Genre: Thriller/Horror
Director: Garth Davis
Writer: Wesley Campbell
Based on the novel by Blake Crouch
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston, Dafne Keen, Roger Dale Floyd, Antony Starr, Matt Jones, Ruby Rose, Mark Webber
Plot: Suddenly murders sweep the country... Senseless, brutal, unconnected in every state. The murders increased ten-fold tomorrow.
Dee Colclough (Carey Mulligan) watches the president's address in a hotel room where she had met her lover, Kiernan (Tom Hiddleston). Kiernan said his unit been called up to help keep the peace. Kiernan tells Dee to goes to her family, but Dee reminded him that was the week they'd decided to leave their families. He asked her if she felt strange at all. When she said she didn't, Kiernan admitted he felt the urge to hurt her badly, which he acts upon. Dee fights off Kiernan after jamming scissors into his eye.
Dee helps her husband, Jack (Chris Evans), and their children Naomi "Na" (Dafne Keen) and Cole (Roger Dale Floyd) prepare to leave Albuquerque. Jack thought about how he'd planned for himself and his family to go camping together every other weekend. He heard Dee gasp inside the house and went running inside to learn that the name of a professor whom Jack worked with had been called. People affected by the strange urge to be violent were instructed to go to the houses of the people whose names were being called.
Because neither having much experience with guns, Jack helps Dee by loading the weapon as he drove. Because he believed he couldn't outrun them, Jack stopped when a group of men began following him. He and his family narrowly escaped. She warned Jack, the men who'd stopped them were going to kill them. Jack finally drove away from the men through neighborhood backyards. When he finally reached a road, he headed toward a part of town that still had electricity.
Jack explained that the violence had started about a week prior. Jack explained that the electricity had gone out after the president's speech. Dee tried to get the man to let her help him, but he had to find his family. Before they left town, Jack filled up with gas at a deserted gas station. They stopped only when a police car pulls up. The officer asked if they're okay, telling them he'd heard rumors of widespread violence. Before they separated, the officer asks Jack if it's the end of the world. Jack can't answer that.
Later that night, after Jack's gotten his family settled for the night, he hears Dee crying. She tells him about her affair. For two months, Jack's been sleeping in the guest room. It's strange for them to be sleeping next to each other.
They began driving the next morning before the sun came up. They started having trouble breathing because of the smoke. Jack warned his children to close their eyes, and Cole asked if it's dead people. He said he wanted to see them. Jack's eyes started filling with tears when he saw his children staring at the bodies.
Cole woke to cry in the night. He knew why the people bad people were acting as they were. It's because of the lights. He remembers the night he spent the night with the kids, having seen the lights in the sky.
When they reached a city, Dee wants to drive through. Jack thinks they need to stop for gas even with some gallons in cans. At a gas station, the pump runs dry before Jack's car's full. Even with the gas cap on, he hears engines. A motorcycle appears. Dee drives as Jack shoots at the cyclist. Jack slams on the brakes, causing the cyclist to slam into the back.
At an abandoned motel, his family gets some sleep. Dee wakes him up when the building trembles. They watch a convoy filled with armed men pass by. That night, looking with his binoculars, Jack looks for more cars. When Na walks up behind him, he realizes he'd lost touch with both Na and her mother. Jack hugs her for the first time in years.
The family packed the car, driving north again. They reached the town to which the convoy's heading. Buildings are burnt down as the dead lay in the streets. They passed a grocery store, and Jack stopped even though Dee asked him not to. The store was filled with dead bodies. Jack came upon a teen boy, fatally wounded. He asked Jack to shoot him and put him out of his misery. Jack couldn't, and the boy cursed him.
Back on the road again, Dee and Jack fought about using the gas in the cans because the gas light had come on when they spotted an empty house. Jack siphoned gas out of a truck. Jack went inside, where Dee and the children were filling jugs of water. As he moved toward the bedrooms, he smelled decomposition. A seventy-year-old couple was lying, dead, in a bed together. It appeared the couple had committed suicide.
Also, inside the house, Jack found an amateur radio rig. Using the homeowner's call sign, Jack talked to Matthew, who says whatever's happening was just in the lower 48 states but that he'd heard that Boston and New York had been devastated. The man said it's suspected that the aurora that had appeared a month prior had something to do with what's happening. Jack also learned that the closest refuge camps were in Southern Canada. After Jack signed off, he went and sat next to Na, who'd seen the couple. She asked if it's a weakness that caused the couple to kill themselves. Jack tried to explain why they might've killed themselves but stressed that it wasn't a weakness.
