Edmond Bateman is a fugitive who shot his way out of San Quentin Prison, killing guards. When he tried to rob a bank, the teller yelled for the police, forcing Bateman to burn the teller's face.
He arrives at the home of Dr. Richard Vollin, having heard the doctor could change his face. Vollin tells him he's not a plastic surgeon, but that there is a way. In return, he asks Bateman to committ torture and murder for him, citing his previous crimes.
Bateman insists he does not want to commit any more crimes, and has money to pay for his surgery. He tells Vollin that he feels his antisocial behavior is the result of having been called ugly all his life. He not only wants a new face to escape justice, but to start over and not commit any more crimes.
Vollin operates on Bateman, but instead disfigures his face, forcing him to help with his own plans of revenge on the promise that he will fix his face afterwards.
When Vollin threatens the life of the object of his affection, Jean Thatcher, Bateman has had enough. He fights back and is mortally wounded. Still, he manages to overcome Vollin and save Jean and her boyfriend, before throwing Vollin into one of his own torture devices: a shrinking room.
Bateman dies, and Jean laments his death, citing how he saved their lives.