The film follows Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage), a stunt motorcycle rider who, in a desperate attempt to save the life of his mentor and friend, Mephistopheles (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), makes a deal with the devil to save his life. As a result, Blaze's soul becomes bonded to the demon Zarathos, transforming him into the Ghost Rider, a supernatural being with a flaming skull and a black motorcycle.

Ghost Rider is a film defined by its contrast. The cinematography frequently shifts between the stark, sun-drenched deserts of the American Southwest and pitch-black nocturnal cityscapes illuminated only by hellfire.