Back on the road, the family spotted another convoy, this one led by an eighteen-wheeler. Jack hid their truck behind a butte. As he and Dee watched the convoy pass their hiding spot, they thought they're safe until two trucks peeled off from the rest, heading in their direction. Not sure he's making the right decision, Jack sent Na and Cole off to hide behind a huge boulder. He and Dee took the guns to meet the trucks. Jack shot the three men in the Jeep, but one of their shots hit him in the left shoulder.
Jack gives Dee the shotgun and sent her to distract people from the children. Jack ran toward a woman headed toward the boulder behind which Na and Cole were hiding. Jack arrived as the woman was hoisting an ax over her head. He used a rock to break open her skull. When another man walked up behind him, Jack aimed his gun at him, ordering the man to drop his weapon.
Jack learned from a man what's happening. Dave brags he and Heather, who'd tried to kill Na and Cole, had been on a camping trip when the lights appeared. Dave believes he'd seen God in the lights; they wanted to murder Jack's family because they didn't see the lights. Jack starting to realize Heather and Dave have killed before. While Jack's distracted, Dave tries to escape, but Jack shoots him.
As Jack's siphons gas from Dave's truck, he hears a voice from the walkie-talkie checking in on Dave and Heather. Jack stopped siphoning the gas, ordering his family into their car. Dee insisted on driving because of Jack's bleeding so severely.
Jack directed Dee to turn off on a dead-end road. Jack spotted a space between the trees and ordered Dee to pull off. The trucks rushed past them. They wait and see if the trucks came back. Dee removed the bullet. He passed out from the pain, waking up just as she's finished the stitching.
Dee and Jack debated what they'd do and finally decided to see how far up the road they'd get. When they ran out of gas, Jack told his family he'd walk until he found help or couldn't walk anymore. Dee and Jack began arguing, but Na spots a mailbox.
After Jack had determined there's no one living in the cabin, he brought Dee and the children to see the food he'd found. They had supper of cold canned food, pretzels, and soda. Later, Dee snuggles up to Jack.
The next morning Jack gets the water turned on. Jack watches his son, concerned. Later, after discussing staying in the cabin, Jack asked Dee if she'd noticed anything strange about Cole. Jack admits Cole had seen the aurora, the lights causing everything. Dee couldn't handle that situation, but Jack reminds her of the bigger picture. They finally decided to stay together no matter what. The next day, Jack asked Cole about the aurora and if he felt any different. Cole says he wished that his family had seen the lights because they'd been so pretty.
That evening, Jack decided to come clean about an affair he had. He's surprised how badly it upset Dee, especially since she'd been planning on leaving him. She demanded to know why Jack had told her. He said it felt like they'd been given a chance to start over, wanting to clear the air. Dee rushes away, upset.
The next day trouble started again when Dee asked Jack how much wood Jack had cut. She'd heard the chainsaw and assumed it's him, but Jack hadn't been cutting any wood. When Dee said the sound's coming from the driveway's direction, Jack realized what's happening.
Jack left his family with instructions to run through the woods if they hear any trouble. Jack's vehicle was blocked in by two trucks. Inside the shed, Jack's surprised when a man started a chainsaw next to him. Jack fired the shotgun, killing the man. Jack shouted at his family to run as dogs rush him.
Even though eight adults in all, Jack managed to head back toward the stream. He ran uphill all night looking for his family. Jack began to think he'd never find them. Jack almost didn't believe it when he finally saw them.
Because they'd just been forced out of a place that seemed so perfect, Dee's distraught by the idea they'd to begin running again. The family was soon tired from hiking in the mountains. The nights are cold, with only a tent and two sleeping bags. Dee said they're probably suffering from altitude sickness too.
Their situation worsened when they'd to climb a cirque to get to the highway. Jack let Cole ride on his shoulders and tried to encourage the children by setting short climbing goals. When taking a piss, Jack silently cries. Dee looked down at one point. Drawing attention to how high up they are, she cautions the children to be careful and succeeded in scaring them. However, Jack told them to look up and concentrate on climbing.
At one vertical part of the climb, Jack had to get rid of a pack to climb. The family's tense as Dee and Na both panicked. By midmorning, however, they finally reached the top of the mountain. They slept under a pine tree, too exhausted to even look for water. The next day, all of the family members suffered from dizziness and cramping muscles. It's Cole spotting a boulder with water from a natural spring trickling off it.
The next day, they began walking along the highway, headed for Canada. They sleep in a stable when it starts to rain. During a discussion about having a fire, Cole suddenly tells his family that he knows how to tell if people were good or bad. Cole said the wrong people had a light around them. Cole has a white glow around his head, but the rest of his family didn't because they hadn't seen the lights.
Dee and Jack kept moving, hoping to find a good source of water as well as a warm, dry place. Finally, they reached a construction site, spending the night inside a piece of drainage pipe.
