Mayday (2026) Movie Script
[panting]
[pants, groaning]
[grunts]
Damn it. [Grunts]
[grunting, panting]
[yells, grunts]
[panting]
[panting, grunting]
Stay back!
[pilot] Outlaw 1, flight of two,
checking in as fragged.
Red Hook 3507,
tally two hostile, one o'clock.
So I got Anderton's daughter
one of those Cabbage Patch dolls
for her birthday.
Can someone explain them to me?
- What do you mean?
- Their faces. Why do they look like that?
Their eyes are too small
and their cheeks are all swollen,
it's like they're on steroids.
I think they're kinda cute.
They're just chubby like babies.
You know, if I saw a baby like that
I'd never stop screaming.
Outlaw 2, tally. My understanding is
they're born in a cabbage patch.
[Troy] You say that like it's not insane.
Whatever happened to
good ole Raggedy Andy?
- Uh, are we gonna do this drill or not?
- [Troy] Uh-oh.
Russians are getting impatient.
Engaging north man. Tapes on. Fight's on.
[Longshot] Outlaw 2, taking south man.
Turning and burning.
[Boomer] What you gonna do?
Hey, you got nowhere to go, boss.
You ready to call it?
[Troy] Uh-huh. Maybe.
[Boomer] Oh.
[Troy] Kill north man.
You're dead, Nikita.
- [Boomer] Dang it!
- [Troy] Splash one Mig.
Longshot, say status.
South man is a kill, bubba.
[Troy] I think we can all agree
that this was deeply embarrassing
for our Soviet colleagues.
[Mullet] Hey, you got lucky, Lieutenant.
[Troy] I'll see ya on the boat.
Uh, Assassin, I seem to be having
a flight controls malfunction.
[Troy] What's going on?
[Boomer] Right aileron's jammed.
I'm holding a full left stick.
[Troy] Okay, just Hey, hold her steady.
Lemme get a visual.
Oh, yeah, I see it.
Can't land on mom if
I'm shaking like this.
- ISO, you copy?
- [landing officer 1] ISO copies.
All right. Get my boys on the boat.
I'm gonna hang back with Boomer.
[Longshot] Good luck, brother.
- Damn it.
- [Troy] Unpucker, Boomer.
Let's get you up to altitude.
Uh, no-go. Juice is 2.1. I'm nearly dry.
Think I gotta punch out.
[Troy] No. Let's think of the taxpayers.
I'm gonna try something. I just
I want you to hold her
as steady as you can.
[Boomer] What the hell are you doing?
- I'm gonna unjam your aileron.
- How?
[Troy] Don't worry.
Just drop your gear, fly your needles.
[sighs] It's too unstable.
I know. This is kind of crazy.
Just go with me.
You're gonna get us both killed.
[grunts]
Oh, shit. Come on!
It's okay. That's all right.
I'm a professional.
[scoffs] It's no-go. [Sighs]
Wave off, 382. You're gonna hit the tower.
He's right. You gotta abort.
[Troy] You just focus on Meatball.
Lineup AOA.
Now, you're gonna feel a little pressure.
Okay, all right. I owe you one, buddy.
- [laughs]
- I owe you more.
You just made me employee of the month.
They're gonna let me
park my plane next to the entrance.
[Ronald Reagan]
Let me say to the hostage families,
we have not given up.
We never will.
And I promise you we'll use
every legitimate means
to free your loved ones from captivity.
But I must also
- Hey, what'd he say?
- He said I'm gonna live another 75 years.
Oh, come on. Look, is that new stuff
he's got you on doing anything?
I told you I'm cured.
- Oh, you're cured? [Mutters]
- Excuse me?
Rules are you gotta be in a wheelchair
until you leave the hospital.
- Really? [Grunts]
- Come on. No, no, no. Let's not make a...
Dad, y-you don't have to protect me
from this stuff.
I'm pretty good with stressful things.
Oh, Lord.
Well, they're gonna try a new medicine.
It's worked on rats,
so it should be good for me.
Hey, you wanna go to the Turf tonight?
Grab a steak or something?
- I thought you were meetin' your friends?
- [smacks lips] You're my friends.
[father] Well, thank you very much.
But if you wanna cheer me up,
then go drink with your pals.
At least pretend you haven't
given up so much for me.
Besides,
I'm going out with that girl tonight.
Oh, nice.
Dinner and a funeral.
You're a dick.
GASLAMP QUARTER
[people chattering]
[Troy] Oh, please.
Don't let Gorbachev fool you.
[Mullet] Right, well, I don't know if
Gorbachev is the problem.
- It seems to me like
- [Troy] Oh, no.
- he is trying to make some reforms.
- The guy came up through the Politburo.
He's a dyed-in-the-wool Communist.
- Regardless of what he calls himself.
- Here comes Captain America.
- That's right.
- Honestly. I don't see
the big difference between
capitalism and communism.
- You what? The whole Soviet system
- Why would you poke the bear, man?
- flies in the face of human nature.
- Great, now he's not gonna shut up.
You can't reform something
- that's fundamentally broken.
- I didn't sign up for this course.
- No, you didn't.
- You didn't sign up for this course.
- Lenin, Stalin, you know
- Didn't we just go out?
These guys would pretend that
we're living in some... Hi, there.
We're living in some,
you know, big, happy collective.
You know, but for some reason,
that collective is always at the cost of
- individual freedoms.
- [Boomer] Whoa!
- [driver] Watch out!
- Sorry. Hi. You drive safe tonight, sir.
Okay. Take me, for example.
I think we can all agree
that I'm the best pilot in the 3rd Fleet.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Boomer, I know you can.
- What? Wh No shame, this guy!
- Oh! [Laughs] Save me, Troy.
- I don't have any shame. Nor should I.
- Save me. [Laughs]
Right, because in America,
we celebrate being the best.
- Yep.
- We reward greatness.
You know what happens
over there if you're great?
What's that? Tell them.
- Nothing. You're just another comrade.
- Mm-hmm.
- That's not a society
- You guys sucking up to him?
- that's a prison.
- What?
And anyone who doesn't fight to break out
of that, well, then they're, you know
- They're part of the problem.
- Anyone?
Even the poor civs
who just happen to be born there?
Silence is complicity.
- Top guns! Yeah. What's up?
- Hey, buddy.
[chuckles]
You know, it's times like this
I am so glad they made that movie.
- [laughs] Uh-huh. What's up?
- [commander] Gentlemen.
Uh, Commander. [Clears throat]
Everything okay, sir?
Speak privately for a moment?
Just Lieutenant Kelly.
I've been briefed on your stunt today.
Okay, yeah. I-I saw
an opportunity to help a wing man
- and save an aircraft, so...
