What Is Five About?
The premise of Five in 352 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the wake of a sudden, worldwide catastrophe, a single atomic blast has erased most of humanity, leaving the world a silent, scarred landscape. An isolated hillside house becomes an unlikely sanctuary, its modest rooms and surrounding garden the only foothold against an empty, irradiated world. The film dwells in the hush of ruined cities and the stark beauty of nature reclaiming what was lost, setting a tone that is both hauntingly desolate and quietly hopeful. Survival is no longer about grand battles but about the everyday struggle for food, clean air, and a sense of purpose amid overwhelming scarcity.
Into this fragile refuge arrives Roseanne Rogers, a determined woman still carrying the promise of a new life, whose journey across the wasteland reflects both desperation and resilience. She is soon joined by Michael, a man who has escaped the chaos of a collapsed metropolis and now clings to the simple act of tending the soil. Their tentative companionship is tested and deepened by the presence of Oliver P. Barnstaple, an elderly former bank clerk whose denial of the new reality creates a peculiar blend of comic relief and melancholy, and Charles, a thoughtful and affable African‑American survivor whose calm demeanor offers a steadying influence on the group.
A fifth survivor, Eric, arrives with a background of immense hardship and a restless drive to uncover what remains beyond the hills. His arrival injects fresh tension, as each individual brings distinct memories, skills, and philosophies about how to rebuild. The interplay of these personalities forms the heart of the story—conversations that hover between practical problem‑solving and existential reflection, moments of quiet cooperation punctuated by underlying doubts about trust and the future.
Together, the small band must navigate the psychological strain of being among the last people on Earth while grappling with the unknown cause and scope of the disaster. The film invites viewers to linger on the delicate balance of hope and fear, the quiet beauty of a world trying to heal, and the lingering question of what it means to start over when the entire human story seems to have been erased.
What Happens in Five?
The complete story of Five, from the first scene to the last, in 624 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Roseanne Rogers, Susan Douglas, trudges from place to place, searching for another living human being as a stark headline from a nearby newspaper warns that detonating a new kind of atomic bomb could push humanity toward extinction. Her journey leads her to her aunt’s isolated hillside house, where she faints upon discovering Michael, William Phipps, already living there. Initially, she is too numb to speak and slow to recover, but she gathers the courage to resist an attempted sexual assault and, in a quiet moment of honesty, reveals that she is married and pregnant.
Two more survivors arrive in a car, drawn by the smoke curling from the house’s chimney. Oliver P. Barnstaple, Earl Lee, an elderly bank clerk who clings to denial, acts as if he’s simply on vacation, while Charles, a thoughtful and affable African American man, Charles Lampkin, explains their survival: they were locked inside a bank vault when the catastrophe struck, or sheltered in a lead-lined X-ray room. Roseanne had been in a hospital’s lead-lined X-ray room, and Michael had been trapped in an elevator in New York’s Empire State Building.
Barnstaple grows sick, and Michael suspects radiation poisoning, though Barnstaple eventually seems to recover and longs to see the sea. The group soon drags a man named Eric, James Anderson, out of the ocean. A mountain climber, he recounts how a blizzard trapped him on Mount Everest and how he crawled down to base camp only to find everyone dead, then wandered across Asia and Europe to the sea, where more bodies lay. He eventually reached Hawaii by ship, finding only more corpses, and a plane ride home ends in fuel exhaustion near the United States. In the end, Barnstaple dies peacefully on the beach.
The next day, Charles helps Michael with a construction project, and Michael watches Roseanne bring food to the injured Eric. Michael suspects that Eric is exaggerating his condition and questions whether Roseanne should be running about for him. Eric’s presence quickly becomes divisive; he sows discord and theorizes that they are somehow immune to radiation, pushing the group to search for other survivors. Michael remains skeptical and warns that radiation will be most concentrated in the cities Eric wants to scour.
Eric also reveals a racist streak and clashes with Charles, who objects to his views. A confrontation erupts, and it stops only when Roseanne goes into labor; she delivers a boy with Michael acting as midwife. Afterward, while the others labor to build a new life, Eric retreats to his own space. He then vandalizes the group’s cultivated field by driving a jeep through it, destroying part of their crops. Michael orders him to leave, but Eric pulls a pistol and declares he will depart only on his own terms.
One night, Eric confides that he plans to head to the city, Oak Ridge. Hoping to learn what happened to her husband, Roseanne agrees to accompany him, though he insists she not tell Michael. After stealing supplies, Eric is challenged by Charles; a struggle ends with Charles being stabbed in the back and dying.
