1995
Air Force pilots Vic Deakins and Riley Hale are transporting nuclear weapons when Deakins attempts to murder Hale, ejects him, and steals the nukes by faking a crash. Hale survives and teams up with Park Ranger Terry Carmichael to pursue Deakins, who plans to extort the U.S. government. They engage in intense confrontations with Deakins and his mercenaries, including a helicopter chase and a battle in an abandoned mine. The climax occurs on a moving train where Carmichael disarms an armed nuclear weapon while Hale defeats Deakins, preventing a catastrophic explosion.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Special forces pilots Deakins and Hale spar and then embark on a nuclear mission that goes disastrously wrong.
Open full beat sheetRawley Hale is listed as Protagonist / Pilot. 28, skilled pilot, moral, Deakins' partner. In the parsed data, Rawley Hale is connected to 21 scenes, 11 dialogue lines, 11 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
21 scenes / 11 dialogue linesVic Deakins is listed as Antagonist / Rogue Pilot. 38, experienced pilot, cold, calculating, and manipulative. In the parsed data, Vic Deakins is connected to 16 scenes, 6 dialogue lines, 6 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
16 scenes / 6 dialogue linesTerry Carmichael is listed as Park Ranger. Pretty, late 20s, resourceful and tough. In the parsed data, Terry Carmichael is connected to 15 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 15.
15 scenes / 3 dialogue linesJohnson is listed as Antagonist / Tech-whiz. Technical specialist. In the parsed data, Johnson is connected to 7 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.
7 scenes / 0 dialogue linesGiles Prentice is listed as White House Assistant. Intensely competent assistant to Baird. In the parsed data, Giles Prentice is connected to 6 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 12.
6 scenes / 2 dialogue linesColonel Wilkins is listed as Military Officer. 50s, commanding officer at McMurran AFB. In the parsed data, Colonel Wilkins is connected to 6 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 31.
6 scenes / 1 dialogue linesNovacek is listed as Antagonist / Mercenary. Wiry, wears a baseball cap. In the parsed data, Novacek is connected to 6 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.
6 scenes / 0 dialogue linesKelly is listed as Antagonist / Mercenary. Lieutenant, part of the rogue team. In the parsed data, Kelly is connected to 5 scenes, first appearing around scene 16.
5 scenes / 0 dialogue linesMr. Pritchett is listed as Antagonist / Lawyer. 40s, neatly groomed, sour attitude. In the parsed data, Mr. Pritchett is connected to 4 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 28.
4 scenes / 1 dialogue linesColonel Sam Rhodes is listed as Military Officer. 40s, short grey hair, leader of the search and rescue team. In the parsed data, Colonel Sam Rhodes is connected to 4 scenes, first appearing around scene 11.
4 scenes / 0 dialogue linesBaker is listed as Antagonist / Mercenary. Field operative. In the parsed data, Baker is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.
3 scenes / 0 dialogue linesBaird is listed as White House Chief of Staff. 60s, authoritative. In the parsed data, Baird is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 12.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesLett is listed as Antagonist / Mercenary. Gangly and grim. In the parsed data, Lett is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesGeneral Boone is listed as Military Officer. 50s, commanding officer at Whiteman AFB. In the parsed data, General Boone is connected to 1 scene, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 4.
1 scenes / 1 dialogue linesHale and Deakins spar in a boxing ring, discussing the philosophy of fighting.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleHale and Deakins change into flightsuits and discuss their sparring match.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleEstablishing shot of the base.
General Boone briefs Deakins and Hale on a secret mission involving nuclear weapons.
Vic Deakins, Rawley Hale, General BooneNuclear weapons are loaded onto the Ghost aircraft.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleDeakins and Hale prepare for takeoff in the Ghost.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleBaker and his team kill campers and set up a high-tech device.
Mr. Pritchett, Novacek, Lett, Johnson, BakerDeakins and Hale fly the mission, and Deakins attempts to kill Hale.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleTerry investigates suspicious activity.