- Easy, Kelly.
I'm not here to tear you down.
You ever heard of Big Bird?
Not the one from Sesame Street.
Then no.
Operation Big Bird.
Since '71, the NRO has been
sending up recon satellites
to keep track of what the Russians are
doing in the remote regions of, uh, USSR.
Problem with that is
resolution is limited.
So occasionally, we have to
send someone out for a closer look.
You need a spy plane.
You want me to fly a spy plane.
You ship out to Ramstein Air Base
in Germany, 0400 tomorrow.
I'll brief you there.
And it's TS,
so don't tell anyone you're leaving.
Thank you, sir.
For the opportunity. Thank you.
No, thank you. For earning it.
Last week, we received imagery suggesting
that the Russians are building
missile silos northeast of Nyandoma.
That places our area of ops
1,200 miles inside the Soviet border.
That's 30 minutes in and 30 minutes out.
The site is flanked by four SAM sites
as far as we know.
And the nearest Russian airstrip is
at Os'mino, 200 miles east.
All this suggests that the Russians are
not using this site to make nesting dolls.
You'll fly in at 80,000 feet,
above the SAM ceiling.
You'll get your shots and you'll vmonos.
You're the only one here, Kelly.
Uh, you said 80,000 feet, sir.
Doesn't that exceed
the max altitude of a U-2?
That's correct.
But you won't be flying the U-2.
The SR-71 Blackbird.
Max speed Mach 3 plus,
ceiling 85,000 feet.
Fastest, highest flying aircraft
in the world.
[Troy] She's a beauty.
[Hardwick] She's a beast.
She can outrun a missile.
You'll be in a full pressure suit.
But that won't stop you
from getting shredded
should you decide to eject above Mach 1.
[chuckles]
Correct me if I'm wrong, sir,
but isn't this an Air Force op?
[sniffs]
It's a black op.
You're flying for the CIA.
- You're decommissioning me.
- Temporarily.
Your training with the cameras
used on the Blackbird
makes you uniquely qualified.
You'll be second seat
to an Air Force flyer.
Wait. I'm RIO? I'm not flying?
Not this time, squid.
Major Sanders. Lieutenant Kelly.
The major here's flown 23 sorties
on the Blackbird.
- Nice to meet you.
- Uh-huh.
You ever, uh, come under fire in this?
Wouldn't have been doing my job if I had.
This isn't a Navy tac-air beer run.
Recon requires less brawn, more brains.
I can see that. Yeah. [Clicks tongue]
[scoffs] You just keep your eyes
on the radar and let me do the rest.
Got it. Okay, I'm picking up
a bogey with a...
Just a big old pile of cheek bones
and eyebrows at my 12.
[Hardwick] You can fang each
other all you want on the ground here.
But up there, you are one or you are dead.
Remember that.
[Troy] Understood, sir.
Sorry I made fun of your face.
You just don't see 'em like that
outside of nightmares.
[coughing]
- [coughs]
- Jesus, Dad.
[father] Hell, I'm fine. I'm fine.
I thought you didn't come home
'cause you got lucky.
Well, I-I might've. We'll see.
Should I be worried?
No, no, no, no. It's a...
It's a walk in the park.
Oh. Which park? Libya?
Iran?
Uh, that
Well, a classified park actually.
[sighs]
- Well, don't get yourself in any tr...
- No, no. Never do.
- [sighs]
- Never do. I gotta go.
I, uh I love you, Pop.
Love you too, pal.
Okay.
[Sanders] You're gonna wanna
put those in your boot.
Sorry?
The chain can choke you
if you have to eject.
Any zoomie would know that.
Oh, yeah? Zoomies know that?
[Hardwick] Tank pressure check.
[Sanders]
She's at 1.3 PSI. Setting IGV to lockout.
[Hardwick] Habu 43, checklist complete?
Affirmative. IGV normal.
OBC camera OP checks good.
[Hardwick] Habu 43, wind 265 at five.
Cleared for takeoff, runway 26.
So, Sanders, are you married? Kids?
Not a priority till I make colonel.
Same. You think that's why they chose us?
No ties?
You know, we don't have to talk.
You do realize if your dream comes true,
what that'll make you?
What's that?
Colonel Sanders.
No one's ever pointed that out?
1,700 knots.
[Troy] And 11 herbs and spices.
It's all just one big chunk of land
from up here.
Flight level eight-zero-zero.
[Hardwick] Copy that.
Be advised, you are now
crossing Soviet airspace,
512 miles from target.
OBC camera on. Ready.
[camera whirs]
How are we looking?
Heavy soup over the target.
Doubt we'll get anything clean.
Base, Habu. We've got poor vis.
Please advise.
[Hardwick] Habu,
descend to flight level four-five-zero.
First time for everything.
Copy. Four-five-zero.
[metal rattles]
There we go.
Film is moving. We got eyes on target.
[Hardwick] Bravo, zulu.
Get back on altitude and RTB.
[engines roar]
Bogey one-nine-zero-ten.
Damn it.
Tally one Mig, five o'clock.
Jamming engaged and working.
Why are you banking? We'll lose airspeed.
I've got this.
No, you don't. He'll gain on us.
See, Kelly? This is why you're
a trunk monkey and I'm a...
Sanders? Sanders, do you copy?
[engines power down]
Habu 43, defensive. Scram east.
100 miles west of Pechora.
Pilot is unresponsive
and I've lost all flight control.
[alarm beeping]
- [wind rushing]
- [metal rattles]
Come on. [Grunts]
[mechanisms restart]
[sighs]
Right engine is bent.
[pilot speaks Russian]
Mayday, mayday, mayday.
Habu 43 marking latitude 65.18,
longitude 72.10.
I'm gonna have to punch out.
[Hardwick] You cannot eject
at that speed, Assassin!
I know, I know.
[engine splutters]
[alarm beeping]
[sighs] That's it. Get up here.
[targeting system beeps]
[grunts]
[panting, grunting]
[shouts, panting continues]
[debris rushes past]
[shouts]
[breathing heavily]
[yelps]
[grunting, shouting]
[breathing heavily]
[gunshot]
Okay.
[grunts, inhales sharply]
[grunts]
[rope strains]
What is this? Hey!
[gasps]
Ah, good. You have not died.
Who are you? Where am I?
Well, my name is Nikolai Ustinov.
But you should call me Nick.
And you are in my home.
Uh, welcome. It is an honor.
Why am I tied to the bed?
I tied you so that you would not move
during the surgery.
What do you mean surgery?
The stick in your leg.
I removed it and repaired an artery.
There was a great deal of blood.
Ah, you screamed a lot,
but that is my fault
because I do not have proper anesthesia.
Uh, can y can you untie me now?
