The film was released on June 28, 2018, by Orion Classics.
Plot
The global ruling class of humanity conducts a catastrophic chemical weapons attack on the American populace to "reset" society and the overflowing population. The surviving percentage of America has divided into two groups: the Gangs who control territory and go by their respective themes; The Gamblers, Sheets, Plowboys, Nailers, and Cherries; and the Domestics, those not affiliated with the Gangs who wish to live in peace and have not given in to their violent nature.
Domestic couple Mark and Nina West are traveling to Milwaukee to see Nina's parents who they haven't heard from in a few weeks while also dealing with martial issues. They first cross paths with a few Nailers while holding up in a house for a few days. Nailers had came in a few days before and murdered the family living there leaving behind their symbol on the wall. They returned to the house with the goal of sexually assaulting Nina who they have heard about from a man they found and killed. After Mark killed one Nailer by stabbing him in the back of the neck with a screw driver. Mark and the other Nailer fought and Mark stabbed him through his hand right into his eye with the same screw driver. Mark seen the mans other eye move but left him there and ran with Nina. While scavenging for supplies they are met by another survivor Nathan Wood and his son Steven who together escape from a small group of Nailers. Mark and Nina are invited to Nathan's home to meet his wife and daughter. Before leaving, they are stopped by Jim and his Plowboys who kidnap woman to use them as sex slaves. Jim asks Nathan about his new friends specifically Nina before Nathan changes the subject. Jim mention finding a Cherry and putting a tracking device in her before Nathan asks if he would politely move so that he and his new friends could leave.
During dinner Steven mentions him and his dad seeing a Nailer on the side of the road that was stabbed with cuts all below the chest like whatever stabbed him was short like his sister Bella. After dinner, Nina goes to talk to Nathan wife Theresa and play with their daughter Bella while Nathan and Mark talk. Mark suggest that they could trade for supplies. Mark questions Nathan what type of meat they were eating but he soon discovers that they were fed human meat. The Nailer that Mark stabbed in the eye followed them and holds Bella at gun point. Steven slices the Nailer ankle and he shoots Nina in the shoulder and kills Theresa and Bella. Nina and Mark flee leaving the Woods behind. Nathan kills the Nailer but swears revenge and calls up the Plowboy leader Jim on the CB Radio about the Wests.
The Wests make it to an abandoned house unaware they've been followed by a deserter Cherry named Betsy who escaped Plowboys' slave captivity and has developed a fascination for Nina. Mark goes looking for supplies but is later held at gunpoint by William Cunningham, a flamboyant madman, and forced to fight against his large slave after he discovers William has beaten and captured Nathan and Steven who caught up to the Wests. Nina awakes, finding notes left by Mark and plans to leave him. She found records and a note where Mark apolizes to her. She processes to find a bottle of alcohol, puts on a Heavy Metal record Mark left for her and begins drunk dancing while Mark fights the slave. He eventually wins the fight and kills a fleeing William. The slave is freed by Mark out of sympathy for William mistreating him earlier and Nathan departs, forgiving Mark and giving up his quest for vengeance wishing Mark and Nina good luck.
Mark reunites with Nina at the house, who finds an old car similar to what Mark once owned when they first began dating. The two rekindle their passion but are unaware the car belongs to Gamblers who arrive and capture them. The Gamblers use a wheel to determine what they are going to do with them. They are then taken to the Gamblers hide out which is a hotel where they are forced into a game of Russian Roulette with Mark taking the bullet in the shoulder for Nina. Nina makes their escape after grabbing a gun from a distracted Gambler's boot and stealing a car while being chased by a group of Gamblers. They finally making it to her parents' house to treat Mark's wounds and reunite with her parents.
Nina learns sadly from the neighbors her parents had died earlier, with her father dying from illness and her mother killing herself with a letter in her hand for Nina. The neighbors show Nina how they have fortified the neighborhood with a explosive being rigged if someone tries to drive through their car fence. It shows that Betsy has followed them to give Nina her wedding ring back and watches them through a window in a house. Nina is greeted by her parents fellow neighbors who came to introduce themselves along with bringing a dish for her and Mark. While in the kitchen Nina sees one of the neighbors Phil talking on a walkie talkie and follows him to his house.
While Nina is investigating, Mark discovers her father's prized Wildey Hunter Pistol has been stolen. Nina realizes that Phil had given up their location to the Gamblers when she hears them coming. She grabs the neighbors child and leaves her with Mark while she goes to fight the Gamblers who want revenge.
A showdown begins with the neighbors, Gamblers, and the last two Plowboys who have traced down Betsy through her tracker. It resulting in a violent and bloody battle with all sides suffering massive casualties. In the end, Nina and Mark win the fight, with killing all the other gang members, Betsy finally returns Nina's wedding ring to Mark remarking "for her" after which she is shot in the face by a Gambler. Nina then kills Betsy's killer afterward. Nina finds goes to deal with Phil but see bloody child footprints. She finds Phil stabbed to death below the chest along with her fathers gun. Nina finds a Gamblers tattoo on Phils arm confirming to her that he was the apart of the Gamblers gang. It is revealed to have been killed by the neighbor's kid who might have been part of the rumored gang of young child killers Nathan son mentioned earlier.
Mark and Nina take a moment to catch their breath at Nina's parents' house and embrace each other. They later pack up and leave turning on the radio with Crazy Al, a DJ who has been sending broadcast updates about the current state of America warning the Gangs and other survivors not to mess with Mark and Nina.
On March 24, 2016, it was announced that Mike P. Nelson would direct the post-apocalyptic thriller film The Domestics from his own script, for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Hollywood Gang Productions. Gianni Nunnari and Shannon Gaulding would produce the film.[3] On September 8, 2016, Kate Bosworth and Tyler Hoechlin were cast to star in the film.[4] The movie was filmed in Louisiana.
Stunt performer Deven MacNair filed an EEOC anti-discrimination lawsuit against producers of the film over an incident of "wigging", the practice of using a stunt performer that does not match either the sex or race of the actor, which is against SAG-AFTRA rules.[5][6]
Release
In May 2018, Orion Classics acquired distribution rights to the film and set it for a June 28, 2018, release.[7]
Reception
The film has received favorable reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 100% approval rating based on six reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10.[8]
Robbie Collin of The Telegraph gave it a positive review and wrote: "It's all good grim fun, with a visceral kick."[9]
