Logo What's After the Movie

Test your knowledge of Reset with our quiz!

Reset Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Reset (2017). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.


Xia Tian Mi Yang is a dedicated research scientist at Nexus Corporation, where her team pursues wormhole technology that could open doors to parallel universes. The project, led by a strict Director, promises breakthroughs but carries dangerous side effects: test animals become aggressively violent and their cells begin to deteriorate, casting a shadow over every progress report. In this high-stakes race, competition comes from IPT Lab, a rival agency that also works on the same frontier of science.

IPT Lab hires Tsui Hu [Wallace Huo], a seasoned operative, to steal Nexus’s hard-won research. Tsui Hu kidnaps Xia Tian’s young son Dou Dou and gives Xia Tian one hour to deliver all the data. She scrambles to assemble what she can, but the deadline arrives too soon, and Tsui Hu ends up killing Dou Dou in front of her. The loss drives Xia Tian into a reckless, visceral resolve; she cannot imagine living without her child and vows to do whatever it takes to outpace the thieves.

In a desperate bid to rewrite the tragedy, Xia Tian returns to the Nexus building and activates the particle accelerator, stepping into a parallel universe—but time itself turns against her: she slides back in time by one hour and fifty minutes. The shift is not merely spatial; it’s existential, forcing her to confront alternate versions of herself and the choices that led to the current heartbreak. The new journey begins with a flicker of hope, tempered by the realization that every action in another world echoes back across all possible realities.

In the second universe, Xia Tian asserts herself by taking the place of her doppelgänger and leveraging foreknowledge of events. This version moves quickly to secure the research and Dou Dou, and she tries to outsmart Tsui Hu by passing along what seems like crucial data. Yet Tsui Hu is not deceived for long; even as Dou Dou is recovered, the plan backfires and Tsui Hu closes in, killing Dou Dou once more. The tragedy compounds as the cycle of loss tightens its grip across the timelines.

The journey continues to a third universe, where three distinct versions of Xia Tian converge: the original #1, who has grown aggressively dangerous; the second #2, who has already outmaneuvered Tsui Hu and is holding Dou Dou safe; and a third, unchanged #3 who has not crossed universes. The three versions must navigate their own complicated motives while keeping Dou Dou out of harm’s way. For a moment, it seems they might work together to safeguard the child, steering him toward a hospital and away from the clutches of those who would weaponize their technology.

As the plot thickens, it’s revealed that the Director—the project’s overseer—has been colluding with Tsui Hu, spurned by his firing and furious that the project was given to Xia Tian instead. The Director’s manipulation adds a chilling layer to the conspiracy, while Tsui Hu’s past as a test subject at IPT Lab surfaces, explaining his fixation on escaping to a universe where he hopes to save his wife and child. In a fierce confrontation over the stolen data, Tsui Hu kills the Director and is himself shot by Xia Tian #1. In his dying breath, he warns that IPT Lab’s subjects have turned on each other—and that the same chaos could unfold among the three Xia Tians.

The Nexus Lab becomes a crucible as the three Xia Tians confront Tsui Hu and his henchmen. Xia Tian #1 fights to remain the sole guardian of Dou Dou, but Xia Tian #2 suspends that dream by killing #1, accepting that she will deteriorate and die. Xia Tian #3, who has not travelled across universes and remains herself, is cleared to leave for the hospital and is reunited with Dou Dou. Left alone in a Nexus Lab that’s on the verge of explosion, Xia Tian #2 activates the particle accelerator, leaving her fate uncertain: did she slip into another universe, or did she perish in the blast?

A year later, the surviving Xia Tian has rebuilt a quieter life, unemployed but content, sharing a small, hopeful existence with Dou Dou. The price of discovery, the price of memory, and the fragile balance between science and family linger in the quiet after the storm, a reminder that some doors once opened can never be fully closed.

Reset Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Reset (2017) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.


IPT Lab hires Tsui Hu to steal Nexus wormhole tech

IPT Lab contracts Tsui Hu to pilfer Nexus's wormhole research. The Nexus team, led by the Director, works on the experimental tech but finds it destabilizing, causing aggression in test animals and cellular breakdown. This sets the stage for a high-stakes kidnapping plot.

Before the kidnapping IPT Lab

Dou Dou is kidnapped; demand issued

Tsui Hu kidnaps Xia Tian's son Dou Dou and gives Xia Tian one hour to deliver all the research. He pressures her, threatening Dou Dou's life. This triggers Xia Tian's desperate race to assemble the data.