Of course. Soon, yes.
But I need you to rest now
so that the healing can continue. Uh-huh.
Oh, okay. Um, what is what is with the
all the American stuff?
All the W-Well, this may shock you,
but I admire your country very much.
Um, your democracy and your culture.
And, uh, and your food.
I have never had McDonald's,
but I suspect I would love it.
You could almost say I am obsessed.
Oh, is that right?
My dream is to someday live in America.
Drive from sea to shining sea
in a recreational vehicle.
- Fun.
- I don't know yet,
mmm, what I would do for work.
But I know that there,
anything is possible.
Yeah.
I have something I want to show you.
This is very special,
but also quite illegal.
A man could go to jail for having this.
I have watched it over 100 times.
And each time,
I imagine I am the man in the movie.
Doing the things that he does.
You see, we don't get
many American films here,
but last year I came upon this bootleg
Of Top Gun.
[sighing]
It confirmed for me
all of my beliefs about your people.
And then, suddenly one day, here you are.
Falling from the sky like providence.
- Listen, Nikolai. I'm...
- Stop!
Nick. Call me Nick.
Nick. I'm-I'm Troy.
- Troy, nice to meet you.
- I appreciate you patching me up, Nick.
Um, but, as you can imagine,
I really need to get going.
- I am behind enemy lines.
- Mmm.
Not that Not that you're an enemy. Right?
Just the opposite, Troy.
I am your biggest fan.
Good. That's good.
So, you'll understand why
I need to get across the border.
Of course. The nearest border is Finland.
How far is that?
2,000 kilometers.
Well, shit.
[liquid pours]
[in Russian] It's been two years.
Why didn't you do this
when Chernenko died?
It gives me no pleasure
to hang the portrait
of a man who is destroying my country.
[associate] Mmm.
Gorbachev would argue he is saving it.
I still remember
when Russia was an empire.
Half the world fell within our influence.
Look at us now.
Losing a bloodless war
to a soulless superpower.
And this bald fool wants us to be
closer to our enemy.
What is it?
An American spy plane shot down
over Khorovaya.
They believe one of the pilots ejected.
Have they secured the crash site?
Not yet.
General Korzhev is leading the search.
Not anymore.
[Maverick, in English] Goose!
Goose, hold on!
[sobs] Oh, God.
Goose and Maverick
were more than copilots.
They were best friends.
Yes, they were.
This is where the man
filming the movie goes to the toilet.
Do you recall what happens here?
[smacks lips] I do not. I'm so sorry.
No problem. How is your meat?
Oh, well, this is, uh, very, very hard.
But at least it's sour. So
[man urinating on TV]
Yeah, in the winter,
it is difficult to find fresh bear.
I'm eating bear?
Yeah, I have 40 kilos of it
in my root cellar.
Eat as much as you like.
Thank you. Uh, what is this?
Samogon. I make it from beets.
- In a barrel.
- Mmm.
That doesn't taste like beets.
Oh, thank you very much.
Uh, I noticed on your flight suit
your call sign is, uh, Assassin.
May I ask the origin of this name?
That's a story that only me
and my friends know.
Oh, I see.
I hope, uh, someday you and I
will be such friends.
Definitely. Um [sighs]
I should probably be going.
If you can just untie me,
I'll be on my way.
But if I untie you, you will leave.
Yes. That's what I just said.
I don't think you understand
your situation.
Thousands of kilometers
stand between you and safety.
The Red Army will already
be looking for you.
And when they find you,
they will give you to the KGB.
And that is a fate I would wish on no one.
Believe me, I am your safe haven.
I can't stay here.
Just until the Cold War dies down.
The Cold War has been
going on for 40 years.
Exactly. How much longer can it last?
Okay. Okay. You know what,
you're probably right.
Look, I'm It would be insane to
try to do this in my condition.
And I would be insane to let you go.
Right. Look, uh, okay.
So, here's what I'll
I'll stay until it's safe to go.
- Excellent.
- Good.
[stutters] Are you gonna
Are you gonna keep me tied up until then?
Of course not. I just needed to know
that we can trust each other, yeah?
I trust you completely. Nick, thank you.
- Yeah, no problem.
- Yeah.
We're going to have a wonderful time.
[grunts] That's good.
That's better. Okay. [Chuckles]
- [speaks Russian]
- [speaks Russian, chuckles]
- I'm sorry, Nick.
- [groans]
[grunts, gasps]
Please stay.
[grunting]
[grunts]
[Troy, Nick grunting]
[grunts, pants]
Oh. [Grunts]
How are you so spry?
- [Nick grunts]
- [Troy grunts]
Very effective guillotine.
[Troy strains, grunting]
[grunts, panting]
You are damaging yourself.
Let us stop now.
Okay. You win.
[grunts]
Wonderful.
[panting]
[grunts]
[groans]
[grunting]
Find the keys. Keys.
[engine sputtering]
["Dancing in the Dark"
playing through radio]
- [gasps]
- Hey! Come back inside, my friend.
I will make tea.
- [Troy thumping]
- [music distorts]
[grunts]
- [grunts]
- [tires screech]
[moose splutters]
[sighs, speaks Russian]
[muttering in Russian]
[Russian pop song plays on radio]
[sniffs, speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
[patrons speaking Russian]
[Troy sighs, sniffs]
[operator 1 speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
- [operator 1 speaking Russian]
- Uh...
[patron speaks Russian]
[operator 1, Troy speaking Russian]
Please connect me to
the US Embassy in Moscow. Quickly.
- Qui...
- [patron speaks Russian]
[operator 1 speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian, chuckles]
This is for you.
[in Russian accent] Practicing English.
[stutters] Okay. No, no, no.
Hey, hey, hey. Whoa, whoa.
- I'm leaving. Okay? I...
- [speaks Russian]
Okay. Listen to me. It's fine. It's...
[grunting]
[yells, grunts]
- [all speaking Russian]
- [grunting]
[door opens]
Don't... Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[shouts, grunts]
[groans]
[grunting]
[grunting]
[panting]
[grunts]
- [shouts]
- [Nick grunts]
[grunting]
[grunts]
- [bones crack]
- [shouting]
[grunting]
[shouts]
[Nick, patron grunting]
- [bones crack]
- [grunts]
[groans]
[grunting continues]
[yells]
[panting] All right.
[in Russian] Nikolai!
What have you done?
[groans]
This should settle their tab.
[in English] Who are you?
Where did you learn to fight like that?
I'm sure you would have held your own
if not for your injury.
American combat training
is far superior to ours.
"Ours"? You were military?
It doesn't matter.
Well, it matters to me.
I wanna know who I'm sitting here with.
[sighs]
Years ago, I was a state security officer.
