The movie opens in crime-ridden Chicago, where violence is rampant. Two police officers are involved in a gunfight; one is fatally injured and dies despite the efforts of trauma surgeon Paul Kersey.

The scene then shifts to Paul’s home, where he lives with his close-knit family: his wife Lucy and their daughter Jordan. They are depicted as a loving family who shares a strong bond. At one of Jordan’s soccer games, Paul has a confrontation with an aggressive parent but is pulled away by Lucy before things escalate.