Righteous district attorney Joseph Foster's main goal in life is to rid his city of the gangsters infesting it. In order to be even more efficient in his war against crime he plans to run for governor. One day he meets a strange, shadowy man, Nick Beal, who offers to help him to achieve his end. Beal convinces hesitating Foster by dint of easy money, easy sex with an alluring young woman and the promise of easy success. Joseph Foster soon becomes an influential politician but a corrupt one. A minister of God manages to show him that he has been the plaything of the so-called Nick Beal, who might be "Old Nick" , that is to say Satan himself. Foster then decides to resign and to become an honest man again.

前特工人员弗兰克·摩西斯（布鲁斯·威利斯 Bruce Willis 饰）早年和同伴们金戈铁马，经历大风大浪，如今早已各自闲赋家中，过着优哉游哉的安逸生活。然而这份退休后的平静突然被打破，在圣诞前夜，一群全副武装的不速之客闯入弗兰克的家中，对其痛下杀手。原来，作为资深探员，弗兰克和他的同伴知道太多关于政府和军方的秘密，他们理所当然成为被抹杀的对象。不甘将命运交诸他人之手，弗兰克找到了乔·麦瑟森（摩根·弗里曼 Morgan Freeman 饰）、马文·博格斯（约翰•马尔科维奇 John Malkovich 饰）和维多利娅（海伦·米伦 Helen Mirren 饰）等当年的好搭档，决心展开一场绝地大反击…… 　　本片根据华伦·埃利斯（Warren Ellis）和库里·汉默（Cully Hamner）的漫画改编。