Okupirana Francija v času 2. svetovne vojne.Ko je Nemčija okupirala Francijo, je Shosanna Dreyfus priča umoru svoje družine. Krvavo dejanje je ukazal nacistični polkovnik Hans Landa. Shosanna za las uide smrti in pobegne v Pariz, kjer pod novim imenom živi kot lastnica kinodvorane. Medtem poročnik Aldo Raine zbere skupino ameriških vojakov judovske veroizpovedi, da bi izvajali hitre in srhljive maščevalne akcije. Enota, ki postane kaj hitro razvpita med nemškimi vojaki in častniki, dobi nalogo, v kateri mora sodelovati z nemško igralko in tajno agentko Bridget von Hammersmark. Odstraniti morajo vodstvo Tretjega rajha, ki se bo zbralo na premieri novega domoljubnega filma. Toda lastnica izbrane kinodvorane, ki je po naključju ravno Shosanna, ima svoje načrte za maščevanje.
In German-occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerrilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history.