位于亚利桑那州的平静小镇山默顿,曾在洛杉矶缉毒组供职的警长雷·欧文斯(阿诺·施瓦辛格 Arnold Schwarzenegger 饰)尽职尽责维护当地的治安。这一日,数名不速之客造访小镇,更有一名农夫遭人谋杀。与此同时,在另一边的拉斯维加斯,FBI探员约翰·班尼斯特(福里斯特·惠特克 Forest Whitaker 饰)正在押运臭名昭著的大毒枭加布里尔·科尔特兹(爱德华多·诺列加 Eduardo Noriega 饰)。谁知科尔特兹半路被人救出,其本人在劫持一名女探员后驾驶经过改装的跑车飞速逃离,趁夜朝着位于墨西哥边境的山默顿逼近。 小镇的宁静生活被彻底打破,欧文斯警长即将经历充满枪火与杀戮的混乱一天……Sheriff Owens is a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for the face off.