英格兰东北部煤矿工业区的小村庄里，汤米·乔·巴兰坦经营的老橡树酒馆是村里的最后一家酒馆。一天，一辆满载难民的大巴车驶入村庄，这些难民即将在村里安家。即便自己收入微薄，巴兰坦还是热心帮助难民女孩亚拉，两人之间发展出了坚固的友谊，村民也在两人的感召下逐渐放下成见，走向团结。
Eightypeoplefromtotallydiversebackgroundssuddenlyfindthemselvesinanundisclosedlocationwheretheyareexpectedtocompeteinaracewithsimplerules,"Ifyouarelappedtwice,youdie.Ifyoustepoffthepath,youdie.Race…ordie."Manywillstartbutonlyonemaycrossthefinishlinealive.Eightyindividualsarechosenbyananonymousbeing,whoinstantlydisappearsfromwheretheyweretoappearonapath,preparedfortherace.Eachpersonhearsthesamemessageintheirownlanguage,withtheirownvoice,andinstantlyneedstoraceandsurvive.Peopleofdifferentsexes,differentethnicbackgrounds,anddifferentphysicalcapacitiesarethrownin.Willitbesurvivalofthefittestorashowofhumanity?
小曼达被强奸后被丢弃在贫民窟的垃圾堆里，强奸犯是当地政客儿子，警察选择包庇罪犯，曼达的父母关心的是自己尊严，但外婆不会接受这种不公。