Veteran photojournalist Richard Boyle, down on his luck in the US, drives to El Salvador to chronicle the events of the 1980 military dictatorship, including the assasination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. When Boyle witnessed the execution of a student by government troops just as they enter the country, it becomes clear that this war is more serious than they were expecting. Increasingly convinced that El Salvador is a disaster starting to happen, Boyle continues to push local and U.S. Embassy officials for answers, which makes him soon become a target and must find a way to flee - with Maria - before he too becomes one of the disappeared.