When Jack heard voices, he hesitated at first but then decided to take the chance of approaching them. The people had an eighteen-wheeler with the Red Cross symbols. Jack's surprised when the man who greeted him at first turned on him. Seeing Jack's wedding ring, Jack's asked who's with him.
The man breaks then cuts off the ring finger on Jack wearing his wedding ring. He held the finger and ring in front of Jack and asked where's his wife. Jack told him that she's dead. Dee woke, hearing the engines starting. Dee runs to the road to see what's happening and thinks they're saved until Dee sees two men dragging Jack. Dee realized she needed to protect her children. Still, when the convoy of vehicles pulled away, Dee felt the urge to put the gun to her own head.
After Dee told Na and Cole what'd happened, they found a cabin in which they'd spend the night. Dee could barely get Na out of bed the next morning. It'd been six days since they'd eaten any food. At one point, Dee saw her daughter looking at the gun and slapped her. She warned Na she didn't raise her to quit.
The next morning, Na told her mother that she hurt everywhere. That night Dee knew they'd have to get up the following morning. Na woke her and warned her that a car's coming. Dee told Na to stay behind the boulder with Cole. Dee stood on the road, waving her arms. When the Jeep stops, Dee calls for Cole and Na. Cole sees the man didn't have the light around his head. He said his name's Ed Abernathy (Matt Jones), who's trying to get to Canada.
Ed gives them candy bars, apples, and water. When it came time for him to get back on the road, Ed said he couldn't take them with him. Na screamed, demanding to know why her mother hadn't killed him, and kept the vehicle and food. A few minutes later, Ed returned. He said he wasn't happy about the situation but agreed to take Dee and the children.
Ed intended to drive, hoping he'd find a plane to take them to Canadia. Just as Dee was beginning to contemplate the idea that she and her children might reach safety, Ed slammed on the brakes. Before Ed could even put the Jeep in reverse, he's shot dead through the windshield. Gasoline poured from one of the cans on top of the Jeep. Dee knew if they didn't get out of the Jeep, they'd be burnt alive. Cole warned his mother that all the men had lights around them. One of the men told Dee that if she didn't get herself and her children back in the car, he'd shoot them in their kneecaps.
At the moment, Dee's saying goodbye to her children because she's sure they'd die. Shots ring out, killing the men. A woman named Liz (Ruby Rose) called out for Dee and the children. She said she's the good guy, inviting them to come with her.
The group entered a compound of buildings surrounded by razor wire. Dee and the children are put in a cabin with food and clean clothing. Dee hides her Glock under a mattress. The next morning, they're taken to a cafeteria where they're fed breakfast and introduced to the group.
Afterward, Mathias (Antony Starr), the leader, gives Dee a tour of the compound. He said he'd bought the property years ago and moved there, wanting to live as a free man. Since then, many people had joined him. Mathias wanted to know what's happening outside the compound since they'd sent out reconnaissance days ago. Dee tells him about the widespread violence.
In the night, Dee's wakens to check on Mike (Mark Webber), the prisoner Liz's torturing. Dee said he's alive but would die of sepsis. Mathias told Dee the man being tortured had said Cole's affected. Dee's angry when she learned that Mike talked to Cole. Cole told Mike he'd seen the lights, not his mother and sister. Dee tries to convince them that Cole hadn't shown signs of being violent, but they don't care.
Suddenly, there's a warning of movement being seen in the woods. Liz leaves, guarding Dee and the children while the men see what's happening. Dee retrieves her gun to shoot Liz, who tries to stop them. She and her children ran until Dee takes Ed's Jeep, heading for Canada.
Jack discovered there's a large group of people with him in the trailer. When the truck finally stopped, herding people out. Lined up shoulder to shoulder on a dirt pile. When the soldiers backed up and raised their weapons, Jack knew there's no inspection. People fell forward into the pit as they're hit by bullets. Quickly, Jack's shot only in the shoulder covered himself with dead bodies. They begin to spray the pit with bullets.
Afterward, a man with a chainsaw entered the pit, slashing at anything that moved. Jack lied still for a long time. After dark, he managed to work his way out until he reached the woods' safety.
Jack woke when he heard men using the bulldozer to cover the bodies in the pit. Just when his strength's almost gone and his thirst unbearable, he discovered a lodge. Jack's so thirsty to drink the water from the toilet bowls, the only liquid available. He spotted a stocked vending machine, broke into it, and took all the snacks with him. Riding a mountain bike, Jack headed north but wondered how he'd ever find his wife and children.
When he found it abandoned in the road, Jack upgraded to a minivan, the family inside shot to death. He's unable to just take their vehicle but tried to be respectful by lining up their bodies. He wanted to say something but knew there's nothing that could make things any better.
