In 1985, a drug smuggler named Andrew C. Thornton II decides to dispose of a shipment of cocaine by dropping it from his plane. However, in a tragic turn of events, he mishandles his parachute and knocks himself unconscious on the doorframe, leading to his fatal fall. His lifeless body lands in Knoxville, Tennessee, where local detective Bob identifies him and suspects the cocaine is linked to the notorious St. Louis drug kingpin Syd White. Meanwhile, in the dense wilderness of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, an American black bear ingests some of the cocaine, subsequently becoming extremely aggressive. The bear attacks two hikers, one of whom, Elsa, does not survive.
In northeast Georgia, middle schooler Dee Dee is living with her mother, Sari, who works as a nurse. On one adventurous school day, Dee Dee chooses to skip class with her best friend Henry to capture the beauty of the forest’s falls on canvas. However, their excursion takes a dark turn when they stumble upon a lost brick of cocaine, which they unwittingly ingest. Shortly after, they are confronted by the rampaging bear. Sari, realizing her daughter is missing, embarks on a search for Dee Dee alongside park ranger Liz and wildlife advocate Peter. Their efforts lead them to discover Henry, who is desperately clinging to a tree in fear of the bear. A chaotic attack ensues; the bear kills Peter as it shifts its focus to the cocaine-covered ranger Liz.
Thousands of miles away in St. Louis, Daveed, Syd's fixer, is dispatched to recover the remaining illicit drugs. He accompanies Eddie, Syd’s son, who is grappling with depression since the loss of his wife and has distanced himself from his own child. Upon arriving in Georgia, the duo finds themselves embroiled in conflict with the troublesome Duchamps gang at the forest station. After a confrontational brawl, Daveed earns the respect of one gang member, Stache, who agrees to guide them to the hidden stash of cocaine. Meanwhile, the terrifying bear has not yet subsided; it reappears and wreaks havoc, leading to a series of gruesome encounters that result in the deaths of several people, including Tom and Liz, in a harrowing ambulance incident.
After piecing together clues, Sari and Henry follow a trail of paint left by Dee Dee, navigating their way through danger. The tension rises when they discover Olaf, grieving Elsa, who leads them to Dee Dee. They uncover the bear’s den, which surprisingly holds two cubs, indicating that the bear is not just a menacing force but also a protective mother. As the chaotic chase continues, Eddie and Daveed confront Bob, only for the situation to spiral out of control when Syd makes an appearance, leading to a conflict that sees Bob pay the ultimate price.
As the climax unfolds at the bear’s cave, Sari, Henry, and Dee Dee find a moment of hope by jumping into the water below to escape the violence. Eddie and Daveed, facing the reality of their circumstances, decide to abandon their life of crime and join them, leading to a series of close encounters with the bear. However, Syd’s greed leads to his tragic downfall when he refuses to let go of the cocaine bag, resulting in a gruesome confrontation with the protective mother bear.
In the aftermath, as the dust settles, Stache embarks on a new journey to New York with a duffel bag of cocaine, while Eddie, along with Daveed and Bob's loyal dog, finds a newfound purpose by reuniting with his son. This tale of survival amid chaos leaves its characters forever changed.
