▁sh el ved ▁because ▁of ▁M GM ' s ▁financial ▁troubles . ▁While ▁in ▁post - production , ▁the ▁inv ading ▁army ▁and ▁ant agon ists ▁were ▁changed ▁from ▁Chinese ▁to ▁North ▁Korean ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maintain ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁Chinese ▁box ▁office , ▁though ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁still ▁not ▁released ▁in ▁China . ▁Film D istrict ▁bought ▁the ▁world wide ▁distribution ▁rights ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁and ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁An ▁intro duct ory ▁mont age ▁shows ▁the ▁fall out ▁of ▁an ▁economic ▁crisis ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁and ▁a ▁weak ened ▁NAT O ▁al liance , ▁amid ▁increasing ▁co operation ▁between ▁an ▁increasing ly ▁milit ant ▁North ▁Korea ▁and ▁ul tr an ational ist - control led ▁Russia . ▁The ▁increased ▁deployment ▁of ▁U . S . ▁troops ▁abroad ▁leaves ▁the ▁main land ▁vulner able . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁Jed ▁E ck ert ▁is ▁home ▁on ▁leave ▁in ▁Sp ok ane , ▁Washington . ▁He ▁reun ites ▁with ▁his ▁father , ▁Sp ok ane ▁Police ▁Serge ant ▁Tom ▁E ck ert ▁and ▁his ▁brother , ▁football ▁player ▁Matt ▁E ck ert . ▁The ▁morning ▁after ▁a ▁myster ious ▁power ▁out age , ▁Jed ▁and ▁Matt ▁are ▁shock ed ▁to ▁see ▁sw ar ms ▁of ▁inv ading ▁North ▁Korean ▁par atro op ers ▁and ▁transport ▁aircraft . ▁Their ▁father ▁tells ▁them ▁to ▁fle e ▁to ▁their