The movie is set in New Zealand during the 1800s. The main character, Sarah (Samantha Morton) is a british woman who falls in love with a Maori boy and gets pregnant. The Maori boy's grandfather does not approve of the union and kidnaps Sarah's child. Sarah enlists the help of a soldier (Kiefer Sutherland) to help her find her boy. Sarah moves to a Maori village to be closer to her son and slowly falls in love with her son's uncle, Wiremu (Cliff Curtis). Sarah becomes caught in a war between the British colonials and the Maori people. Her son (Rawiri Pene) chooses to go to war rather than run away with her.