改編自史丹佛大學真實事件。描述一群從75人當中選出來的24名學生，被指派送往一處神秘的地下室，進行角色扮演式的監獄遊戲，以利完成由心理學教授所提倡的實驗。

沒想到這群人越玩越火，血氣方剛的年輕人們，開始暴走失控。更殘酷的是，在另一頭監看的教授們，正打算讓他們自生自滅...。

Twenty-four male students out of seventy-five were selected to take on randomly assigned roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison situated in the basement of the Stanford psychology building.