The Trigger Effect 1996

Annie and Matthew, a young married couple, are thrown into a nightmare when they discover their infant daughter suffering from a high fever and an earache. In a desperate attempt to get help, Matthew contacts the doctor, who assures him that a prescription will be called into the pharmacist the next day. However, during the night, a massive power outage sweeps through the neighborhood, leaving everyone in disarray.

The following day, when Matthew attempts to procure the much-needed medicine, the pharmacist informs him that due to the blackout, the medicine is unavailable. In a moment of panic and frustration, Matthew resorts to stealing the medicine while the pharmacist is distracted. As the blackout drags on, social unrest begins to unfold, prompting Matthew and their close friend Joe to purchase a shotgun and temporarily stay together during this chaotic time.

Things take a turn for the worse when an intruder breaks into their home one night. Matthew, alongside Joe, chases the intruder outside, only for a neighbor to step in and fatally shoot him. In a sinister twist, the neighbors decide to conceal the fact that the intruder was unarmed. As the days pass with the blackout still in effect, chaos ensues more broadly, leading the group to the difficult decision to flee to Annie’s parents’ house, located a daunting 530 miles away.

Faced with limited fuel for the long journey, they pull over near an abandoned vehicle hoping to siphon some gas. To their shock, they find a man named Gary slumped in the backseat, armed with a handgun. In a tense standoff, as Joe goes back to fetch his own shotgun for a scare tactic, tragedy strikes when Gary shoots Joe and makes off with their vehicle.

In a bid for help for his family, Matthew walks an hour to a nearby farmhouse. Initially met with hostility, the occupant, Raymond, refuses assistance due to a lack of trust. After retrieving the shotgun and preparing to confront Raymond, Matthew’s resolve softens when Raymond’s young daughter unexpectedly enters the room, prompting him to lower his weapon. This change of heart allows for a fragile alliance, and Raymond decides to lend Matthew a helping hand. Just in time, paramedics arrive to take Joe away in an ambulance.

As power is gradually restored and society begins to normalize, Annie, Matthew, and their neighbors are left forever changed by their harrowing ordeal. Their experiences have transformed them, leaving an indelible mark that will alter their perceptions of safety and community in the wake of adversity.