May of 1941: The German battleship Bismarck is the biggest, fastest, and most powerful warship of its time. To keep their vital supply routes open, the British navy urgently needs to sink the Bismarck.
Captain Jonathan Shepherd is ordered to devise a strategy to guide the British ships to victory. In an underground war room Shepherd maneuvers model ships like chess pieces trying to find a solution. Shepherd`s motivation couldn`t greater: his wife was killed in the Blitz and his son is reported missing in action. Shepherd struggles to keep his feelings in check while making risky decisions affecting the lives of thousands. Only his assistant Anne Davis understands his inner turmoil and helps him come to grips with it — and the Bismarck.