Two marines are facing murder charges for killing their colleague, who recently broke the chain of command to get transferred. Downey and Dawson are accused of killing William Santiago while subjecting him to disciplinary action. The deceased marine had a poor relationship with his colleagues and wanted to be transferred to another base, yet the base commander dismisses the idea of transferring the marine and instead orders Lt. James Kendrick to make sure Santiago is trained. The case to investigate the murder of Santiago is given to a novice Navy counsel called Kaffee.
Downey and Dawson maintain that they had no intention of killing Santiago and were only ordered to impose Code Red. Lt. Kaffee is known for settling cases through plea bargains. The defense team for the suspects should prove that the two culprits were ordered to impose code red punishment on Santiago. Kaffee has only taken the case because his father was a renowned Navy counsel. Indeed, Kaffee has not tried a case in a courtroom. Therefore, he knows that he can mess up things. Finally, Downey and Dawson are found not guilty of murder charges.
The film shows characters who displays excitement to the depths of desolation, giving the viewers a satisfying demonstrative rollercoaster ride. The characters in the movie present values such as ethics, honor, and commitment that are inherent in the military. This movie conventionally advocates the existing system characteristic in military bases. The film explores the fundamental conflict of values in military life and society at large.
