남북전쟁-내전으로 인해 아버지와 오빠가 전장에 나가게 되면서 외딴 집에 동생-루이스(헤일리 스테인펠드), 그리고 하인-매드(무나 오타루)와 함께 살고 있던 오거스타(브릿 말링) 앞에 2명의 정찰병이 나타나게 되는데, 영화는 이를 통해 '전쟁/욕망은 모든 것을 앗아간다.' 주제를 드러내고 있다.

In this radically reimagined American Western set towards the end of the Civil War, Southerner Augusta encounters two renegade, drunken soldiers who are on a mission of pillage and violence. After escaping an attempted assault, Augusta races back to the isolated farmhouse that she shares with her sister Louise and their female slave Mad. When the pair of soldiers track Augusta down intent on exacting revenge, the trio of women are forced to take up arms to fend off their assailants, finding ways to resourcefully defend their homeand themselvesas the escalating attacks become more unpredictable and relentless.