The focus of this enlightening documentary is an event that many may remember: the ballistic missile alert that was mistakenly sent to the 1.4 million residents of Hawaii in January, 2018. But most are not aware of the impact it had on the people of Hawaii, nor the concerning and largely unaddressed implications of this blunder. Director Nick Lyell captures the diverse reactions to the surreal and traumatic morning when families, soldiers, and tourists were forced to confront an unthinkable reality—an incoming nuclear missile. Just as pressing are bigger issues concerning militarism and colonialism in a state that was once its own sovereign nation. False Alarm provides varying perspectives on the situation in Hawaii, including voices of both military members and Native Hawaiians.