OurfocushereisonattractivecoupleGeorge(RafeSpall)andAmy(EleanorTomlinson).NewlyarrivedinWoking,theLondonEveningGazettejournalistandamateurscientisthopetheirnewsurroundingswillhelpthemfindpeace.GeorgesdecisiontoleavealovelessmarriagewithhiscousinLucyfortheeducatedAmyhasseenhimshunnedbypolitesocietyandestrangedfromhisfamily.Evenhisformerlyclosebrother,Frederick(RupertGraves),agovernmentofficial,nowhasnotimeforhissibling.Thisisaselfish,cruelpursuitthatcannothelpbutbringforththemostunpleasantconsequences,hehisses.However,whensixtrawlersmysteriouslydisappearoffthecoastofHull,itscleartheyareallfacingfarbiggerproblems.Atfirst,theBritishgovernmentblametheRussiannavy,butthenmeteoritesbeginlandingaroundthecountryside.OneofthemblazesatrailthroughHorsellCommon,arousingtheinterestofbothAmyandlocalastronomerOgilvy(RobertCarlyle).Aslocalsbegingatheringtogawkatthespacedebris,somethingstrangebeginstounfold.Themeteoriterises,emittingaheatraythatkillseveryoneittouches.Naturally,panicensuesandthegovernmentsinitialattemptstodownplaytheeventquicklyfallawayasmoreandmorereportsofsimilarincidentsacrossthelandcomein.Itisthough,onlythebeginning.