Herod (Gene Hackman - 'Get Shorty'), Mayor and ruler of Redemption, has turned his town into a haven for thugs and miscreants of every type. In return for his 'leniency', he keeps 50 cents on every dollar traded by the unsavoury group.
Each year, in order to weed out rivals and to protect his position of power, Herod holds a shooting contest which attracts people from miles around, including his son, 'The Kid' (Leonardo Di Caprio - 'Titanic') and Cort (Russell Crowe - 'LA Confidential').
It is a shoot-to-kill contest with the prize being a large sum of cash. Herod wins every year, so protecting his position and reputation for being the fastest killer in the West. That is until Ellen (Sharon Stone - 'Casino') rides into town, a six-gun strapped to her hip and revenge burning in her heart. She's fast, furious and her mind is set on winning the ultimate prize of a duel to the death with Herod.