Right after the kidnapping Nexus building

Delivery of research; Dou Dou is killed

Xia Tian retrieves the research but arrives too late to Tsui Hu. Dou Dou is killed by Tsui Hu, a devastating blow that confirms the stakes and fuels Xia Tian's resolve. She resolves to travel to the parallel worlds to change what happened.

One hour after kidnapping Tsui Hu's location / Nexus building

Xia Tian travels to Universe 2 back in time

Overwhelmed by grief, Xia Tian uses the particle accelerator to travel to a parallel universe. The jump sends her back in time by one hour and fifty minutes, giving her a second chance. She arrives in Universe 2 and takes her doppelgänger's place to reclaim the data.

Immediately after the death Nexus facility; Universe 2

Xia Tian impersonates her doppelgänger in Universe 2

In Universe 2, she impersonates her doppelgänger and quickly recovers Dou Dou. She hands Tsui Hu fake data to mislead him and buy time. Tsui Hu continues the pursuit, unaware of the deception.

Shortly after arrival Universe 2

Tsui Hu chases; Dou Dou is killed in Universe 2

Tsui Hu hunts the trio across Universe 2 and closes in on them. Despite the fake data, he captures Dou Dou and kills him, shattering Xia Tian's hope. Xia Tian fights on to protect her family and the data.

Soon after retrieval Universe 2

Arrival in Universe 3; three Xia Tians exist

Xia Tian travels to Universe 3 and encounters two other versions of herself: the aggressive original (#1) and the deceitful doppelgänger (#2), along with the unchanged survivor (#3). The trio realizes they must cooperate to evade Tsui Hu and save Dou Dou. Dou Dou is eventually kept safe and sent to hospital.

After the Universe 2 events Universe 3

Director's betrayal revealed; Tsui Hu's plan exposed

The three Xia Tians uncover the Director's conspiracy with Tsui Hu, revealing he wanted punishment for Xia Tian and to force proof of the tech by kidnapping Dou Dou. The Director's betrayal explains the broader conspiracy; Tsui Hu's backstory as an IPT Lab test subject is revealed.

During the third universe events Nexus lab

Confrontation: Director killed; Tsui Hu dies

In a tense confrontation, Tsui Hu kills the Director and is shot by Xia Tian #1. As he dies, Tsui Hu warns that IPT Lab's test subjects turn on each other, hinting at a dangerous cycle. The immediate threat around the data is neutralized, but the tech remains volatile.

Climax Nexus lab

Three Xia Tians clash; fate of the versions

The three Xia Tians stage a final standoff in the Nexus Lab. Xia Tian #1 is killed by Xia Tian #2, who accepts she will die from cell deterioration. Xia Tian #3, the unchanged traveler, is allowed to leave for the hospital with Dou Dou.

Final confrontation Nexus Lab

Xia Tian #3 reunites with Dou Dou at the hospital

Xia Tian #3 arrives at the hospital and is reunited with Dou Dou. The other two Xia Tians remain behind as the lab teeters on instability. This marks a fragile reconciliation and a step toward safety for Dou Dou.

Immediately after the standoff Hospital

Nexus Lab destabilizes; accelerator uncertain outcome

Left alone in the Nexus Lab, Xia Tian #2 activates the particle accelerator as the facility is about to explode. It is unclear whether she travels to another universe or dies in the blast. The scene signals the true cost of the experiments.

During lab explosion Nexus Lab

One year later: a simple life with Dou Dou

A year after the events, the surviving Xia Tian is unemployed but living a happy, simple life with Dou Dou. The ending underscores a quiet, hopeful future after the turbulence of parallel worlds. The fate of the other versions remains unresolved.

One year later Home

Reset Characters

Explore all characters from Reset (2017). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.


Xia Tian (Yang Mi)

A determined Nexus scientist whose drive to rescue her son Dou Dou drives her to travel across universes. She demonstrates resourcefulness and adaptability, even when her actions have severe consequences. As she confronts multiple versions of herself, she is torn between maternal love and the ruthless pragmatism required to protect it.

🔬 Scientist 👩‍🔬 Researcher 👩‍👧 Mother 🧠 Strategic

Tsui Hu (Wallace Huo)

A hired operative who embodies ruthlessness and cunning, tasked with stealing Nexus's research. His actions propel the plot and reveal a willingness to harm innocents, including Dou Dou. His own backstory as a test subject adds a tragic edge to his antagonism.

