Archetypal 1960s musician Max Frost (Christopher Jones) lends his backing to a Senate candidate who wants to give 18-year-olds the right to vote, but he takes things a step further than expected. Inspired by their hero's words, Max's fans pressure their leaders into extending the vote to citizens as young as 15. Max and his followers capitalize on their might by bringing new issues to the fore, but, drunk on power, they soon take generational warfare to terrible extremes.

After a chemical accident releases a deadly gas killing everyone over 25, the world is left in the hands of its youth. Sardonic hippie Coel takes off with his girlfriend, Cilla, in search of better areas after inexperienced authorities overrun their hometown. Heading west, the pair is joined by Marissa and Carlos, another couple looking for answers. Encountering freaks and eccentrics, the foursome forges ahead, trying to survive.