The story begins with a devastating explosion aboard a ship, which the police believe was caused by the group of criminals. As they investigate, they find out that one of the criminals, a man named Verbal Kint (played by Kevin Spacey), may have been the mastermind behind the entire operation. As the police interrogate Verbal, he begins to tell them the story of how he and the other criminals, including Dean Keaton (played by Gabriel Byrne), Michael McManus (played by Stephen Baldwin), Todd Hockney (played by Kevin Pollak), and Fred Fenster (played by Benicio del Toro), were brought together by the enigmatic and elusive criminal mastermind, Keyser Soze. Through a series of flashbacks, Verbal weaves a tale of deception, betrayal, and violence that eventually leads to a shocking twist ending that reveals the true identity of Keyser Soze and the extent of his power.