In the small town of Bright Hope on the edge of the American frontier, a violent incident involving strangers leads to the abduction of several locals, including a doctor, Samantha, who is also the wife of injured cowboy Arthur O'Dwyer. Sheriff Franklin Hunt learns of the attack from the sole witness and survivor, a crazed drifter named Buddy. The Sheriff, a seasoned lawman marked by both his wisdom and grit, immediately sets out to track down the perpetrators, who are believed to be members of a barbaric, cannibalistic tribe known as the Troglodytes. Accompanied by Chicory, his loyal but elderly deputy, Sheriff Hunt is determined to bring the captives back safely.

Assembling a small posse, Sheriff Hunt is joined by Arthur, despite his severe leg injury, which hinders his mobility, and John Brooder, a well-armed, charismatic gunslinger with a personal vendetta against hostile Native tribes. Faced with an unforgiving landscape, the men embark on a perilous and relentless quest, driven by a sense of duty and love for those they aim to rescue. Unaware of the true horrors that await them within the Troglodytes' domain, the men must confront their own personal demons and varying motivations, while grappling with the harsh wilderness which tests their survival skills and pushes them to the brink of their endurance.