The movie takes place in a future where the United States is embroiled in a second civil war. The country is divided, with Texas and California seceding and forming the Western Forces militia, while Florida creates its own alliance. The story begins with the nation’s three-term President, played by Nick Offerman, delivering a triumphant speech about the Western Forces gaining a significant victory over Loyalist states. From her hotel room in New York City, photojournalist Lee Smith (played by Kirsten Dunst) watches the speech as she witnesses a bombing happening downtown, highlighting the chaos and destruction that has become part of everyday life.
The following day, Lee joins her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) in heading into the dangerous city streets amid protests and violence. During the chaos, they witness a young journalist, Jessie Cullen (Cailee Spaeny), get struck in the face during the unrest. Lee quickly tends to her and gives Jessie her fluorescent vest for protection. Moments later, they see a woman running into the crowd with an American flag before charging in and detonating a suicide-bomb, leaving chaos and devastation in her wake. After the initial shock, Lee and Jessie photograph the aftermath, capturing the harrowing scene.
Later, the group joins their seasoned mentor, Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), at a hotel party dedicated to journalists. They plan a perilous journey through war zones to reach Washington D.C. for an interview with the President, despite the fact that the current administration views the press as enemies. Sammy, despite his age, insists on accompanying them to the front lines in Charlottesville, Virginia, emphasizing the importance of witnessing history firsthand. Jessie expresses her admiration for Lee and hopes to document the ongoing conflict, considering Lee her idol.
The following day, preparations are underway, and Lee notices Jessie eager to travel with them. They begin their arduous journey, stopping for fuel where they are mandated to pay with Canadian currency—a sign of how much the country has been drained by war. During this stop, Lee notices a gunman leading Jessie away, only to follow and witness a chilling scene: two men tortured and bound, hanging from their wrists, awaiting execution. The gunman offers to shoot them, but Lee calmly requests to photograph the scene instead, capturing a last image of the men before their off-screen death.
As they continue on their route, the team visits an abandoned mall, where Jessie photographs a downed helicopter and apologizes for seeming burdensome. Despite her concerns, Lee reassures her, emphasizing that capturing real war moments is vital. At night, they sit and watch distant gunfire illuminate the sky, underscoring the ongoing chaos. Their journey becomes more dangerous when they pass through a sniper zone, witnessing several men being shot in front of them, and eventually take out a sniper with the help of militia gunmen.
The group then reaches a refugee camp, where they relax and replenish supplies. During this time, Lee and Jessie bond more deeply, with Jessie developing photographs she took earlier. They discuss Lee’s early career and her famous shot of an Antifa massacre, which highlights her experience and skill as a photojournalist. The night is peaceful but tense, as they prepare to move on to more trouble-ridden areas.
Their travels take them through a seemingly unaffected town, where residents choose to ignore the war raging all around them—a stark reminder that not everyone is aware of or affected by the conflict. Their route suddenly becomes perilous when they are overtaken by a car driven by Joel’s journalist friends from Hong Kong, Tony and Bohai. The reunion is short-lived, however, as they encounter Loyalist gunmen who shoot and kill Bohai and Tony, dumping their bodies into shallow graves. Joel desperately tries to reason with the gunmen, but when they discover Tony’s Hong Kong background, they shoot him as well. In a frantic defense, Sammy drives the van and kills one of the gunmen before succumbing to his wounds, leaving the rest of the group grief-stricken and shaken.
Escaping further violence, Joel takes control of the vehicle and drives through a burning forest to reach a Western Forces military base in Charlottesville. Upon arrival, they learn that Sammy has succumbed to his injuries. They meet a British reporter, Anya (Sonoya Mizuno), who informs them that some Loyalist generals have already surrendered, making all their hardships seem somewhat futile. The group then joins the Western Forces as they march toward Washington, with the goal of storming the White House and capturing the President.
Inside the war-torn capital, Jessie remains eager to capture every moment with her camera, while Lee is overwhelmed by a sense of numb shock at the destruction around her. As the battlefield rages, the military tanks crush Loyalist forces, and the team makes their way toward the heavily fortified White House. Secret Service agents attempt to evacuate the President, but it becomes clear that they’re being led into a trap. The group infiltrates the White House, where they are met with armed agents. In a tense moment, Lee pushes Jessie aside to protect her, taking a bullet in the process.
From her final moments, Lee observes Jessie capturing multiple photos of her, preserving the moment forever. Inside the Oval Office, Joel and Jessie confront the captured President of the United States, who is held down by the Western Forces soldiers. Filled with grief and rage over the loss of her friends, Joel kneels and pleads for a final statement from the President, begging him to speak. The President, teetering on the edge of death, pleads with Joel not to kill him, leading to Joel’s chilling response: “That’ll do.” Jessie manages to take numerous photographs of the President’s execution, immortalizing the brutal end of a fractured nation.
Throughout this tumultuous journey, the film explores themes of chaos, resilience, and the stark realities of war, all set against a backdrop where loyalty, survival, and the search for truth collide in a nation teetering on the brink of collapse.