Hold on. You're KGB?
What do you do for them?
Nothing now.
I led a
a team that carried out covert ops.
Uh, counterintelligence. Interrogation.
Oh, so you're a monster.
I believed I was acting
in the interest of my country.
[scoffs] Right.
But when my daughter grew old enough
to ask me what I did when I went to work,
I was, uh, too ashamed to tell her.
You see, when a man does something
for long enough,
it stops being what he does.
[breathes shakily] It becomes who he is.
So I'm supposed to buy that you
just washed your hands of all this,
moved up here
and became Grizzly Adams? Is that right?
Uh, I had to put myself
as far from the regime as I could.
And I need to put myself
as far from you as I can.
Listen to me. If I were still
that monster, why would I take you in?
Why would I nurse you
and fight those men at the bar?
I've aided an enemy of the Republic.
That is punishable by death.
I appreciate you helping me out.
[sighs]
- I'm sorry I set you on fire.
- You were trying to get home.
Lot of good it did me.
I couldn't even get a call
through to the embassy.
Even if you had, you'd only be
bringing state security to our door.
The government monitors all calls
to foreign embassies.
- What if I called on this?
- Ah, that's a relic.
It's a 30 kilometer range on a good day.
The only way is
if you had access to an Altai.
- A what?
- It's a mobile radiotelephone.
They can't be traced.
They're not monitored.
Okay. How do I get one of those?
You don't. They're only available
to high-placed government officials.
And I'm guessing you don't have
a lot of those out here?
No. Not here.
- Out in Lake Lake Vozhe, though.
- Lake Vozhe?
Many of the members of
the Supreme Soviet have dachas there.
Is that close?
It's about, uh,
halfway between here and Moscow.
Perfect! We're gonna steal an Altai,
I'm gonna call the embassy and
they're gonna get me the hell out of here.
[sighs]
What?
You would be rescued, but I
Right.
What if I take you with me to the States?
[scoffs] Soviets cannot emigrate, Troy.
No, not normally.
But I'm a shot-down pilot.
I'm gonna be a national hero. They'll
probably give me the Medal of Honor.
There's no way the embassy's gonna
say no to me, Nick.
Unfortunately, it's not so simple.
I have a daughter in Moscow.
I cannot leave without her.
We'll take her along.
She wouldn't come. She does not
believe that I am a changed man.
Talk to her. Make her believe it.
Russians are not as, uh, comfortable
sharing their feelings as your people.
You said that your dream
was to become an American.
Start acting like an American.
Nick, will you help me?
This is very tempting,
but it is also very dangerous.
Hey. Isn't it about high time that we
"ride into the danger zone"?
Kenny Loggins.
I understand this joke.
We got a deal?
Let me finish my drink first
before I decide.
Of course. Mm-hmm.
I'll drink to that. Mmm.
[slurps, swallows]
[slurps]
[continues slurping]
Down the hatch.
- [slurps]
- Come on, man,
it's the world's smallest glass!
[helicopter rotor whirs]
[helicopter approaches]
[in Russian] May I help you, Comrade?
Alexander Volkov. State Security.
May I come in?
Uh
You live alone here, I take it?
Yes.
What is this about?
An aircraft went down
12 kilometers from here.
We are asking local residents whether
they heard or saw anything of interest.
No, sir.
I see.
Hmm?
My daughter, Anna. [Chuckles]
You were KGB?
How
Your signet ring.
[chuckles, sighs]
Division?
Alpha Group.
I commend you for your service.
What made you leave?
My mind was becoming less sharp.
You strike me as having a very sharp mind.
What is down here?
[clicks tongue] Root cellar.
Humor me.
There is nothing.
Very well.
Ha!
I've caught you!
[sniffs]
Samogon?
Yes
You do know that home distilling
of spirits is against the law?
I'm sorry, Comrade Volkov. I didn't know...
Please.
I will make you a deal.
You share a glass with me
and it will be our secret.
Of course. [Chuckles]
[Volkov, Nick speaking Russian]
Mmm.
You can taste the beets.
Thank you very much.
Reminds me of the moonshine
we had in Prague in '68.
I was a lowly junior lieutenant.
We spent two months in the barracks
with very little to do.
So we drank.
You must miss it.
The camaraderie.
The sacrifices we make for our motherland.
I think about it every day.
Well,
thank you for your hospitality.
I must continue my survey.
Certainly.
I trust I can find you here
should we need to speak again?
Ah.
If anything occurs to you,
do not hesitate to call.
I wish you continued good health.
You and your daughter.
[in English] Christ.
[blows]
Thought you were gonna ask him
to stay for dinner.
- This is bad.
- What do you mean? He left.
He will speak to the men at the bar.
They will identify us.
We must leave immediately.
Well, I'll tell ya something.
That Samogon stings.
Front and back, Nick.
[music playing on radio]
I don't know if it's safe
to drive that way.
There's no time for safety.
I'm getting a lot of your beard
in my mouth.
Okay. Can we just, maybe maybe just
put your hands on the wheel
or slow down a little?
We don't know whether they have
connected us yet.
We need to change our appearance.
Well, if we hit a tree,
that'll change our appearance.
How long is the drive to Lake Vozhe?
Three days.
But we will get there in one.
How's that?
[music stops]
- We're not driving.
- What're you doing?
They'll be looking for my truck.
So?
You'll want to get out.
What? Why?
[ice cracks]
Yep.
[grunts]
Is this a lake?
You-You could've told me
you were gonna do that.
I apologize. I assumed you knew
standard tracking evasion.
Do they not train pilots in such methods?
No, Nick. No, they don't train us
to hide our planes in frozen lakes.
[ice cracking]
Where are we going?
Railroad station. Through here.
[groans] Somehow, your beard is
still attacking my mouth.
[in Russian] Our divisions are searching
the north and eastern edges of the forest.
The second pilot landed here.
[dogs barking]
No body?
He survived.
The snow has covered his tracks.
[metal detector beeps]
[sighs]
His boot.
We are waiting for
equipment to retrieve it.
Hold this.
[panting]
Find his photograph.
Get it in front of all security personnel.
[train horn blares]
[in English] Couldn't have shot us down
closer to the border?
"Us"?
Yeah, I had a copilot, Sanders. He
He didn't make it.
I'm sorry.
Uh, he was an asshole,
but he deserved better.
It takes great courage
to be a fighter pilot.
I suppose so, yeah.
It's all I ever wanted to do.
Actually, I wanted to build ships
for the Navy like my dad.
Then when I was eight,
he took me on board the USS Randolph
to watch the F-9s land for CQ
And the way those guys
walked across the flight deck
with their helmets in their hands,
and everybody, including my dad,
looked at them like they were gods,
and then
Then that was it. I was I was hooked.
