Hull, 1859. Disgraced ex-army surgeon Patrick Sumner (Jack O'Connell) boards a whaling ship bound for the Arctic, also on board is Henry Drax (Colin Farrell), a brutish harpooner and force of nature. Baxter, the ship's owner, and his Captain, Brownlee, scheme to ensure the voyage is a profitable one, regardless of the whales caught. The journey to the ice floes is arduous and the seas are rough. Will Sumner be able to keep his own secrets safe, keep his growing addiction at bay, and survive the dangers of the journey?