Federico Luppi and Ron Perlman star in this Mexican horror written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Jesús Gris (Luppi) is an antiques dealer who discovers a mysterious scarab-shaped device inside the base of an old statue. The statue's previous owner was a 16th century alchemist who sought immortality and Jesús learns that the device grants its user eternal life in exchange for their blood.

Meanwhile, Dieter de la Guardia (Claudio Brook), a wealthy businessman who has been searching for the device for years, is dying. He sends his nephew Angel (Perlman) in search of the device and the fates of the three men become irrevocably entwined.