A series of fragmented news broadcasts describes how an asteroid carrying an alien race called the Mimics has crashed in Europe and devastated the continent in a deadly war. Losing battle after battle over five years, the NATO-led United Defense Forces finally win a victory at Verdun, France, utilizing new mechanized "jacket" combat suits. UK Special Forces soldier Sgt. Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) is hailed as "The Angel of Verdun" after killing hundreds of Mimics. She becomes an instant icon and a recruiting boon for the human military as the united human armies prepare to use the momentum at Verdun to commit all their forces in a multi-pronged final assault on Europe. One of the talking heads on the newsreels telling Vrataski's story and boosting the war effort is Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) of the US Army.
Cage awakens from a doze on a helicopter trip to London the morning before the invasion of France is set to take place. He meets with the Commander of the Western allies, General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson), assuming the General wants Cage to help him boost his public image or prepare for a post-war political career. Instead, the General orders Cage to accompany the first wave of Allied troops to land in France and provide ground coverage for the media. Cage, who was a college ROTC Cadet and majoring in advertising and has no experience in combat, tries all of the tricks he can think of to avoid the order to embed with combat units and avoid deployment, ending with an effort to blackmail the General using his media skills. The General agrees that Cage won't film the invasion, but orders Cage arrested. Cage attempts to escape but the guards Taser him, rendering him unconscious.
Cage wakes up on a pile of duffel bags in the afternoon at Heathrow Airport, which has become a huge military base and the jump-off point for the invasion of the Continent. A Sergeant kicks him and calls him 'maggot' before Sergeant Farrell (Bill Paxton) takes over. Sgt. Farrell has orders received from General Brigham that describe Private Cage as a deserter who has impersonated a Major. Cage is assigned to a band of odd-ball soldiers, J-Squad, who are caught gambling by Farrell when Cage is introduced to them. Farrell forces J-Squad to eat the cards they are gambling with and then instructs them to get Cage ready to deploy with them tomorrow. Cage is immediately taken by the squad for Physical Training (PT).
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