In attempt to rejuvenate his flagging film career, a French director decides to remake 'Les Vampires', a classic old, silent adventure serial. He calls upon Maggie Cheung to star as the heroine of the piece, Irma, but when Maggie arrives, she finds it difficult to cope with the insane director, a Tarantino-obsessed film journalist and the romantic attentions of her wardrobe mistress. In a haze of confusion and jet lag, Maggie starts taking on the wicked character of Irma Vep and she journeys into the Parisian night in search of crime.