The story begins in Philadelphia, where Lane and his family are caught in a chaotic outbreak. As the city collapses, they narrowly escape and are later rescued by a U.S. Navy ship, which serves as a safe haven for government officials and top scientists. In exchange for his family’s safety, Lane is tasked with traveling the world to find the origin of the virus and potentially uncover a way to stop it.
Lane’s journey takes him to several hotspots around the globe, each offering a grim perspective on the pandemic’s reach and devastation. In South Korea, he learns that the outbreak might have started in a remote village, and he discovers the importance of avoiding noise, which attracts the infected. In Jerusalem, he observes how the city has built massive walls to keep the zombies out, only for their defenses to be breached due to a lapse in vigilance.
The film’s tension peaks during Lane’s flight to a World Health Organization (WHO) research facility in Wales. When zombies attack mid-flight, Lane causes an explosion to save himself and others, leading to a crash that leaves him injured. Once at the WHO facility, he collaborates with scientists to test a daring hypothesis: using a pathogen to make humans temporarily invisible to the zombies by mimicking a fatal illness.
The climax showcases Lane’s nerve-wracking infiltration of the lab filled with zombies to retrieve a deadly pathogen. His gamble pays off; after injecting himself, the zombies ignore him, proving his theory. This breakthrough becomes a turning point, leading to the development of a “camouflage vaccine” that enables survivors to evade the infected.