When they reach the city, Eric begins looting, while Roseanne seeks out her husband’s office and then his hospital waiting room. There she discovers his remains and longs to return to Michael, but Eric refuses to let her go. A struggle exposes Eric’s advanced radiation poisoning, and he runs away in despair.
Roseanne starts the long walk back to the hillside house, only to lose her baby along the way. Michael, who has been searching, eventually finds her. They bury their son and return to the house, where Michael quietly resumes tending the soil and Roseanne joins him, steady and resolute in the quiet life they cling to together.
Five Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Roseanne's search for survivors and warning headline” to “Return home; death of the baby and final quiet”. 12 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Roseanne's search for survivors and warning headline
Roseanne roams from place to place in search of any fellow human. A newspaper headline reports a scientist's warning that detonating a new type of atomic bomb could cause the extinction of humanity. The stark emptiness of the world strengthens her resolve to keep going despite the desolation.
When:post-disaster era
- 2
Arrival at aunt's hillside house and discovery
Roseanne reaches her aunt's isolated hillside house and finds Michael already living there. She faints upon the sight, overwhelmed and slow to respond as she begins to recover. She later resists Michael's attempted sexual assault and reveals that she is married and pregnant.
When:shortly after arrival Where:aunt's hillside house
- 3
Two new survivors arrive from smoke; backstories revealed
Two survivors arrive in a car, drawn by the house's chimney smoke. Oliver P. Barnstaple, an elderly bank clerk, is in denial, insisting that he is simply on vacation. Charles, a thoughtful African American man, has been caring for Barnstaple after they survived being locked in a bank vault.
When:the same day Where:aunt's hillside house
- 4
Barnstaple sickens; rescue from the sea brings Eric
Barnstaple grows ill, and Michael suspects radiation poisoning, though Barnstaple later appears to recover. They go to the coast and drag a man named Eric out of the ocean. Eric is a mountaineer who had been stranded on Mount Everest and made a long journey to reach this coast.
When:shortly after Barnstaple's illness Where:coastal area near hillside house
- 5
Eric's backstory and the coast's tense tales
Eric reveals the details of his long journey from Everest to the sea, explaining how he traveled across continents to reach the coast. He hints that some survivors might be immune to radiation, a notion that stirs both hope and suspicion among the group. This tale heightens the sense that danger may lie ahead even for those left alive.
When:along the coast following Eric's rescue Where:coastal area near hillside house
- 6
Barnstaple dies on the beach
Barnstaple dies peacefully on the beach after his illness. The group mourns his passing as they confront the harsh reality of their new world.
When:the following day Where:beach
- 7
Building, food, and growing tensions
Charles helps Michael with his construction project while Roseanne brings food to Eric, and Michael cautions that Eric might be exaggerating his illness. Eric's presence quickly sows discord within the group.
When:the next day Where:hillside house and surrounding area
- 8
Eric's racism surfaces during a confrontation
Eric's racist attitudes become explicit, and he clashes with Charles, triggering a fight. Roseanne goes into labor during the confrontation, and Michael delivers their baby boy.
When:night of the confrontation Where:hillside house
- 9
Eric's jealousy and damage to the farm
After the birth, Eric departs to himself and drives their jeep through the cultivated field, destroying crops. Michael orders him to leave, but Eric pulls a pistol and insists he will stay only when he's ready.
When:later that day/night Where:cultivated field near the hillside farm
- 10
Eric plans to go to Oak Ridge; Roseanne agrees to join
Eric tells Roseanne that he intends to go to the city of Oak Ridge to learn her husband's fate. Roseanne agrees to go with him, but he insists she keep the plan secret from Michael.
When:evening Where:roadside near hillside house
Show the other 3 events of Five Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Tension escalates on the journey to Oak Ridge; Charles confronts Eric
They steal supplies on the way, and a struggle leads to Eric stabbing Charles in the back, killing him. This act shatters any remaining sense of unity and ties Roseanne ever more tightly to Eric.
When:mid-journey Where:road toward Oak Ridge
- 12
In Oak Ridge, Roseanne discovers her husband's remains
Arriving in Oak Ridge, Eric loots while Roseanne searches her husband's office and later a hospital waiting room. She discovers his remains, realizing the fate of her family. Eric refuses to let her return to Michael, and a struggle reveals his advanced radiation poisoning.
When:upon arrival Where:Oak Ridge city
- 13
Return home; death of the baby and final quiet
Roseanne begins the long walk back to the hillside house, and tragically, her baby dies along the way. Michael finds her and they bury the child together. They return to the house, and Michael resumes tending the soil as Roseanne joins him, choosing to face the future together.
