This film is set in the future where wars & violence has sent the world into chaos. The government has decided that any type of emotion is wrong. Greed, anger, love & happiness, as well as all other emotions are to be suppressed by taking a medication provided by the government. Failure to do so is punished by death. Books, music & art have been outlawed as they could trigger emotion & having possession of them is punishable by death. The law is enforced by the Grammaton Clerics who are headed by John Preston (Christian Bale). His wife has been executed for being a sense offender & he is left with two children. Now he has missed his medication & is starting to feel emotions for the first time. His young son & his partner are begining to suspect him.