Stop-Loss

The squad is ambushed after gunfire erupts at a checkpoint in Tikrit. Insurgents fire from rooftops as the Americans pursue them into back streets, escalating the firefight. An RPG finally destroys a Humvee, killing two soldiers inside and underscoring the sudden danger of their mission.

Another RPG explosion intensifies the ambush, destroying an Iraqi vehicle and increasing chaos. Pvt. Rico Rodriguez dives to shield Pvt. Tommy Burgess, saving Burgess but sustaining serious injuries himself.

Fellow squad member Paul 'Preacher' Colston is shot in the neck and jaw and dies instantly in front of Tommy as the firefight rages around them. The loss deepens the emotional toll of the encounter on the squad.

Brandon enters a house to help the injured Sgt. Steve Shriver and discovers that Shriver had accidentally killed several Iraqi civilians by throwing a grenade into a room, unaware civilians were present. The revelation shocks him and underscores the moral ambiguity of combat. The ambush ends with three soldiers killed.

Back in Brazos, Brandon and Steve are awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in a solemn ceremony. A U.S. Senator speaks privately with Brandon and offers help if he needs it, signaling political support that contrasts with the soldiers’ trauma.

Steve displays clear signs of post-traumatic stress, getting drunk and digging a foxhole in his front yard. He even strikes his fiancée Michelle, highlighting the strain war places on personal relationships and mental health.

The men retreat to a forest cabin known as the ranch to decompress. They drink and trade gifts when Tommy shoots at his wedding gifts, and Steve abruptly silences the cards, showing off his sniping skill.

Back at the base, Brandon learns he is ordered back to active duty under the stop-loss policy and refuses, choosing to go AWOL. His resistance sets him on a collision course with the military machine.

Brandon and Michelle drive toward Washington, D.C. to seek help from the Senator who initially offered aid. They are told that because Brandon is now a fugitive, the Senator cannot assist, heightening his sense of isolation.

On the road they visit Paul Colston’s family and encounter another AWOL soldier who suggests forging discharge papers to establish a new identity in Canada. The idea promises a way out but comes with moral and legal risk.

Michelle phones Brandon and updates him on their exact location, prompting Steve to arrive in uniform. He volunteers to return to Iraq, signaling a renewed commitment to the fight despite the personal cost.

Steve reveals he will re-enlist, but Brandon refuses to go back to war, straining their relationship and testing the limits of loyalty and friendship.

Brandon and Michelle reach New York City where a lawyer offers forged discharge papers and a passport to escape to Canada in exchange for payment. The plan promises a fresh start but leaves them grappling with the consequences of abandoning the war.

Tommy, depressed after his discharge, commits suicide. Brandon visits his grave and confronts Steve at the cemetery, leading to a tense physical confrontation before Brandon walks away as Steve weeps.

Brandon, his mother, and Michelle drive toward the Mexican border, but he decides to stay and refuses to abandon everything he knows for war's sake. The film closes with a busload of soldiers, including Brandon and Steve, returning to the war.