Preceding the credits, a U.S. senator, Morgan Freeman, is heard addressing unidentified defense contractors about a scheme to instigate a conflict that would benefit both their interests and his career ambitions.
The narrative kicks off inside a South African bank where a group of four robbers, clad in high-tech outfits adorned with colorful lights for identification and utilizing voice modulation, mercilessly torture the bank manager in order to access the safe. The safe’s key is, rather grotesquely, the manager's own body. After an initial mishap, the robbers forcibly reposition the manager’s knocked-out teeth, successfully unlocking the safe. They only manage to retrieve the contents of a single safety deposit box, which reveals a cache of diamonds and an enigmatic additional object.
As the robbers squabble, we begin to identify them by their respective colors: Red Light and Green Light, who emerge as the leaders, while Violet Light stands out as the volatile member barely controlled by newcomer Blue Light. A tense showdown erupts between Red and Violet, leading to Violet being fatally wounded. Despite the chaos, the robbers make their escape in a van. Blue Light, revealing himself as a furious bearded man, confronts Red Light, who is identified as [Alexis Farraday](olga-kurylenko) (played by Olga Kurylenko). Their argument centers around a missed opportunity to eliminate all hostages, while the count of the dead member of their gang, Violet (Wayne), weighs heavily on them.
In a luxurious hotel, Alexis and her ex-lover, Kev or Kevin Fuller (Colin Moss), navigate their past as Kevin entices Alexis with the prospect of some "better insurance" amidst their tumultuous history. This moment is abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door, leading to a dire confrontation with armed killers. As the situation escalates, Alexis finds herself hiding beneath the bed while Kevin is brutally tortured for an important USB drive, which ultimately costs him his life. Unbeknownst to the assailants, she slips away unnoticed.
An intense chase through the streets ensues, with police briefly caught up in the mix. However, Alexis outmaneuvers them and later tracks down Blue Light, who is confronted in his apartment and quickly dispatched by a surprise attack. Realizing she must warn Kevin's wife, Penny Fuller, Alexis urges her to gather important belongings while tensions rise with Penny’s biting comments about their affair.
In yet another layer of dangerous intrigue, Alexis uncovers a horrifying plot to eliminate Kevin's family. A series of confrontations later leave her grappling with Mr. [Washington](james-purefoy) (played by James Purefoy), who becomes increasingly frustrated with the chaotic fallout from their heist. After a series of adrenaline-pumping events, including a revealing phone call with a senator, it becomes clear that Washington and the robbers were merely pawns in a far larger and darker game.
The climax materializes at the airport with a tense exchange where Alexis, now decked out in sleek attire, attempts to outsmart Washington. > "Queen to Bishop 5," she quips, misdirecting him before chaos erupts with gunfire. In the downpour of violence, Penny remains pivotal but with hidden agendas.
As the dust settles, it becomes apparent that Washington was merely a tool for political machinations and corruption, showcased through the senator's cynical dialogue on martyrs versus greediness. By the final scenes, Alexis remains undeterred, escaping with crucial knowledge of a greater threat as she prepares to unveil plans of devastation, leaving viewers teetering on the edge of a thrilling cliffhanger.
