Theo Abrams is an ex-Cape Town fireman suffering from severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unable to return to work due to the psychological trauma sustained during a failed rescue mission, an increasingly frustrated and volatile Theo's world is rocked when one morning, he wakes up next to his wife's murdered corpse with no recollection of what transpired and all evidence suggesting that he's killed her. When the police label him as the prime suspect, Theo goes on the run, and is soon being hunted by Deputy Chief of Police, Alan Shard, a notoriously ruthless soldier of the law, who is hell-bent on catching Theo as one last act of service before he officially retires. However, when an unknown third party is thrown into the mix, Theo discovers an alarming connection between the sinister forces hunting him in an attempt to silence him permanently for a reason he can't comprehend; and a recent investigation his wife was conducting into a global armament contractor. When connecting the dots becomes a matter of life and death, Theo becomes embroiled in a desperate fight for survival and must figure out who really murdered his wife before a terrifying conspiracy changes the course of a nation forever.

米基（伍迪·哈里森 Woody Harrelson 饰）和梅乐丽（朱丽叶特·刘易斯 Juliette Lewis饰）有着同样残缺的家庭，深种在他们内心暴力的种子在渐渐萌芽成长。梅乐丽从小就备受父亲虐待，她决定和只有一面之缘的米基一同出走，出走前把父母都杀死。米基要梅乐丽从今起开始新生活，他们举行婚礼后，便开始了一边逃亡一边杀人的疯狂旅程。　　在途中，死于二人手下的人无数。道德和法律已经完全被他们的观念清空。他们疯狂地杀人，疯狂地相爱，手上染满各种人的鲜血。这个离奇的事件，被电视当作肥皂剧来娱乐大众。他们成为青少年崇拜的偶像的同时，也成为了阶下囚。然而，监狱对于他们来说，不过是一个新的杀人场所。他们点燃了监狱里犯人们的凶暴欲念，一场登峰造极的混战轰烈上演。

曾经，琼斯（汤米·李·琼斯 Tommy Lee Jones 饰）迫于生计不得不抛家弃子跟随印第安部落远行，如今，垂垂老矣的他终于回到了故乡，可是等待着他的，却不是阔别已久的温暖家庭，而是妻子的死讯，和已经嫁人的女儿麦琪（凯特·布兰切特 Cate Blanchett 饰）的冷眼相向。 　　虽然麦琪对父亲心怀怨恨，但麦琪的女儿莉莉（埃文·蕾切尔·伍德 Evan Rachel Wood 饰）却对外祖父格外的亲昵，然而，厄运降临到了这家人的头上，莉莉遭到的匪徒的绑架，麦琪的丈夫布瑞克（艾伦·艾克哈特 Aaron Eckhart 饰）亦死在了匪徒抢下。为了找回女儿，麦琪和琼斯毅然踏上了复仇之旅，然而，横亘在前路上的，不仅仅是残暴的凶徒，还有父女两人心中深深的鸿沟。

电影《国旗日》的故事根据Jennifer Vogel撰写的回忆录《荒唐之人：我父亲假冒人生的故事》改编，讲述女儿拼命抗拒她的骗子父亲给她的遗产，这项遗产充满了父亲的爱意但又十分黑暗，该片由Jez Butterworth担任编剧。