Trama

Following his uncle's mysterious death, Alex Rider begins a quest for answers that leads him into a dark world of secrets and espionage. He comes to realise that his uncle wasn't the man he thought he was and that Alex himself is expected to follow in his footsteps.—ruud-je

In New York City, a man with a large scar on his face sneaks into the server room underneath wealthy media mogul Michael Rosco's skyscraper, and sets up a projection device in the elevator shaft. Up in the penthouse, Rosco tries to connect with his teenage son, Parker Rosco, who behaves aloof but placating. Rosco becomes worried about something, and decides to leave immediately for London, calling an old friend to try and explain his concerns. Before he can, he steps through a projected illusion of his elevator, and falls down the shaft to his death. The scarred man downstairs removes his equipment, and leaves without a trace.

In London, teenage schoolboy Alex Rider and his best friend, filming enthusiast Tom Harris, discuss going to a big party that Alex's crush Aisha will be attending that evening. Later Tom brags about having the address to the event on his phone, but the teacher confiscates it for having it out during class. After school, Tom coerces Alex into using his skills to get the phone back so they can go to the party and meet Aisha and Alex gives in, using parkour to climb the building and reenter the school through the roof access. He makes it down to the classroom and successfully picks the lock on the desk drawer with a paperclip, but is caught escaping by the returning teachers. Alex is driven home by his uncle and guardian, Ian Rider, who chastises him for his rule-breaking, and forbids him from going anywhere for the weekend. Alex complains to the Riders' housekeeper and Alex's former nanny, American immigrant Jack Starbright, saying that his uncle is too strict and rigid. Jack reminds him of the adventures and exotic trips Ian has taken him on throughout his life, and suggests he cut him some slack. During dinner, Ian watches news coverage of Michael Rosco's death, saying that he was a client of the bank Ian works for. Alex recognizes Rosco's some Parker from a prank video he made the previous year, remarking he looks very different since Rosco sent his troublemaker son a to remote boarding school to straighten him out, which fascinates Ian. Later, Ian searches through Parker's social media and finds the name of the school: Point Blanc. Jack comes to see him and tells him she has passed her exams and gotten her university degree, after six years of part time classes while working for the Riders. They start to discuss the possibility that she might move on now that Alex is nearly grown, but Ian gets an urgent call.

Tom calls Alex on his laptop about the party, but Alex tells Tom that Ian has grounded him. Ian comes in and tells Alex he has to go to the office for the evening, and asks him if Point Blanc was the name of the school Parker Rosco was sent to. Alex is confused, but confirms the name sounds familiar, and Ian leaves. Alex takes advantage of his absence to sneak out of the house and go to the party. Ian picks up his partner, Martin Wilby, who informs Ian that he ran down the lead Ian gave him, and has arranged a rendezvous with an informant. They arrive at an empty industrial building, and Ian retrieves a gun from a secret compartment in his car. Alex meets Tom at the party, finding it packed with schoolmates. They mingle with their fellow teenagers, drink, and enjoy themselves, though Alex's attempts to connect with Aisha fall somewhat flat. Meanwhile at the warehouse, Ian and Wilby become suspicious of the strangely quiet meeting place, and are confronted by the scarred man who assassinated Rosco, Yassin Gregorovitch. Yassin and Ian seem to know eachother, and Yassin admits killing Rosco. Before Ian can act, Wilby turns his gun on him. Ian is shocked by Martin's betrayal, telling him he doesn't even know who he is working for, and won't live long enough to enjoy the money. Yassin apologizes to Ian for what he must do, and shoots him dead. The job complete, Yassin shoots Wilby in the arm and instructs him to call in the murder to his superiors. Alex returns home from the party to find a police car outside his house. The officer tells him and Jack that Ian was in a deadly car crash, and has been killed. A shocked Alex asks to see the body, but the officer tells him that Ian was driving over the speed limit, and his body is too damaged for viewing. Alex and Jack are left to grieve.