As Jack tried to decide if he wanted to drive through Great Falls or detour around it, he saw a series of billboards telling him that he's under sniper surveillance. If he didn't stop, he'd be shot. When Jack did stop, soldiers leading Benny, an emaciated man, walked up to him. The soldiers searched both men and the van. They used Benny to determine that neither of the men was affected by the aurora.
Jack is cleared after Jack learned that Great Falls had been unaffected by the aurora because it'd been cloudy that night. The city was protected by five thousand armed men. The guards didn't recognize the pictures of Dee and the children that Jack showed them. The woman working at the homeless shelter didn't recognize them either. He drove until he reached the Davidson Building, pulled the van up into the center of the square, and parked it. It's just like he remembered it.
Jack wrote Dee's name in black Sharpie on the van's side and paint on the nearby buildings' windows. Jack slept and woke to the sound of bombs exploding. Jack began to despair that Dee had decided not to travel through Great Falls. He's pulled out of his despair when he heard gunfire only a few blocks away. People ran through the square away from men dressed in all black. An explosion blew the windows out of the van.
When it's quiet, Jack raises up and sees a man wearing a red bandana standing in front of war prisoners. The man went down the line, shooting each of them. When Jack looked next, the man in the red bandana was walking toward the van. Jack ran for the bank and hid under a desk. He waited until he could no longer hear footsteps. An hour later, Jack made his way out of the bank. The man in the red bandana spoke to him from the front seat of the van.
The man motions Jack to sit next to him. When hearing Jack by name, Jack realizes it's Kiernan. Kiernan admitted he'd been looking for Jack's family all along. He's surprised Dee's name written all over the square because Kiernan didn't really think he'd find them. Kiernan asked Jack several times why Jack here. Jack told him it's where he had run out of gas. Kiernan threatened to hurt Jack if Jack didn't tell him the real reason. Jack told Kiernan only that he's grateful to Kiernan and people like him for making him a better husband and father.
Jack's mind takes him back to the first time he attempted to talk to Dee as they both sat in that same courtyard. Jack had slipped and spilled his coffee on Dee, but she had still agreed to go out on a date with him. He remembered that he had seen his future when he first looked into Dee's eyes. Back in the present, when Jack looked in her eyes again as she walked across the plaza toward him, he felt the same way. Kiernan noticed Jack's change in focus and saw Dee just as she pointed a gun at him. He told her that he'd been waiting for her too. She pulled the trigger and shot him. Jack finishes Kiernan off with a knife.
After a tear-filled reunion, Dee takes Jack to reunite with Na and Cole. They discussed what happened to them when they're separated and how they'd come to be at the Davidson Building at the same time. They slept but woke when bombs shook the building.
After they escaped the burning town, Dee looked at Jack, glad that she had him back. She knew she'd be satisfied just to be with him for the rest of their lives. Jack said they're ten miles north of the border, but the Jeep engine had been running hot, so he shut it off to let it cool. They continued slowly, able to drive only about a mile before the engine overheated, and they'd to wait for it to cool again.
Late that afternoon, they're waiting for the engine to cool when Jack heard distant gunfire. He didn't realize right away that Dee'd been shot. The bullet had nicked an artery in her thigh. Dee directed Jack to tie a shirt around her leg tight enough to cut off the circulation. Because they'd been spotted and a posse was driving toward them, Dee told Jack he had to let her take the car and distract the men from Jack and the children. She said it was the only thing that made sense because she was going to die anyway. Once Dee was sure to have the men's attention, Dee stopped at the car and untied the tourniquet. As she passed out, she had an image of Jack and the children crossing the Canadian border to safety.
Meanwhile, Jack was surprised when Cole suddenly stops running. He says they don't have to run because the aurora's effects are over. Seeing his son's face, Jack decides to go back for Dee. Jack discovers Dee's untying her tourniquet. He gets the keys to a truck, heading out to help Dee.
Time shifts to the Bozeman airfield years later. A woman stops her work when she hears a twin-engine airplane. She then runs to meet an elderly man who disembarks from the plane.
Naomi sits between her father, Jack, as the two talks about what happened and the possibility that it was precipitated by the aurora storm. Naomi describes the event as “natural selection at its darkest” and that the people like Cole who fought the desire to become violent were the ones who won in the selection process. Jack offers a different opinion of the aurora when he says he has a friend who's a priest who believes the aurora was a test sent by God. Sam indicates that whichever way, they worked to purify the human race. Naomi comments she's surprised Jack wanted to visit the mass grave in the pit. Jack tells her that while the experience was awful, he also recognizes that he was saved by a miracle. Jack takes a phone call after which he tells his daughter that her mother sends her love.
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