由于执行任务时过于冲动，FBI探员托马斯（艾伦·艾克哈特 Aaron Eckhart 饰）放跑了他一直都在追踪的连环杀人犯雷蒙德（基斯·坎贝尔 Keith Campbell 饰）。这一事件给予了托马斯巨大的打击，他也因犯下的过错而受到了降职的处罚。
没过多久，另一起杀人事件的发生引起了托马斯的警觉，而雷蒙德尸体的出现则让托马斯更加确信凶手是针对他有备而来。过去的灰暗记忆和目前的混乱状态不断的折磨着托马斯，在他和搭档弗兰（凯瑞-安·莫斯 Carrie-Anne Moss 饰）的努力下，一个名叫本杰明（本·金斯利 Ben Kingsley 饰）的男人浮出了水面。更可怕的是，在本杰明的身上，似乎存在着一种神秘而又强大的特异力量。

在名为“玩具屋”的非法地下组织中，每年都有大量的“生物体”被制造出来，这些生物体表面上和人类无异，却是没有思想和灵魂的“玩具娃娃”，他们被租赁给世界各地的黑道富豪，用以完成各种各样或是复杂或是危险的秘密任务。任务完成后的生物体会被送回玩具屋，消抹掉所有的记忆，重新变为“傀儡”状态。 性感美丽的艾科（艾丽莎·杜什库 Eliza Dushku 饰）就是这些“玩具娃娃”中的一员，与其他伙伴不同的是，偶然间，艾科竟然产生了自我，面对自己的处境和状态，艾科的心中充满了疑惑，这让玩具屋的高层感到十分不妙。与此同时，名为保罗（塔莫·潘尼凯 Tahmoh Penikett 饰）的联邦探员也盯上了艾科。

号称“红魔”的雷蒙德一直以来都是联邦调查局通缉名单上的“常驻人员”，某一日，这位控制了犯罪市场中大部分信息与资源的传奇人物突然现身自首，并且声称能够提供关于恐怖分子兰科的最新线索，条件只有一个，那就是让初出茅庐的菜鸟探员莉兹做他的搭档和联络员。

Harmond Wilkes, an Ivy League-educated man who has inherited a real estate agency from his father, his ambitious wife Mame, and his friend Roosevelt Hicks want to redevelop the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The project, called the Bedford Hills Redevelopment Project, includes two high-rise apartment buildings and high-end chain stores like Starbucks, Whole Foods, and Barnes & Noble. Harmond is also about to declare his candidacy to be Pittsburgh's first black mayor. Roosevelt has just been named a vice-president of Mellon Bank and has been tapped by a Bernie Smith to help him acquire a local radio station at less than market value, which is possible through a minority tax incentive.

A complication arises when Harmond discovers that the house at 1839 Wylie, slated for demolition, was acquired illegally. Harmond offers the owner of the property market value for the house, but the owner refuses to sell. Harmond decides the only way to proceed is to build around the house, which will require minor modifications to the planned development, and calls the demolition company to cancel the demolition. Roosevelt sees no reason to delay since no one but Harmond, Roosevelt, Mame, and the house's owner know the truth, a view Mame supports. When, on the day of the demolition, which Roosevelt has put back into motion, Harmond refuses to be swayed from his stand, Roosevelt announces he will be buying Harmond out and Bernie Smith will be helping him. Harmond accuses Roosevelt of being Smith's "black face" and the two argue over the consequences of Harmond demanding changes in the development plans and if Roosevelt is allowing himself to be used by Bernie Smith. Harmond tells Roosevelt to leave the Bedford Hills Redevelopment office, which is owned by Wilkes Realty. The scene ends with Harmond leaving the office to join the group of Hills residents at 1839 Wylie protesting the demolition.

Harmond Wilkes, an Ivy League-educated man who has inherited a real estate agency from his father, his ambitious wife Mame, and his friend Roosevelt Hicks want to redevelop the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The project, called the Bedford Hills Redevelopment Project, includes two high-rise apartment buildings and high-end chain stores like Starbucks, Whole Foods, and Barnes & Noble. Harmond is also about to declare his candidacy to be Pittsburgh's first black mayor. Roosevelt has just been named a vice-president of Mellon Bank and has been tapped by a Bernie Smith to help him acquire a local radio station at less than market value, which is possible through a minority tax incentive.

A complication arises when Harmond discovers that the house at 1839 Wylie, slated for demolition, was acquired illegally. Harmond offers the owner of the property market value for the house, but the owner refuses to sell. Harmond decides the only way to proceed is to build around the house, which will require minor modifications to the planned development, and calls the demolition company to cancel the demolition. Roosevelt sees no reason to delay since no one but Harmond, Roosevelt, Mame, and the house's owner know the truth, a view Mame supports. When, on the day of the demolition, which Roosevelt has put back into motion, Harmond refuses to be swayed from his stand, Roosevelt announces he will be buying Harmond out and Bernie Smith will be helping him. Harmond accuses Roosevelt of being Smith's "black face" and the two argue over the consequences of Harmond demanding changes in the development plans and if Roosevelt is allowing himself to be used by Bernie Smith. Harmond tells Roosevelt to leave the Bedford Hills Redevelopment office, which is owned by Wilkes Realty. The scene ends with Harmond leaving the office to join the group of Hills residents at 1839 Wylie protesting the demolition.

Trying to get his act together, a con artist gets a job in a credit card company. He falls in love with a fellow employee, he steals a couple of cards, everything is going great. But soon, the chief of security drags him into the big leagues of criminals...