By day, Ovidio (Joe Dallesandro) and his two friends work at a data center. After work, they blow off steam by committing random acts of savage violence, swiftly graduating from sparking a riot at a football game to vehicle theft, rape, and murder. The police are convinced this recent spate of crimes is politically motivated, but world-weary veteran Commissario Santaga (Enrico Maria Salerno) suspects a far more terrifying explanation: that these young men are motivated by nothing more than boredom and disaffection at civilized society. As Ovidio's behavior escalates, a psychological game of cat-and-mouse ensues between the two adversaries, building towards a shocking final confrontation.

Fascism has forced the leadership of the Italian Communist Party to settle in Paris. In Italy arrests of militants are decimating the organization, so Emilio is sent on a mission in the area of Turin, to put out of harm whistleblowers.