2039年，世界资源稀缺不够，为了控制人口，联合国要求每个国家每年减少5%的人口。在美国，政府宣布一年级到十二年级的学生每年都要参加名为“10-241”的考试，成绩最低的10%的学生将会被处决。布莱克在考试前一晚与女友爱莉相会，被身为州长的父亲迪恩发现，迪恩十分不悦。第二天考试时，爱莉成绩不佳被淘汰，布莱克向父亲求助，却被父亲以冠冕堂皇的理由拒绝，父子二人产生嫌隙。一年后，布莱克即将参加最后一次考试。而这次，布莱克决定故意写错答案，追随爱莉而去。得知此情况的迪恩，命令手下梅森篡改考试通过人员名单，布莱克幸免于难。与此同时，天才少女莱娜却得知自己没有通过考试，心生疑虑的她决定进入考试系统查看自己的成绩。在布莱克的帮助下，莱娜发现自己明明是高分却被列入淘汰名单，而一些分数较低的学生却在通过人员名单中。布莱克和莱娜的行为激怒了梅森，他命人将二人抓捕。莱娜的同学凯伦得知真相，将情况向媒体曝光，迫于压力，迪恩命梅森再次修改名单，莱娜被释放，而布莱克被处决。在一所秘密工厂里，逐渐清醒的布莱克发现，原来被淘汰的学生并没有死去，而成为了生产考试工具流水线上的工人。

　　That day is seared into the memory of every human being on the planet: the day the world changed. First came the attack on the Philippines. Within days they spread, as though appearing out of nowhere, striking out at more islands, forging a foothold in the South Pacific. Then came the first attack on U.S. soil - Los Angeles - and the reality became clear: our world was at war once again, but this time with an enemy from beyond our galaxy. Now, months later, the fate of the world hangs in the balance as a mission to strike at a key enemy installation deep in enemy territory goes terribly wrong, and the Marines of the 15th Expeditionary Unit are scattered across the island of New Britain, leaderless, and facing impossible odds. Pacific Theater is the story of those Marines: fresh recruits who journey from their homes across the Pacific to the front lines. It is the story of John Blake, a charming Californian surfer who must find the strength to become a leader, Tracey Gleeson, a physics...