Friends Gerry (Casey Affleck) and Gerry (Matt Damon) hike into Death Valley, but they stray so far from the trail that they have no idea how to get back. Initially, they maintain morale by rehashing old stories and reciting inside jokes, but the gravity of their situation sinks in as a return to civilization becomes more unlikely. As the sheer scope, hypnotic pull and spirit-crushing mirages of the desert affect the men, their will to live and sense of identity is challenged and transformed.