When a mysterious boat drifts into NY harbor the police are sent in to investigate. They find what is supposed to be a dead guy on board, but he doesn't stay dead for long.... The boat belongs to Anne Bowles (Farrow) father who has since stopped communicating with the outside world. She decides to investigate further with the help of reporter Peter West (McCulloch). They set sail for the island of Matul where her fathers last known whereabouts were rooted. They find that a mysterious outbreak is causing the dead to come back to life and eat the living.