then steps into the Spindle, leaving her in awe of his determination. As he wakes up in familiar surroundings, he silently pleads for survival against the threats closing in.
The finale of the international version unfolds as Roy embraces the Spindle's unknowns, leaving an emotional note of introspection about his own mortality and the weight of the choices that lie ahead.
