In the aftermath of the Cold War, MI6 agent James Bond—codenamed 007—is on a mission in Russia to locate the access key to a secret space-based weapons program known as "GoldenEye." The program has the capability to deliver a devastating electromagnetic pulse to any location on Earth. During the mission, a mysterious explosion kills several agents and causes the presumed death of Bond's fellow agent and close friend, Alec Trevelyan. Nine years later, Bond continues his work for MI6 and is assigned to investigate the theft of a helicopter capable of withstanding electromagnetic pulses.

Bond's pursuit leads him to Severnaya, Russia, where he discovers the illicit use of the stolen helicopter in a plot to steal control of GoldenEye. Along the way, Bond teams up with Natalya Simonova, a Russian computer programmer and the sole survivor of an attack on the Severnaya facility related to the heist. Together, they follow a dark trail that points to a criminal syndicate with deep ties to the former Soviet Union. As they travel from the snowy landscapes of Russia to the bustling streets of Monte Carlo, Bond starts to unravel a complex web of deceit, betrayal, and revenge that threatens global security.