| Director | James Wan |
|---|---|
| Genre | action film, crime film, drama film, film based on a novel, neo-noir, vigilante film |
| Runtime | 105 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Box office | $17 million |
Nick Hume is an insurance company vice president who believes in doing things by the book. He lives with his wife, Helen, and his two sons: the older, charismatic, hockey-playing Brendan and the younger, less charismatic, artistic Lucas. Stopping at a gas station on the way home from a hockey game, Nick and Brendan get caught up in a robbery. Ringleader Billy kills the clerk while new gangmember Joe Darley slashes Brendan's throat as part of his initiation. Before Joe escapes, Nick pulls off his mask. Brendan is rushed to the hospital but dies.
Nick identifies Joe in a lineup but learns he will get off lightly due to weak evidence. At pretrial, Nick recants his identification, allowing Joe to go free. Nick trails the gang members, who take Joe to an apartment and rewards him with a prostitute. He ambushes Joe in the laundry room and stabs him to death that night. Billy later learns from a neighbor that Nick was present at the scene.
The gang ambushes Nick outside his office and chase him to a multistorey car park. Nick manages to escape, resulting in the death of Tommy, another member of the gang. The police figure out that Nick has entangled himself with the gang but cannot arrest him without evidence. That night, a guilt-stricken Lucas gets into an argument with Nick, accusing him of favoritism towards Brendan.
Nick's suitcase (which he dropped during the chase) is returned to his office along with a phone number. Nick calls the number and reaches Billy, who reveals Joe was his younger brother and that killing Joe has brought a "death sentence" upon Helen and Lucas. Nick informs Jessica Wallis, the detective assigned to Brendan's case. She grants his family police protection and issues APBs on the gang. That night, the gang kills the officers protecting Nick's house, subdue Nick, and shoot Helen and Lucas. Helen dies while Nick and Lucas are hospitalized, with the latter in a coma. After Nick awakens, Jessica warns him against taking action against the gang by threatening to have him arrested if he continues his crusade. Nick visits Lucas and apologizes for paying more attention to Brendan before escaping the hospital.
Tracking the phone number to a bar, Nick roughly pressures the bartender to reveal the location of Heco, a junkie member of the gang, and a place to get firearms. Nick visits black market arms dealer Bones and buys several guns, ammunition, and some instructional booklets. As Nick is leaving, Bones reveals himself as Billy and Joe's father but lets Nick go, thinking it's time for Billy to reap consequences of his actions.
After Nick familiarizes himself with the guns, he shaves off his hair, dons Brendan's jacket, and heads to Heco's apartment. Nick violently interrogates Heco, who reveals the gang's lair is an abandoned mental hospital they call "The Office," and forces him to call Billy's number, then executes him while Billy listens. Bones confronts Billy, reveals he sold guns to Nick, and berates him for his recklessness. After hearing this, Billy kills his father.
Nick heads to "The Office" and kills the remaining gang members before facing off in the chapel with Billy, seriously wounding each other. As the two sit on the same pew, Billy comments that he turned Nick into a vicious cold-blooded killer just like the gang. Unmoved, Nick ends Billy's life before returning home, watching old home movies of him, Helen, Brendan, and Lucas as he awaits his arrest. Jessica arrives and informs Nick that Lucas has improved and will live, relieving Nick.