On the Fourth of July, single mother Teena is brutally assaulted by a local gang in front of her 12-year-old daughter Bethie. Despite Bethie's ability to identify the perpetrators, the criminals hire a local hot-shot defense attorney who manipulates the law to their advantage, and they are set free. Gulf War veteran Officer John Dromoor, played by Nicolas Cage, is disgusted by the lack of justice and plots revenge against the men on Teena’s behalf.