In the hills not far from Los Angeles, a new, fresh, secure housing area has been built by former U.S. Marshal Jack Coleman (Jimmy Smits) and a friend. An escaped convict, Cougar (James LeGros) and a band of ten psychopaths invade this safe area after a violent earthquake. With aid of a pizza delivery boy, he must defend his family and his friends wife Lilly (Kristy Swanson), and declares Marshal Law.