So you wanted to be God.
I wanted to serve my country.
I think you can understand that.
Fear drove me to serve mine.
We were told that
America would destroy us.
That your greed and soullessness
would bring the end of humanity.
And we were taught that you were cogs
in a giant world-killing machine.
We were both fed lies.
I wasn't fed lies.
It was Khrushchev that said,
"We will bury you."
And Reagan called us the evil empire.
Do you believe we are all evil?
I believe you're brainwashed.
Products of the system
that you grew up in.
But you are not
a product of your system, Troy?
Don't you KGB me.
I'm going to rest my eyes.
Please wake me when
we get to Starokostyantynivske.
I don't see any reason why
I won't be able to do that.
[train operator speaking Russian
through speaker]
- [Russian soldiers speaking Russian]
- [sighs]
- [clamoring in Russian]
- [water splashes]
[sniffs]
[sighs]
[passengers clamoring, laughing]
Nick. Wake up.
[soldiers singing in Russian]
I think we need to change cars. [Sighs]
[groans] Now I've got herpes.
[clears throat]
[sighs]
Nick, I really need you to wake up.
Don't look in the folder.
Yeah, he's showing his friends.
[singing stops]
[speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[shouts in Russian]
[Russian soldiers clamoring]
Nice nap?
[in Russian] Comrades,
I am an officer of the KGB.
I am delivering this prisoner
to my superiors.
Why should we believe you?
Why would I lie to my brothers-in-arms?
[in English] Listen to me right now!
I'm doing this to convey the impression
- that you are my prisoner.
- Okay.
But this ruse will not last for long.
[splutters]
In 30 seconds,
this train will enter a tunnel.
There will be a moment before
the carriage lights come on.
[groans] Hey!
I am so sorry.
[in Russian] What the hell?
[in English] In that moment,
we run toward the front of the train.
[in Russian] Comrade.
These credentials expired ten years ago.
Did they?
I am taking you both into custody.
- [punch lands]
- [in English] Why?
- [muttering]
- There!
Stop them!
[clamoring]
[soldiers speaking Russian]
[in English] What'd you put us on?
A goddamn troop train?
[gunshots sound, bullets clatter]
[soldiers clamoring]
[groans]
- [soldier screams]
- We must jump.
All right. On three. Two. One.
[groans] Jesus.
[soldiers shouting]
- We're running out of train.
- As long as we run out of tunnel first.
[train operator speaking Russian
through speaker]
- [soldiers shouting]
- [grunts]
- [shouts]
- [Troy shouts]
[soldiers screaming]
Whoa.
We're almost out.
- [soldier shout indistinctly]
- [both grunt]
[bullets fly past]
Maybe we should've waited
till the Cold War is over.
[dogs barking]
We need to find shelter for the night.
Think there's a Red Roof Inn here?
I don't know what that is.
[sheep bleats]
Where are you going?
I'm finding shelter.
Do you know these people?
No. Why would I?
[speaking Russian]
[speaking Russian]
[speaking Russian]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- [stammers] What did you say to her?
- That we are cold and hungry.
And she's just gonna let us in?
And you said we were all evil.
[Russian ballad plays on radio]
[villagers speaking Russian]
- [speaking Russian]
- Vodka.
- That...
- Ah. She says, "Please enjoy."
Okay, thank... No, thank you.
Okay.
Are you sure that this is a good idea,
bringing an American in here?
I told them you were my cousin.
What if they've seen my picture on TV?
They could call the authorities.
You see a television here?
- Uh, it could be in the other room.
- Do you see another room?
[speaking Russian]
- No, I do not see
- Uh, please.
another room. Okay. Thank you. All right.
This looks delicious.
[villager 1 speaking Russian]
[in English] What is with the kid?
I'm guessing these
aren't his parents, right?
Although, that would explain a lot.
Uh [speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
His name is Gorgo.
His parents had to move
to Moscow to find work.
So, now he stays here
with his grandparents.
Oh, hey. Hey, Gorgo. What's up?
Okay. Just gonna pull that away.
[villager 1 speaking Russian]
Mm-hmm. [Speaks Russian]
His parents send money back here,
but every day it is a struggle.
Sometimes they must decide between
coal for the stove or food for the table.
Yeah?
[stammers] Well, then why why would
they let us in?
[stammers] If someone came to the door
in America and asked for help,
wouldn't they be taken in?
- Of course they would. [Chuckles]
- [villager 2 speaking Russian]
- [speaks Russian]
- [in English] Thank you. [Chuckles]
[villagers speaking Russian]
[in English] It's interesting.
They taught you so many ways to fight us,
but you've never learned
the first thing about us.
Do you know the cormorant bird?
You are What?
You are all over the map tonight.
When hunting fish, the cormorant will dive
60 feet below the sea
and remain underwater for over a minute.
Out of its element. Completely vulnerable.
But the only way for the bird
to understand the fish
- is by swimming with them.
- [chuckles]
Just gonna
Are we all sleeping in the same room?
[engine thrums]
[Troy sighs]
- [groans]
- [speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
Apparently, Lake Vozhe
is just down this road.
Hey. Hey, uh
Look, that's, uh That's
That's for you. You take that.
[speaks Russian]
No, no, that's the least I can do.
You take it.
Okay. All right, thank you.
- Okay. Oh.
- [kisses]
That felt good. All right.
Let's not make the missus jealous.
All right.
Get out of here.
[engine starts]
That was a very nice gesture.
It's worth more than
he would make in a year.
Maybe they can finally afford to get
little Gorgo a proper cage with a lock.
[Nick] You know, I feel sorry for him
in many ways.
[Troy] For Gorgo?
[Nick] Yes, Gorgo.
- [Troy] He's a demon, Nick.
- He's unusual.
[Troy] Looked a demon right in the eyes.
[Nick] Yeah, those are
not private security. They're KGB.
Only an apparatchik would
have such protection.
So whoever lives in this dacha
- has an Altai phone?
- More than likely.
There's no car in the driveway. Meaning
our man is in town, but not at home.
Good timing.
So how are you gonna get past these guys?
They're walking
a standard vos'merka patrol pattern.
We simply wait for
the seredina gap to present itself.
- So I'll follow you?
- You will follow me.
What are you doing?
Looking for their channel.
- [indistinct radio chatter]
- Yeah, here it is.
- [radio feedback sounds]
- [both shout]
Go. Go, go.
You learn that trick in the KGB?
No. Young Pioneers. Like your Boy Scouts.
Well, the Scouts taught me how to build
a very slow car out of a block of wood.
If that comes in handy.
It won't.
Young Pioneers again?
KGB.
