▁ed its , ▁the ▁final ▁version ▁premier ed ▁at ▁Fant astic ▁Fest ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁It ▁opened ▁in ▁limited ▁release ▁in ▁California ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁in ▁Canada ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁nation wide ▁in ▁United ▁States , ▁in ▁just ▁ 6 3 ▁the aters , ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁The ▁film ▁opened ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁on ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁On ▁July ▁ 4 th , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁in ▁a ▁fict ional ized ▁United ▁States ▁alternate ▁history ▁reality , ▁two ▁towns ▁in ▁Texas ▁( El ▁Pas o ▁and ▁Ab il ene ) ▁were ▁destroyed ▁by ▁tw in ▁nuclear ▁attacks , ▁killing ▁thousands ▁and ▁trigger ing ▁a ▁cat ast rop he ▁of ▁un im agin able ▁proport ions , ▁sending ▁America ▁into ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁an archy ▁and ▁h yst eria , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁Third ▁World ▁War ▁( a ▁fict ional ized ▁version ▁of ▁what ▁the ▁nation ▁may ▁have ▁become ▁under ▁the ▁War ▁on ▁T error ), ▁with ▁the ▁US ▁government ▁re - int rodu cing ▁the ▁draft . ▁ ▁The ▁P AT RI OT ▁Act ▁has ▁extended ▁authority ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁ag ency ▁known ▁as ▁US - ID ent , ▁which ▁keeps ▁constant ▁surve ill ance ▁on ▁citizens — even ▁to ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁c ensor ing ▁the ▁Internet ▁and ▁requiring