In the 1800s, a Virginia slave trader, Crusoe (Aidan Quinn), is shipwrecked on an unknown island on his way to South Africa to pick up more slaves, along with the only other survivor, a dog. Crusoe builds himself a camp from the ship's remains, and later discovers savages on the other side of the island. While rescuing a victim, whom he dubs Lucky, Crusoe is taken hostage by a warrior. Only after some time in the village does he begin to reassess his involvement in slave trafficking.