Young surfer Nick (Josh Hutcherson) thinks all his dreams have come true when he goes to visit his brother in Columbia. Against an idyllic backdrop of blue lagoons and white beaches, he falls madly in love with Maria (Claudia Trasiac). It seems perfect until he meets her uncle, the famous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro). Nick finds his life on the line when he's pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.