The next morning, Alex goes to Ian's study and finds a scribbled note on Ian's desk, 'Point Blanc'. Across town, a male and female agent and a group of forensic workers are at the scene of the murder, taking Ian's body away. The agents are joined by their leader, who is informed that Ian and Martin were attacked by an unknown assailant who left little to no trace. Martin is hurt, but alive. The leader goes to speak to Wilby, and asks the agents to talk to Alex. The female agent remarks sadly that first the boy's parents are killed, and now his uncle. They go to the Rider home, and introduce themselves as colleagues of Ian's from the 'bank'. The woman, Mrs. Jones, offers their condolences for Ian's passing. Alex tells them he was told his uncle was driving over the speed limit when he was killed, which Ian never did. The man, Crawley, says sometimes people make mistakes, but Alex insists Ian never did. Mrs. Jones gives Alex her number on a business card for the bank, and tells him to call if he needs anything. On their way out, Alex mentions Point Blanc, and asks what it means. Neither of them recognize the name, but they promise to look into it. Their leader, Alan Blunt, debriefs Wilby about the attack. Martin claims that Ian called him with a lead about a cyber-attack they've been investigating. Blunt doesn't understand how someone behind a cyber-attack could possibly get the drop on people like them, and throws the idea of the attack being connected to that case out. He asks Wilby if Ian mentioned anything else, but Wilby insists that was all Ian told him.

Tom comes to visit Alex, and finds him frustratedly hanging up with a hospital. Alex frantically tells Tom that he has called every hospital and mortuary in the city and no one has records of Ian's body ever being entered. He starts to wonder if the story behind Ian's death was completely fabricated, returning to the fact that Ian would never, ever drive over the speed limit. Tom thinks he is just in shock over his loss, but Alex is determined to find out the truth. Realizing that Tom's phone is still in Ian's car, he asks Tom if his phone tracker app is activated, and has him access it's location. Mrs. Jones goes to see Blunt, and shows him evidence collected from Michael Rosco's death, as well as from the death of a Russian billionaire who also had a troubled teenage son. Both men sent their children away to a school called Point Blanc. Jones credits Alex with unwittingly making the connection. Alex and Tom follow the GPS towards Tom's phone and make it to the industrial complex. Alex sneaks in and see Crawley overseeing a group of people cleaning up the scene and towing away Ian's car, ordering everyone to use a cover story if they are asked about the activity. Alex records this as evidence, but is confronted by an agent. Alex easily incapacitates the man, and he and Tom spot Crawley leaving the scene. Alex asks Tom to go home and cover for him while he bikes after the car. The vehicle drives downtown and into a building apparently under renovation. Alex is able to slip in through the gates right after the car, and finds himself in an underground parking garage. Crawley finds him following him, and brings him in for a talk. Alan Blunt observes Alex, who has been brought to an interview room and is being held for breaking in. Blunt remarks that Alex has shown incredible skill and intelligence in figuring out who they are, let alone finding them. He says he is exactly what they need. Blunt has Alex brought to them and shows him the truth about his uncle. Ian never worked at a bank, but was in fact a decorated war veteran, and an agent with the Department, a subdivision of the British Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. Blunt runs the operation, and Ian was one of their best field agents. He tells Alex that Ian was shot and killed while doing his job, and they never was a car crash, which Alex already knows. Blunt says that Alex is his uncles nephew, which is good, because they have a job they'd like him to do. Alex is furious that he has been lied to his whole life, and angry the Department let Ian get killed. He refuses Alan's offer, and storms out. Blunt tells him to call them if he changes his mind. Mrs. Jones expresses her disgust at the idea of using a juvenile as an agent, but Blunt tells her they have to adapt, or they will lose the fight.

The next day, Alex tells Jack that someone killed Ian, but doesn't get a chance to tell her what he found as the doorbell rings. Immigration Officers arrive at the Rider house and demand to see Jack's visa. They proclaim the document void and order her to accompany them for deportation back to the United States. A social worker arrives at the same time with more officers to take Alex away to foster care. Alex tells them all to wait and without even dialing, picks up the phone and tells whoever is listening that he will do the job. The officers and the social worker all get a call, and leave without a word. Jack is shocked and confused, and Alex leaves the house without explanation and gets into a waiting car with Alan Blunt.