Clayton "Clay" Riddell (Cusack) is a disillusioned artist, whom a year earlier abandoned his wife, Sharon (Sarullo) and son, Johnny (Casto), in hopes of living his dream of publishing a graphic novel. At Boston International Airport, Riddell is attempting to board a flight in hopes of reconciling with his family. His cell phone battery dies and he's forced to use a pay phone to reconnect with Sharon. Suddenly an electronic signal is broadcast across mobile networks worldwide, cell phone users are instantly and dangerously re-programmed into rabid killers. Riddell manages to escape the chaos in the terminal, and is rescued by a group of survivors in a subway car. The train's driver Thomas "Tom" McCourt (Jackson) suggests abandoning the train and travelling through the tunnels, due to the power outage. Riddell agrees and, joined by a third man, attempts to escape the airport.