Richie Donovan, Stephen Dorff, is a professional thief who is deeply indebted to his boss, Groznyi, for smuggling him into the U.S. as a child. After a botched diamond heist that ends in two car crashes, Richie is given one final chance to clear his debt. He travels to Moscow to steal a priceless antique cross from a penthouse, accompanied by two Russian accomplices, Peter and Yuri.
They succeed in retrieving the cross, but their escape is foiled when the elevator stalls on the unfinished 13th floor. Believing they are trapped, they take the other passengers hostage to negotiate their release. When the elevator reaches ground level, one of the hostages is found beheaded, signaling that something far more dangerous is at play.
As fear and distrust spread, the hostages split into two factions. Sonya, [Bronagh Gallagher], Helena, and Katerina form a Christian sect, joined by Yuri, while Dmitry, Anna, and security guard Boris align with a second group. The Christian faction seizes firearms, wounding Peter, and Sonya leads Yuri to a hidden chamber where a wild, armored man named Alex awaits to sacrifice him. Yuri escapes, but is killed by one of Alex's elaborate traps, accompanied by disco music and flashing lights. In the melee that follows, Katerina is killed, and Richie and the remaining survivors manage to flee.
The survivors discover Alex's lair, equipped with security cameras that monitor every move. They learn that Alex is Sonya's twin brother, and both believe they are descended from Ivan the Terrible. Richie and Anna decide to pursue Alex, while Boris and Dmitry set traps to slow him down. The plan falters as Dmitry is captured and Boris is fooled into triggering a faulty trap, costing him a hand. Even with the injury, Boris is further hampered by a serum injected into him that restricts his facial movement.
Meanwhile, Alex retrieves the cross and prepares to sacrifice Peter, who has somehow survived his injuries. In a climactic confrontation, Richie, Boris, and Peter attack Alex. Peter is killed, but Richie manages to impale Alex on his own disco spikes and set him on fire, reclaiming the cross. As they attempt to escape, Sonya makes a last-ditch effort to strangle Richie, but Anna intervenes and stabs Sonya with a nail file, saving him.
Outside, Groznyi greets the survivors and presents Richie with a handsome reward. The twist reveals that Groznyi is Sonya and Alex's brother, leaving Richie furious and determined never to work for him again. He and Anna depart for Los Angeles, hoping to leave the chaos behind, though the shadow of Groznyi’s empire lingers and hints that Richie's path may not be truly free.