🗡️ Ruthless 🕵️‍♂️ Operative 🧬 Test subject 💰 Calculated

Dou Dou (Hummer Zhang)

Xia Tian’s young son whose kidnapping is the catalyst for the entire conflict. His fate underscores the human cost of scientific pursuit and corporate rivalry. His safety becomes the emotional center that propels Xia Tian through the multiverse journey.

👶 Child 💙 Innocent 🧸 Center of plot

Director

Leader of Team Nexus who is fired from the project and later colludes with Tsui Hu, revealing corporate politics and personal vengeance. This betrayal exposes the hollow ethics of those who wield powerful tech. The Director’s fate underscores the cost of ambition without accountability.

🏛️ Leader 🔗 Betrayal 🧪 Corporate politics

Reset Settings

Learn where and when Reset (2017) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.


Time period

Set in a contemporary era with near-future science that enables exploration of parallel universes. The plot hinges on rapid advances in wormhole travel and the ethical questions they raise. The time-travel elements create cascading consequences across multiple timelines.

Location

Nexus Corporation Laboratory, IPT Lab, Nexus Building, Hospital

Nexus Corporation Laboratory is a cutting-edge research facility where wormhole technology is developed and tested. IPT Lab is a rival agency that hires to steal Nexus's research, driving the central conflict. The story also traverses the Nexus building, a hospital, and the parallel universes created by the experiments, illustrating how tech and ambition spill into everyday settings.

🔬 Sci-Tech 🏢 Corporate 🧪 Labs 🚨 Action

Reset Themes

Discover the main themes in Reset (2017). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.


🪞

Identity

The film toys with multiple versions of the same person across parallel universes, forcing characters to question which version of themselves is real. Xia Tian’s doppelgängers embody competing desires—protective love versus ruthless pragmatism. The story uses this multiplicity to explore loyalty, choices, and personal accountability.

Time

Time travel is not a power fantasy but a containment mechanism that compounds risk: altering one moment can unravel others. The one-hour-to-one-hour-and-fifty-minute travel loops create a tense race against consequences. The climax hinges on how many versions can survive within the timeline.

⚖️

Ethics

Corporate competition and scientific ambition push researchers toward morally gray decisions, including kidnapping, deception, and willingness to sacrifice others for the greater good. The Director and IPT Lab’s collusion highlight the dangers of unchecked power. The film prompts reflection on responsibility toward human life when technology can rewrite reality.

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Reset Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Reset (2017). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.


In a near‑future world where the boundaries between dimensions are finally within reach, a cutting‑edge research hub has unlocked the secret to bending time itself. The atmosphere hums with a blend of sterile laboratory precision and the electric anticipation of a discovery that could rewrite humanity’s understanding of reality. Yet the promise of such power casts a long, uneasy shadow over every experiment, hinting at consequences far beyond the lab’s white walls.

At the heart of this fragile equilibrium is Xia Tian, a brilliant scientist whose dedication to the project is matched only by the quiet strength she draws from her role as a mother. Her brilliance is tempered by the everyday pressures of balancing groundbreaking research with the tender responsibilities of parenthood, creating a character whose resolve is both intellectual and deeply personal. The stakes rise when forces beyond her control threaten both her life’s work and the safety of her young son.

When that threat materializes in a desperate act that tears her family apart, Xia Tian is forced to turn the very invention she helped create into a desperate lifeline. By rewinding a precise 110 minutes, she steps into a version of the present that is both familiar and unsettling, confronting multiple iterations of herself. This encounter with alternate selves sets the stage for a tense exploration of identity, choice, and the ripple effects of each decision across converging timelines.

The film weaves a mood that oscillates between high‑octane scientific intrigue and intimate emotional urgency. Its visual palette juxtaposes sleek, cold corridors with moments of warm, human vulnerability, while the narrative pulse constantly asks how far one will go when the fabric of time itself becomes a tool for salvation. The result is a thoughtful, suspenseful meditation on the price of discovery and the lengths a parent will travel to protect what matters most.

Can’t find your movie? Request a summary here.

Movies with Similar Twists and Themes

Uncover films that echo the narrative beats, emotional arcs, or dramatic twists of the one you're exploring. These recommendations are handpicked based on story depth, thematic resonance, and spoiler-worthy moments — perfect for fans who crave more of the same intrigue.


© 2026 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.