This is the second film adaptation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, published in 1953. The opening scenes show the arrival of 24 military school boys on a deserted island in the Pacific, after their airplane has crashed into the ocean.

Captain Benson, the pilot of the ill-fated flight, is in dire shape, and the boys decide who their leader should be. They also start arguing about getting rescued.

The boys chant a version of the US Army cadence as they march, and Piggy's eyeglass lenses give Ralph a bright idea on how to start a fire. But once the fire starts...

In search of protein on the island, the boys set their sights on a wild boar. Captain Benson is in a very sorry state and unable to offer any leadership or comfort, no matter how much the boys might daydream.

There's friction between Ralph and Jack, with Ralph wanting to keep the spirits up among the boys and Jack taking a more pessimistic view on their situation and rescue. Ralph calls for greater discipline and highlights the need to fish and hunt for food.

The boys make preparations for hunting wild boar while a delirious Captain Benson runs away from Simon, his minder.

Captain Benson can't be found and some boys think he may have swum out to sea in his delirium. They get closer to slaying a boar, and a helicopter on the horizon gives the boys a glimmer of hope.

Ralph and Jack part ways over the fire that was supposed to burn at all times to alert passing aircraft of their presence. The boys divide into two camps.

After a big storm, Ralph and his group find a very welcome banana plant. They search for wood to build a fire in the hopes of being spotted and rescued, while Jack's group is out hunting for boar and iguana.

Jack and his group hear strange monster-like sounds coming from a cave. Ralph is skeptical about there being any monster, but some of his followers defect and go over to Jack's camp.

Simon wants to explore the mysterious cave, while Jack comes up with a grim present for the cave inhabitant.

After a horrific confrontation resulting in the death of one of boys, Ralph is full of remorse and appalled at what has happened to them all.

Ralph and Piggy go to Jack in the hopes of getting Piggy's glasses back and settling things like adults.

Jack has the hunters build fires to smoke Ralph out of the jungle.

The fire that was set to smoke Jack out of the jungle has an unintended consequence—and a happy one at that.