民国年间，与世隔绝的怪水村被湖中“水猴子”所扰。此物实为濒危水栖人猿，能模仿人言诱杀村民。少年水生幼年目睹父亲惨死其手，自此深陷恐惧。村中长老三叔公借祭祀之名行愚昧统治，以活人献祭暂息水怪，却埋下更深祸根。连年暴雨与人为侵扰激怒水猴子，袭击频发。当香兰之弟被食、其父莫叔反抗被杀，香兰决意以身献祭复仇。水生幡然觉醒，不再逃避，联合青年村民布设机关陷阱，假借献祭诱敌。恶战后水怪被擒，却于庆功夜破笼而出，血洗村庄，三叔公亦命丧其口。村民终于醒悟：迷信退让换不来平安。水生断发持叉，率众设伏，以智慧与血勇将水怪斩杀。晨光中，他与香兰相扶而立，唯有直面恐惧、团结抗争，方能驱散千年阴霾，重获新生。
Based on a best-selling book by New York Times national security correspondent David E. Sanger, The Perfect Weapon explores the rise of cyber conflict as the primary way nations now compete with and sabotage one another. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker John Maggio (Panic: The Untold Story of the 2008 Financial Crisis) and featuring interviews with top military, intelligence, and political officials on the frontlines of cyberterrorism, the documentary brings to light the combatants and innocent victims caught in the crosshairs of a hidden war that has been going on for decades — a war that America started, but has no idea how to finish. Traveling from the deserts of Iran and Las Vegas to the back alleys of Beijing and Moscow, the film chronicles America's pursuit of enemies who have plotted against its institutions, its economy, and its democracy. A never-before-seen look inside the secret world of spies, hackers, and scammers in the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. elections, for which fear of cyberattacks has mounted to an all-time high, The Perfect Weapon is a timely reflection on the ultimate price — and potential "victors" — of this high-stakes conflict.