Terry CarmichaelDeakins ejects Hale and drops the nukes.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleRhodes and his team depart to search for the plane.
Colonel Wilkins, Colonel Sam RhodesBaird and military officials discuss the missing plane.
Giles Prentice, BairdRhodes discovers the nukes are missing.
Colonel Sam RhodesHale wakes up and encounters Terry.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelHale and Terry discuss their plan to stop Deakins while Hale leaves a $20 bill as a marker.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelRhodes and his team find a nuke, but are ambushed by Deakins' mercenaries.
Colonel Sam Rhodes, Kelly, Novacek, Lett, Johnson, BakerHale and Terry travel toward her truck while discussing the environment.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelRhodes and his team are killed by Kelly.
Colonel Sam Rhodes, KellyHale and Terry are attacked by Novacek in a helicopter.
Rawley Hale, Terry Carmichael, NovacekHale shoots down Novacek's helicopter.
Rawley Hale, Terry Carmichael, NovacekGiles Prentice investigates the suspicious circumstances of the crash.
Giles Prentice, Colonel WilkinsHale and Terry hijack a Humvee from Deakins' team.
Rawley Hale, Terry Carmichael, Vic Deakins, Baker, KellyHale and Terry hide in an abandoned mine and prepare to disable the nukes.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelThe Humvee turns off toward the mine entrance.
Hale and Terry descend into the mine with the nukes.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelDeakins and his team arrive at the mine entrance.
Vic Deakins, Mr. Pritchett, Novacek, Johnson, KellyHale and Terry unload the nukes and prepare to move them.
Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelDeakins and his team wait by the elevator.
Vic Deakins, Mr. Pritchett, Novacek, Johnson, KellyMilitary officials review satellite data.
BairdWilkins and Giles discuss the situation.
Colonel Wilkins, Giles PrenticeHale and Giles are in the helicopter with Wilkins, discussing the mission and the Ranger's safety.
Rawley Hale, Colonel Wilkins, Giles PrenticeMax prepares the nuclear weapon while Deakins prepares to check on Sheppard.
Vic Deakins, JohnsonHale attempts to take control of the helicopter by threatening Wilkins and Giles.
Rawley Hale, Colonel Wilkins, Giles PrenticeDeakins and Sheppard discuss the plan while Terry hides nearby.
Vic Deakins, Terry CarmichaelDeakins explains his plan to Terry and forces her to arm the nuke.
Vic Deakins, Terry Carmichael, JohnsonTerry fights back against Max.
Terry Carmichael, JohnsonHale and Terry fight Deakins and his men on the moving train.
Vic Deakins, Rawley Hale, Terry CarmichaelHale and Deakins have a final confrontation.
Vic Deakins, Rawley HaleHale and Terry reunite after the crash.
Rawley Hale, Terry Carmichael, Colonel Wilkins, Giles PrenticeAviation Week has been following this plane's development for years. They have stringers who spend their vacations sitting in lawnchairs all night long by the Whiteman perimeter fence just in case one of these things takes off.
Me? What are you going to do? Wait. You're gonna go after this guy? Isn't he going to have a lot guns and shit? I don't want to sound insulting or anything, but ... you're just a pilot.
Major, I know this is personal for you, but I think we can handle it. We're putting a wall of men and machines around Salt Lake City as we speak. That truck is not getting through.
These nukes have security codes. If you enter the wrong code three times, the nuke goes dead -- all the circuitry shorts out and shuts down.
I set you up. I fake right, go left three times in a row. You expect it again, I take the right in hard. That's what boxing's all about.
When we get to the bottom we'll have to get away from this shaft. It'll limit the amount of radiation released into-the atmosphere.
Don't walk there. On that black stuff. That's cryptogamic soil. It's very fragile. One footprint takes centuries to repair.
Deakins thinks I'm dead. He thinks it's over. You've got to let me go after him. I can help. I know how his mind works.
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