37 'idealists' are aboard the Greenpeace ship Esperanza. They voyage to the southernmost regions of the globe in an attempt to locate the Japanese whaling fleet off Antarctica. Japan plans to kill more than 1,000 peaceful marine mammals in a Southern Ocean whale sanctuary. They assert it's for scientific purposes, but in reality, the deceased whales end up in Japanese restaurants. As events take an unexpected turn, one question becomes increasingly pertinent: Is it truly worth fighting for one's ideals?