When:after the journey Where:hillside house and surrounding land
Who Are the Main Characters in Five?
5 characters, among them Roseanne Rogers (Susan Douglas), Michael (William Phipps) and Eric (James Anderson): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- RR
Roseanne Rogers (Susan Douglas)
Played by Susan Douglas
Roseanne moves from numbness to active agency, navigating trauma and bearing the burden of hope for the group. She balances vulnerability with determination, tending to the newborn and sustaining the group’s morale amid danger.
- 💗 Resilient
- 🤝 Caring
- 🧭 Resourceful
- M(
Michael (William Phipps)
Played by William Phipps
A practical builder who becomes the group’s steady anchor. He protects Roseanne, stays pragmatic about survival, and tries to manage the farm and resources while contending with distrust from outsiders.
- 🛠️ Practical
- 🛡️ Protective
- 🧱 Pragmatic
- E(
Eric (James Anderson)
Played by James Anderson
A volatile newcomer whose racism and craving for control threaten the group’s harmony. He provokes conflict, tests loyalties, and embodies the danger of leadership pursued through intimidation.
- ⚔️ Aggressive
- 🧭 Distrustful
- 🧯 Self-serving
- C(
Charles (Charles Lampkin)
Played by Charles Lampkin
A thoughtful and affable caretaker who stands for kindness and communal unity. He resists Eric’s aggression, supports Barnstaple, and ultimately becomes a casualty of the group’s internal strife.
- 🤝 Compassionate
- 🧭 Principled
- 🧡 Loyal
- MB
Mr. Barnstaple (Earl Lee)
Played by Earl Lee
An elderly bank clerk who initially clings to denial but gradually accepts the new reality. His presence highlights denial’s toll and the human tendency toward fatalism in catastrophe.
- 🧓 Elderly
- 🪶 Dignified
- 🫂 Dependable
Where and When Is Five Set?
Five is set in Aunt's hillside house, Ocean beach, Mount Everest Base Camp, Empire State…. Here is why the place matters to the story.
When
Set in a post-apocalyptic era after a catastrophic atomic event, the film follows survivors living in makeshift shelters and remote areas. Society has collapsed into isolated pockets, where radiation threats and scarcity shape daily life. The era emphasizes the struggle to maintain humanity and forge a new community amid ruin.
Where
Aunt's hillside house, Ocean beach, Mount Everest Base Camp, Empire State Building elevator, Oak Ridge city, bank vault, hospital
The story centers on an isolated hillside house owned by Roseanne’s aunt, which becomes the survivors’ refuge. The surrounding landscape shifts from rugged hillside to a desolate coastline, emphasizing the harsh environment after the catastrophe. Key locations—high in the hills, a perilous coast, and distant cities—serve as testing grounds for the group’s endurance and trust.
- 🏔️ Isolated hillside
- 🧭 Post-apocalyptic setting
- 🏝️ Coastal frontier
What Are the Themes of Five?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Survival, Conflict & Racism and Motherhood & Hope.
-
01
Survival
Survival drives every decision, from securing food and shelter to protecting the group from external threats. The survivors must adapt to radiation, scarcity, and mistrust, making hard moral choices. Small acts of care and collaboration amid hardship highlight the persistence of humanity.
-
02
Conflict & Racism
Eric’s arrival exposes deep-seated prejudice and fractures the fragile cohesion of the group. Charles’s principled demeanor clashes with Eric’s bigotry, fueling tension and violence. The story uses these dynamics to explore how fear can erode trust and cooperation.
-
03
Motherhood & Hope
Roseanne’s pregnancy and the birth of her son anchor a fragile thread of hope in a world of ruin. The baby’s subsequent death marks a devastating turn, yet the couple continues to cultivate the land, symbolizing resilience and the stubborn pull of life forward.
What Kind of Film Is Five?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A somber, slow-burning post-apocalyptic drama that follows the last survivors as they grapple with grief, interpersonal conflict, and the grim reality of rebuilding from nothing, resulting in a heavy and contemplative viewing experience.
- post-apocalyptic
- isolated
- contemplative
- somber
- grim
- resigned
- apocalypse
- survival
- grief and loss
- human nature
Content notes: sexual assault, death of a child, racial violence, stabbing, radiation poisoning.
Quiz
How well do you remember Five? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Five
Stream it on Artiflix and Eternal Family, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Artiflix 
Eternal Family 
Plex 
Plex Channel 
Tubi TV 
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