Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on half-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a "home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his "carnal", Miklo.
Obsessive master thief, Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective, Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
After the murder of his beloved wife, a man in search of redemption is set adrift in a world where nothing is as it seems. On his journey, he befriends slacker Jimmy "The Finn", becomes involved in rescuing his neighbor Colette from her own demons, and gets entangled in a web of deceit full of unexpected twists and turns.
A hardened convict and a younger prisoner escape from a brutal prison in the middle of winter only to find themselves on an out-of-control train with a female railway worker while being pursued by the vengeful head of security.
A Tokyo businessman (Hiroshi Hada), transferred to L.A, molests a teenage girl on a train. It turns out that the girl is the daughter of a vice cop. But in one of those plot twists that can only occur in the movies, the cop is assigned to find the businessman's own daughter who has been kidnapped and forced into a teen prostitution ring.
Kiefer Sutherland plays Denver Bayliss, a condemned murderer who has killed three people, including a prison guard. He was brought into the system as a juvenile delinquent and never got out. Now he is awaiting execution. Forest Whitaker stars as Fred Whitmore, a death row prison guard who runs into trouble when he refuses to take part in the brutally abusive tactics of the guards. However, something about Denver haunts Fred Whitmore, and the two men form an unexpected friendship that transforms their lives.
After barely surviving a furious shootout with the police, Baby Firefly, Otis Driftwood and Captain Spaulding are behind bars. But pure evil cannot be contained. Teaming up with Otis’ half-brother Winslow, the demented Firefly clan escape to unleash a whole new wave of murder, madness and mayhem.
Ryder Hart is a private investigator and former police officer who is down on his luck and drinks too much. His estranged wife Anita runs a bar and restaurant called the Sunset Grill and is romantically involved with a cop who worked with Hart.
Detroit gun runner Rich works to sniff out a traitor in his midst after being targeted by the FBI and having barely surviving a weapons deal gone awry. Rich was all set to unload a serious supply of firepower when the bullets started to fly, and Angel saved his life. Later, as the investigation heats up, Rich's lover and supplier Gabriella starts getting paranoid. When Gabriella too finds herself on the bad end of a botched exchange, the stage is set for a shocking revelation that will rock the entire Detroit underworld.