Okay, you search upstairs.
Stay in contact.
Roger that.
Wait, hold on.
I-I don't know what this phone looks like.
Small briefcase.
About the size of a human baby.
Got it.
[bottles clinking]
And this is the one they chose to frame.
[music box clicks, plays melody]
Neat.
Nick.
- Troy, I have the phone.
- [radio buzzes]
Oh, good. We can use it
to call a therapist for this child.
- Here.
- Oh, that's good.
When we get a safe distance
from the house,
then you can make your call.
- [door opens]
- [person speaking Russian, laughing]
[speaking Russian]
- [apparatchik speaks Russian]
- That is not his wife.
Uh-huh.
- [apparatchik speaks Russian]
- She is a sexual escort.
[Troy whispers] I can see that. Thank you.
I meant to ask
now that we've grown closer,
will you tell me
why they call you Assassin?
Really?
For real, you're asking me this now?
I'm very curious.
It's private.
I thought we were closer.
We're not.
[both continue speaking Russian]
[giggles]
Oh, she is unclothing him.
Okay. I, uh
I don't need the play-by-play.
- But thank you.
- Let us hope this is merely the foreplay
and they move upstairs
for the act of intercourse.
You are scorching my ear
with the heat of your breath.
[vehicle approaches]
[sighs, speaks in Russian]
Shit! It's my family!
You said they were coming tomorrow!
Quickly!
- [family speaking indistinctly]
- Not that way! She'll see you!
In there!
[in English] Oh, she is coming here.
[in Russian] Who are you?
Burglars.
[family speaking Russian]
Nadia! What are you doing here?
We came up early to avoid traffic.
Are you not happy to see us?
Of course I'm happy.
I have such a headache. I need some wine.
I will get it.
- You sit down.
- [Nadia speaks Russian]
[in English] And now the man is coming.
[in Russian] My head has been pounding
since this morning.
Please. No more whining.
You sound like the children.
I'll draw you a bath.
Don't rush me.
The car ride was so tiring today.
- [in English] Yeah?
- [staffer] There's a call for you, sir.
At this hour?
If he is who he says he is,
you're gonna want to take it.
This is Consul General Hennessy.
To whom am I speaking?
This is Lieutenant Troy Kelly.
US Navy service number E02-77-41.
I'm behind enemy lines
and I need immediate evac.
Uh, hold on, Lieutenant.
This line might not be secure.
I'm calling from
a Russian Altai radiotelephone.
There's no way they can monitor this.
- How the hell did you get that?
- [stammers] That's not important.
All right, look,
if I give you my approximate location,
how quickly can you dispatch an S&R team?
Okay, hold on.
[stammers] It's not that simple.
You were in a black op.
The US can't recognize
your presence in this country.
An evac on Russian soil would be
an admission that we engaged in espionage.
So what am I supposed to do?
[stammers] If you can make it across
the border or to our embassy in Moscow,
we would have plenipotentiary.
We could get you home.
Do you have a vehicle?
[car engine rumbles]
Yes, I do.
There's one more thing.
Um, there's a Russian guy.
He's been helping me out.
Um, his name is Nick Nikolai Ustinov.
I promised him and his daughter asylum.
I'll have to clear that
with the ambassador.
Well, you do that.
We'll call you when we get to Moscow.
Did they give you an extraction point?
Yeah, the embassy in Moscow.
They want us to go to them.
But you are an American hero.
Why would they not come get you?
Well, I guess
there's bigger things at stake.
Okay. We will have to
pick up my daughter first.
Uh, I will page her and ask her address.
- You don't know where she lives?
- She moves around a lot.
[sighs] There is good news though.
What's that?
We have a cassette player.
Mmm. Twelve hours of that one tape.
["I'm on Fire" plays on radio]
[Nick] Who is the daddy in the song?
[Troy] Uh, you know,
I've always wondered that myself.
[song continues on radio]
[Nick] It is too late
to get into the embassy tonight.
We will stay with my daughter.
If she allows us.
Moscow always this angry?
[Nick] They're preparing for
the Mayday parade tomorrow.
A celebration of Soviet might.
The streets will be filled
with soldiers and weapons.
In America, we just have a
like a Snoopy balloon.
Thanksgiving. So boring. [Chuckles]
Probably best to turn this off now.
[music stops]
[in Russian] This is where Deputy Chairman
Dukhov's Altai phone was stolen.
Just 90 kilometers south of here
the railway
where our troops engaged with the targets.
What time was the robbery?
Approximately 2100 hours.
Here. A call to the US Embassy at 2214
where monitoring was switched off.
That must have been him.
He is coming to us.
I'll inform the general secretary.
No.
I want to greet
our American friend myself.
[announcer speaking Russian
through PA system]
[classical music
playing through PA system]
[in English] This place is nice.
- [glass breaks in distance]
- Isn't nice.
[dogs barking]
- What's that for?
- Follow me.
You sure it's 709?
It's 809. Come on, we'll take the stairs.
Oh, come on.
Hey, remember when you drove the car
onto the ice
and then sank that car without warning me?
Getting that same vibe here.
- [in Russian] Hello, Anna.
- [speaks Russian]
Do you have a safe house we can use?
Yes.
[in English] Hi.
All right, what is all this?
There were four state security men
staking out the building.
But they will not catch us.
[shouts]
[groans]
[in Russian] Eighth floor.
[ax thumping]
[pants]
[in English] Do you own or rent?
- [banging on door]
- [KGB agent shouting in Russian]
[in English] Anna, come.
[shouting, banging continue]
[speaking Russian]
- [grunts]
- [speaking Russian]
[grunting]
[speaking Russian]
[dog barks]
[elevator chimes]
[in English] I'm Troy, by the way.
- Anna.
- Pleasure.
[Nick] So, first thing in the morning,
Troy will call the embassy
on the Altai phone
and the three of us
can leave here forever.
Is this all true?
You're an Air Force pilot?
No, Navy pilot.
We have planes and boats.
It's confusing, I know.
[in Russian] Do you know how long
it's been since we've spoken?
Huh?
Why would you think I'd go with you?
It's a chance to start over.
I'm not like you.
[Nick grunts]
I don't want to run off
to the woods and hide.
I'd rather make the home I have better.
You won't be safe if you stay.
I've never been safe here.
Go to the States if you can.
[chuckles]
You have many things to feel guilty about.
But leaving me shouldn't be one of them.
[Nick sighing]
- [automated voice speaks Russian]
- [in English] Does the stove work?
What, are you gonna
blow this place up too?
[Nick] I'm making tea.
Oh, I'll have some tea.
You, uh, some kind of freedom fighter?
The organization I'm in
works for human rights.
They allow that here?
