The film begins with Brand Hauser, portrayed by John Cusack, in the icy landscape of Iqaluit, located in Northern Canada. Upon entering a local bar, he encounters a group of German men discussing animatedly. Without hesitation, he requests a shot glass, fills it with hot sauce, and downs it in one swift motion. As the heat ignites his senses, he pulls out a gun and methodically shoots each of the Germans around him. Following this dramatic act, he takes a snapshot of one victim and discards his cell phone, leaving no trace behind.
The narrative then transitions to a private jet, where Hauser is the sole occupant, engaged in a continuous dialogue with the GuideStar navigation system, which also doubles as a source of psychological advice. During his flight, he connects with the former Vice President, played by Dan Aykroyd, who comically makes the call while seated on a toilet. Hauser is soon directed to Turaqistan—an area where the Vice President's company, Tamerlane, is conducting the unprecedented first war to be entirely outsourced. His covert mission? To assassinate Omar Sherif, the Oil Minister, who is hampering Tamerlane’s interests by advocating for a national pipeline, thereby rejecting their bid.
To effectively blend in, Hauser must pose as the Chair of a Tamerlane Trade Mission, which coincides with a trade fair in the capital’s Green Zone, where a significant event is set to unfold—the marriage of pop sensation Yonica Babyyeah, played by Hilary Duff, to the son of the Turaqistan Emerit.
After landing, Hauser meets his contact Marsha Dillon, and chaos unfolds around him, characterized by tanks decorated with sponsor logos and an atmosphere thick with explosions in the marketplaces. As he navigates this war-torn environment, we see glimpses of hot sauce and flashbacks to past confrontations with his CIA superior.
Meanwhile, the ambitious reporter Natalie Hegalhuzen, played by Marisa Tomei, struggles to gain access to the trade show due to improper credentials. Although Hauser initially dismisses her due to her perceived political bias, he later decides to meet her for drinks that evening.
Their fateful encounter leads Hauser into a Popeye Chicken restaurant, where he meets with "The Viceroy" of Tamerlane. Amidst the absurdity of their secret exchange, he runs into iconic American figures projected on a screen, adding layers of satire to the proceedings.
As the events unfold, Hauser attempts to carry out his assassination mission using a remote-controlled rifle, but his plans are thwarted by mundane distractions. His interactions with Yonica escalate as she unexpectedly visits him while he’s extracting venom from a cobra. Despite her attempts to seduce him, Hauser remains repulsed.
A dinner outing with Sherif proves equally fruitless, as Hauser struggles to administer the poison amidst tight security. When an unexpected rendezvous with the reporter arises, chaos ensues: Hauser is forced to confront members of Yonica's entourage, leading to a climactic revelation of his true nature.
As Yonica's wedding approaches, Hauser becomes embroiled in the unfolding drama, requiring him to rescue the reporter and eliminate Sherif, all while maintaining the façade of their trade mission. When tension peaks, and Hauser's past comes back to haunt him in the form of his former boss, it culminates in a sequence of betrayal and violence.
With the horrific climax at the trade show, secrets unravel, revealing shocking familial ties between characters. Amid striking turmoil, an explosive missile threatens to derail the wedding festivities, while the former Vice President conveniently assigns blame elsewhere, covering up the contradictions.
As the credits roll to a poignant Joe Strummer song, there’s a lingering anticipation for the DVD, as corporate branding and cultural commentary seamlessly weave through this darkly comedic narrative, leaving audiences fascinated and entertained.
