Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht), also known as "the Spirit", learns about a major case from Detective Sussman (Dan Gerrity) involving his nemesis, "Octopus (comics)" (Samuel L. Jackson). The Spirit dons his costume and travels across rooftops, saving a woman before connecting with Officer Liebowitz (Frank Miller (comics)). At the swampland, femme fatale Sand Saref (Eva Mendes) rises from the water to shoot Sussman.