They can only forbid what they know about.
And they can only punish
the ones they catch.
So they employ men like my father
to sniff us out.
- [speaks Russian]
- Ah.
[in English]
Did you do the stitching yourself?
No. No, no, no, your dad did it.
He's trained to create wounds,
not treat them.
Appreciate you taking us in for the night.
I didn't have much choice.
You led my father's comrades to my door.
Well, ex-comrades. [Chuckles]
[chuckles] Yeah.
I don't know what my father has told you,
but I wouldn't put much trust in him.
- Right.
- He lies for a living.
I get that. But on the other hand,
he's saved my life, like, 44 times
in the last couple of days,
so I'm gonna give him
the benefit of the doubt.
Yes. Well, I hope you make it home
safe to your family.
No family, just my dad.
Really?
A handsome American pilot like you?
I assumed you had a wife and kids
and a house with a picket fence.
No. Single. Condo with a chain-link.
I've been mostly focused on my work.
Looks like that's really paying off.
- [laughs]
- Thanks.
What about you?
Is there a man in your life?
Not my type.
Come on, all men?
Oh.
I figure since I'm hiding you,
you can keep a secret. [Chuckles]
Does Nick know?
[chuckles]
It is against the law to be gay
in the Soviet Union.
And that law is enforced by the KGB.
Right.
- [water runs]
- [dishes clatter]
Anna's great, by the way.
Much gentler touch than you.
[Nick] She's a very special girl.
I wish things were different between us.
[Troy] Yeah, I bet she does too.
[sighs] Don't you
Don't you see what you're doing?
Hmm?
You're making the same mistakes
that Maverick did.
Maverick from Top Gun?
- Do you know another Maverick?
- Not really.
After Goose died,
Mav was wracked with guilt about all the
things that he could've done differently.
All the things that he wished he could've
said to him. But it was too late.
You still have a chance to talk to Anna.
And who knows?
You know, maybe you'll discover
stuff you didn't know about each other.
What stuff?
Yeah, well, private stuff.
You know, uh, personal...
You mean that she likes women?
- Wait, you know?
- Yeah, I've always known.
I mean, that's one of the reasons
why I left the KGB.
How could I work for a system
that considered my own child a criminal?
[sighs] Why [stammers]
Why didn't you talk to her about it?
Look, if Anna wanted to discuss it,
she would come to me.
That's not how it works.
You're the dad.
You need to show her that she
doesn't need to hide who she is from you.
Are all fighter pilots
as sensitive as you?
Yes.
[in Russian] Can we talk?
All right.
[speaking indistinctly]
[speaking indistinctly]
[church bell tolls]
DAD, CALL ME
WHEN YOU MAKE IT TO AMERICA.
AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.
[Hennessy, in English] Our building
is typically surveilled by state security,
so arrive at 9:00
and come straight to the gate.
You'll debrief here and ship out
to Ramstein before end of day.
Hooyah. Thank you, sir.
Don't hang up yet, Lieutenant.
I spoke with the ambassador.
Unfortunately, we cannot
offer asylum to your civilian escort.
Hold on. [Stammers] You don't understand.
I wouldn't be here if not for Nick.
I promised I'd get him to the States.
I hear you, but Nikolai Ustinov
is no ordinary citizen.
Did you know he was KGB?
Yeah. Yeah, he told me. But he quit.
This is a very delicate moment
in US-Soviet relations.
We give safe harbor to a KGB agent,
current or former...
You gotta be kidding me.
This guy is a major asset.
A window into Soviet ops.
You should be jumping at this.
My hands are tied.
This is coming from the highest level.
Well, what am I supposed to tell the guy?
He put his trust in me. In America.
If I leave him behind,
we're no different than them.
This is bullshit.
I need confirmation
you'll be here at 9:00 this morning.
I'll be there.
It won't be long now.
Listen, Nick, uh, before we get there
I When I talked to the Embassy,
I got some bad news and, um
Oh, is this, uh
Is this a dead end? What...
What is this?
I thought we were friends.
Nick, you ratted me out?
You were leaving me
and my daughter to the wolves.
Oh, come on, Nick. No, no, no, no, Nick.
What did you do?
Get off me! Hey! Hey, Nick!
[Troy shouting]
[door opens, closes]
[sighs]
[chatter in distance]
[prisoner speaks Russian]
[in Russian] This was not our agreement!
- [KGB agents speak Russian]
- [prisoner grunts]
[groans]
Get Volkov. This is unacceptable.
- [pants]
- [in English] Well, look who's here.
Feeling pretty good about
making that call now?
You lying bastard.
You promised you'd get me out of here.
I was gonna convince them
to take you in when we got to the Embassy.
More lies! Why didn't you tell me
they'd refused me asylum?
You never would've driven me there.
See? You're [speaks Russian]
[in English] I swear to God
I was not gonna just leave you there.
I am That is not who I am.
I don't know who you are.
Yes, you do. I'm a Top Gun.
I'm Maverick. You love me.
That is just a movie. I know that now.
Nick
Gentlemen.
You lied. You said I'd be released.
And you will. One of you will.
- What is this?
- [Volkov] A confession.
It states that your objective here
was to infiltrate the Kremlin
and assassinate President Gorbachev.
And yours affirms
that he disclosed this mission to you.
Well, that's not true.
But if enough people believe it,
that will put an end to this Glasnost.
Openness.
The only thing we've opened ourselves to
is dissent and disorder.
Once you sign,
you'll be very well taken care of here.
A new identity with more
comfort and luxury than you can imagine.
You, sir, are an ugly man.
And that is an ugly suggestion.
Your country refused to extract you
from behind enemy lines,
- leaving you to fend for yourself.
- I know what I signed up for.
How about your father?
Did he know his government was killing him
and taking no responsibility?
What did you say?
We do our research.
Harold Kelly.
Diagnosed in 1983
with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Worked for 32 years
at the San Diego shipyards
where he was exposed to high levels of
asbestos on a daily basis.
Why is this America's fault?
They knew the dangers, but suppressed
that information for decades
because it saved them money.
How would you know that?
This is a copy of the classified letter
from your Secretary of the Navy
dated September 1956.
I told you we do our research.
Nations are like people.
They do what they must to survive.
The only question is, will you?
I
Before I came here, I
I thought I knew what this country was.
But there's something I didn't know.
I didn't know that
there were good people here.
People who will risk their lives
to help a stranger.
[sighs] So, no, I won't
I won't sign that.
Not for the sake of my country.
But for the sake of yours.
And you, comrade?
You've proven your loyalty
by turning him in.
Are you willing to take the final step
for your country?
For your family?
What is loyalty?
An exercise for fools.
America. Russia. It's all shit.
None of us escape what we are.
