Until Death

New Orleans narcotics detective Anthony Stowe targets his former partner Gabriel Callaghan and vows to bring him down. He leads a planned sting intended to topple Callaghan's grip on the city’s underworld. This sets the seed for the long, personal battle that follows.

The sting goes wrong, resulting in the death of Maria Ronson and a near confrontation with her fiancé Van Huffel. The botched operation exposes dangerous cracks in the system and hardens Stowe’s resolve against Callaghan. Tensions flare as the fallout spreads.

Chief Mac Baylor bluntly confronts Stowe, criticizing his methods and the consequences of his addiction. The exchange deepens Stowe’s cynicism toward the police and justice system. It marks a turning point in his outlook.

Stowe meets Valerie, his estranged wife, who reveals she is pregnant but not with his child. She also explains she’s been seeing Mark Rossini, a gym teacher she runs with. Stowe accuses Valerie of carrying Callaghan’s child, though she denies it and says she wants nothing to do with him.

The pursuit of Callaghan reaches a brutal peak when Callaghan’s men ambush Stowe, shooting him in the head. He falls into a coma, beginning months of recovery. The attack profoundly alters the course of his life.

Months pass as Stowe lies in a coma and then fights to relearn basic movements and speech at home. Chief Baylor refuses to reinstate him, keeping him sidelined from the force. The time away becomes the crucible in which his character begins to change.

The coma ignites a determination in Stowe to repair the damage he has done and make better choices. He resolves to keep pursuing Callaghan despite the obstacles. This new resolve drives the next phase of his life.

Stowe awkwardly reconciles with Valerie, and Walter Currie offers quiet support, though Currie’s role in the investigation remains murky. Stowe also accepts a portion of the insurance money that helped him survive the coma. These external shifts help stabilize him as he moves forward.

Stowe visits the grave of Serge, the elder officer who saved his life, now killed by an unknown assailant. The visit underscores the risks of the case and deepens his commitment to justice. It grounds his renewed mission in personal memory.

Valerie contemplates leaving for Mark’s life, but after observing Stowe’s transformation, she chooses to stay. Chad Mansen urges him not to let Valerie go, and their near-reunion is interrupted by escalating violence. The tension hints at danger to come.

Callaghan’s men descend again; Chad is killed and Valerie is kidnapped by Jimmy, who awaits Callaghan at a warehouse. Stowe fights back, seizes Jimmy’s weapon, and steels himself for the final confrontation. The chain of events leads to a deadly warehouse showdown.

Callaghan attempts to escape with Valerie by helicopter, prompting a climactic shootout near the helicopter. Stowe and Callaghan exchange deadly fire as the pursuit ends, with the outcome left ambiguous about Callaghan’s fate. The confrontation caps their long-standing feud.

Chief Baylor reinstates Stowe and shows him footage of Callaghan executing Ronson and the undercover officer in the botched sting, exposing the corruption behind the operation. Van Huffel dies while trying to escape with a body camera that could prove his involvement. The truth comes with a high personal cost.

Three years later, Stowe and Valerie share a quiet moment at home with their 3-year-old daughter Nadia. The film notes that in the U.S. version Stowe survives the final shootout, while some European cuts imply he dies.