*On the night of New Year’s Eve in 1999, a teenager named Eli (Jaeden Martell) finds himself engaged in an AIM chat with his closest friend, Danny (Julian Dennison), while simultaneously flirting with his crush, Laura (Rachel Zegler). Laura's unique ability catches Eli's attention as she shares how she hacked into their school's computer system, creating an amusing little video that offers a moment of levity. This year, Eli and Danny intend to once again spend their New Year’s Eve in isolation, embracing their identities as social outcasts unwilling to mingle with others. Their first stop is the local video store, a hangout where they share time with the laid-back manager, Garrett (Kyle Mooney), a stoner with a penchant for wild conspiracy theories.
As Eli and Danny leave the store, they encounter a confrontation with a skate punk named Farkas (Eduardo Franco) and his friends, which only adds to the chaotic energy of the evening. Seeking a change of pace, they wander into a nearby convenience store, where they find Laura and her crew attempting to swipe some alcohol. She coyly informs Eli that they are on their way to a party thrown by their classmate, “Soccer” Chris (The Kid Laroi). Encouraged by Danny, Eli decides they should crash the party to try and steal a New Year’s kiss from Laura.
Once they arrive at the bustling party, Eli is quickly made to feel out of place among his peers. Farkas and his crew, including Ash (Lachlan Watson) and a loner named CJ (Daniel Zolghadri), are present, and Chris makes it clear to Eli that he’s aware of his feelings for Laura, even warning him to stay away. The atmosphere takes a hilarious turn when Danny shares an embarrassing story about Eli, involving the unfortunate incident of Eli drinking from a cup that Danny had urinated in. This moment sows discord between the friends, as Eli feels betrayed by Danny’s antics.
As the clock strikes midnight, the ambiance quickly spirals into horror. Eli watches forlornly as Chris and Laura share a kiss, only for the joy of the moment to be shattered by a series of terrifying events. An electrifying scream interrupts the revelry, leading the crowd upstairs to find a chaotic scene—that of Laura’s friend Raleigh (Lauren Balone) in shock after her boyfriend’s horrific accident involving a ceiling fan. The party descends into pandemonium as suddenly, a remote-controlled car emerges, capable of producing fire and wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting partygoers.
What unfolds next is sheer madness; amidst the chaos, inanimate objects like blenders and VCRs turn deadly, attacking those present. The dangers escalate when, in the midst of the melee, Chris attempts to escape but falls victim to an explosive cooking mishap, leaving Eli, Danny, and Laura scurrying to take refuge in Chris’s garage. Farkas’s provocations spur Danny to finally confront the bullies, unleashing years of pent-up frustration as he lashes out at Farkas for his malbehavior. As they grapple with the events unfolding, a monstrous, robot-like creation made up of various appliances crashes through, brutally wounding Danny. As Eli clings to his friend’s side, there’s a poignant moment where Danny hands Eli a condom, urging him to seize any chance he has with Laura, leaving Eli heartbroken as he witnesses his best friend’s demise.
After narrowly escaping another close call, Farkas suffers a fateful accident, cementing the night as one filled with unimaginable tragedy. The group seeks solace in a woodland hideout governed by Laura’s former partner, Jonas (Mason Gooding), and Garrett. However, their brief respite is interrupted when they accidentally awaken Eli’s sentient computer, leading to a series of dangerous encounters. Laura attempts to regain control, but a race against time ensues as they find themselves continually thwarted by a malevolent computer, which captures Laura—the only way to stop it being a hasty solution.
As tensions rise, Eli is confronted by pangs of jealousy watching Jonas and Laura grow closer. Meanwhile, chaos reigns as the group narrowly avoids another assault from the monstrous robot, leading to the disastrous yet darkly comedic determination of Garrett to confront the enemy head-on, resulting in grievous injuries. Struggling to survive, Eli and Laura remain two steps behind, ultimately leading to a crucial revelation when Eli pulls together a last-ditch effort to save their group from certain doom by utilizing Danny's leftover condom in unconventional ways to shut down the threatening machines.
Eventually, they find refuge among other survivors at their high school, only to come face-to-face with a horrifying plan to enslave humanity. Eli musters his courage to deliver a heartfelt speech plagued by loss but finds his message becomes a comedic miscalculation right as hope seems within reach. Ultimately, Eli and Laura manage to confront the source of their terror, culminating in the powerful moment when they finally shut down the machines threatening their reality and emerge victorious.
In an emotional moment of closure, Eli finds himself reunited with his parents, as the specter of loss still hangs heavily. Five years later, on the verge of graduating college, Eli, Laura, and Ash pay tribute at Danny's grave, leaving tokens of their friendship behind. As they exit, however, an ominous sign of Danny’s spirit in the form of a glitching iPod hints at lingering mysteries in the Digital Realm. The credits deliver a final laugh, revealing a hidden video of Danny joyfully performing “The Thong Song,” ensuring he will never be forgotten.*
