Colonel Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a decorated marine with more than 30 years combat experience including Vietnam Beirut and Desert Storm. He's a hero to all who know him and the first choice to command a rescue when the American Embassy is attacked in Yemen in the Middle east. Initially considered a straight forward mission the Yemen attack turns into all out war and in the process of rescuing the ambassador and his family 83 Yemeni citizens including women and children are killed. Suddenly the U.S. is embroiled in a scandal of international proportions and desperate to save face places the blame squarely on Childers ordering him to face a court-martial. Now with his own country and the world against him Childers enlists the help of former comrade in arms Colonel Hays Lodgers (Tommy Lee Jones) and together they will fight their greatest adversary yet: their own nation.