The film kicks off with breathtaking aerial shots of Vancouver and BC Place Stadium while a radio DJ excitedly announces Metallica's exclusive concert. We then see a heavy-metal enthusiast joyfully climbing onto his car's hood in the empty parking lot, albeit struggling due to his size. This sets the stage for our main character, Trip, portrayed by Dane DeHaan, who zooms past the fan on his skateboard, only to wipe out spectacularly. Trip, a dedicated roadie for Metallica, makes his way into the underground parking area where he retrieves a mysterious brown paper bag from a battered van. As he navigates through the bustling dressing room corridors, he has brief encounters with each member of the band and hands the bag to his supervisor, who advises him to “stick around.”
Standing amidst the bustling arena, he watches fans flood in to the sound of Metallica’s classic opener, Ecstasy of Gold. Once the band takes the stage, performing their riveting track, Creeping Death, Trip’s manager assigns him a crucial task—delivering gasoline to a stranded truck that holds significant importance. Before hitting the road, Trip pops a mysterious pill, hinting at a drug experience.
As the electrifying song Fuel begins to play, we see Trip driving through an eerily vacant city, with flames reflecting off surfaces, potentially indicating the powerful effects of the pill. In a moment of distraction while studying his map, Trip runs a red light and is suddenly met with a shocking sight—a bloody hand smear on a nearby illuminated sign. Just then, he collides with another vehicle, flipping his van upside down.
Crawling out of the wreck, Trip approaches the other driver, who remains unresponsive and suddenly bolts away. From the truck, Trip retrieves a gas canister, a map, and a peculiar doll adorned with a noose around its neck. Just before he exits, strange electric crackles emanate from the van, evoking the title of Metallica’s album, Ride The Lightning, as the album's titular track plays.
As he wanders down a desolate street, Trip is confronted with chaos—a police horse drags a dead officer, and panicked civilians rush past him. In confusion, he finds himself amid a fierce clash between rioters and riot police. Standing in the aftermath of the chaos, Trip witnesses rows of confronting individuals, unaware of the violent turmoil brewing around him, until a window shatters behind him.
In the thick of the conflict, a mysterious figure known as The Rider gallops in, ominously brandishing a sledgehammer from atop his armored horse. His actions lead to brutal consequences, eliciting a mix of fear and rage from Trip, who retaliates by throwing a brick. This act catches The Rider's attention, prompting a thrilling chase through a horde of rioters.
As Trip traverses a grim, deserted street, he discovers the truck he was sent to fuel, but the traumatized driver inside fails to acknowledge him. In utter despair, Trip is left speechless as he opens a leather bag, though the camera deliberately shifts away, leaving its contents ambiguous. Suddenly, he spots a figure attempting to gain his attention from a distance, but soon, The Rider appears from behind. A frantic crowd surges forward, leaving Trip with no escape.
Cornered at the end of an alleyway, Trip takes drastic measures. He ties a red bandanna around his face, dons his hoodie, and in a surprising twist, douses himself with gasoline before igniting himself and charging towards the mob.
Awakening on a rooftop with Enter Sandman playing in the background, Trip realizes that the doll he lost is animated, moving towards the leather bag. Just as he recovers, he finds himself ensnared by The Rider, only to wrest free with the sledgehammer. In a climactic moment, Trip slams the hammer down, sending shockwaves across the city that obliterate both The Rider and his steed, while simultaneously causing Metallica's concert to blackout momentarily.
Upon returning to the stadium with the doll and the leather bag clutched under his arm, Trip finds the arena either abandoned or on the brink of the concert. As the credits roll, interspersed scenes show the band performing Orion, with a closing shot of the mysterious leather bag, now left ominously unopened.
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