If it will protect me and my family,
I'll sign your paper.
Nick.
What difference does it make?
[chuckles] Very good.
Your KGB training taught you well.
My training also taught me
never to give a prisoner a sharp object.
- [Nick grunts]
- [Volkov screams]
- [Nick grunts]
- Goddamn it. I knew it was an act.
- You did?
- [pants] No, but thank God.
- [Nick] I still have not forgiven you.
- Same. Why do we need that?
If we survive,
this will make sure he does not.
- You ready for this?
- No.
[bangs on door]
[groans]
[shouts]
[groans]
[groans]
[Troy] Where are we?
KGB black site.
Used for less formal interrogations.
So Volkov was going rogue?
Some men have their own agendas.
But you would know that.
You're the one who
called the torture police.
- [window shatters]
- [gunshots sound]
[Volkov] Hey!
[crowd clamoring]
[Volkov] Stop! Stop!
[parade announcer speaks Russian]
- Do we go back to the Embassy?
- KGB will be swarming the area.
We need to leave the country.
Where's the nearest airport?
Sheremetyevo.
It's about 12 kilometers from here.
Okay, okay.
All right, well, we need a car.
A car they can stop.
We need something bigger.
- You wanna steal a tank?
- A tank they can shoot at.
They can shoot at anything.
Not anything.
No.
I doubt they'll shoot
at a nuclear missile.
- You doubt?
- [Volkov] Hey!
[speaks Russian]
[shouting in Russian]
[yells, shouting in Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[Nick shouting]
- [in English] What did you say to him?
- That he had driven over my baby.
That just popped into your head?
What is it with you and babies?
Hey! [Shouts in Russian]
[missile carrier horn blares]
[soldiers yelling]
[crowd yelling]
Oh, God.
[shouts in Russian] Get out of the car!
I want every unit in pursuit of
that mobile launcher.
No one is to fire on them!
[horn honks]
[missile carrier horn blares]
[siren blares]
- [in English] You're seeing this, right?
- I'm seeing it.
[gasps]
[sirens blaring]
[speaks Russian]
Bus, bus, bus, bus, bus, bus!
[missile carrier horn blares]
- [metal creaks]
- [cables spark]
Maybe we should clear the air.
What is there to clear, Troy?
I risk everything to save you
and you pissed on my back.
Oh, that's funny 'cause I seem to
remember your piss running down my back.
I asked for asylum for you, they said no,
you threw me in a dungeon.
You promised
your country would protect us.
Well, it turns out that
my country isn't perfect.
My dad meant nothing to them
and neither do you or I.
[sirens wailing]
Well, look, if I'm being
If I'm being totally honest with myself,
maybe I was
just thinking about getting home.
Maybe I'm kind of a selfish guy.
[officer speaks Russian]
The least I could've done was tell you
'cause you're my friend.
And that's what friends do.
Move.
[tires screeching]
- [metal grinding]
- [screaming]
[sirens stop]
[blows]
Fine, you wanna know
why they call me Assassin?
Back when I was a JG,
I made my first carrier landing
and I was, uh
I was feeling pretty proud of myself.
So I get out of the plane,
I wasn't looking where I was going,
and I fell ass-first into a deck hatch.
A couple green shirts, they helped me up.
I look around to see
if anyone else noticed and I
Shit, I did it again.
I fell ass-first into the same hatch.
I don't understand.
I fell, ass in.
Twice. Get it?
Ass, ass, in.
[chuckles] That is embarrassing.
Point is, I've never told
anyone outside the service that story.
But I'm telling you now as a gesture.
A gesture?
Of trust.
You're trusting that I will tell no one
that you disgraced yourself?
Yes.
Trying to pull another lever?
I appreciate you telling me your secret,
Ass-ass-in.
You can just run it together.
Ass-ass-in.
Assassin.
Our bomb's not gonna clear that.
- [metal crashing]
- [shouts in Russian]
[booming]
- [shouts]
- [tires screeching]
[car horns honking]
[Russian music playing through radio]
[engine revving]
- [Troy] Where are the private jets?
- Private planes leave from Vnukovo.
Where's that?
An hour away.
Then I guess we're flying commercial.
[missile carrier horn blaring]
[brakes hiss]
[in Russian] My baby's in there!
My baby's in there!
[officer shouting]
- [in English] Oh, God!
- [screams]
- God!
- [people screaming]
[in Russian] Follow me!
- [in English] Why did you do that?
- What do you mean?
- I took a bullet for you.
- You didn't take it.
You shared it.
You can't stop a bullet with your hand.
I know that now. And I knew that then.
[in Russian]
Pull up close to the cabin door!
Closer!
[in English]
You wanna get the door, please?
[both yelling]
[Nick grunting]
[yells]
What are they paying this guy?
[screams, grunts]
Hey!
- [grunting]
- [magazine clicks]
[Volkov grunts]
[yells]
[Volkov screams]
- [choking]
- [in Russian] Once you are dead,
I will hunt down your daughter
and kill her too!
You are a traitor and a fool!
[groans]
[metal clangs]
No, Volkov.
I must break you.
Is that what he said?
[shouts]
[screams]
I don't think that killed him.
Who is flying the plane?
- I put it on autopilot.
- [alarm beeping]
- I put it on something.
- [grunts]
How far until Finland?
Too far.
When we lost that engine,
we lost our airspeed.
We won't make it to Finland.
We don't have the fuel.
- Where does that leave us?
- Somewhere over the Baltic Sea.
Or if we can find Carl Vinson.
Who is this man, Vinson?
How can he help us?
He's not a man. He was a man.
Now he's an aircraft carrier.
Can a plane this size land on a carrier?
Technically, no. But physically,
probably not.
Captain, TAO.
Unidentified aircraft, course 110,
20 miles, 5,000 feet.
- Military?
- No, sir.
- It's squawking commercial air.
- All right, hail them on guard.
[TAO officer]
Unidentified aircraft, course 285,
you are approaching a US warship
operating in international waters.
Request you identify yourself
and state intentions.
This is Lieutenant Troy Kelly
of the United States Navy.
We are declaring an emergency
and requesting a ready deck upon arrival.
Unidentified aircraft,
alter course immediately or you
may be subject to defensive measures.
- Holy shit.
- What?
Okay, we can hear them
but they can't hear us.
Let's get a visual. Launch the alert five.
If we can't communicate with them,
they're gonna assume that we're hostile,
and they're gonna run an intercept on us.
No, I can fix this. How long do we have?
As long as you need,
until we're shot down.
[pilot] Skopa Air, alter course
immediately and acknowledge.
- How is that coming?
- It is trickier than my ham radio.
Captain, that was an alert from Interpol.
Commercial ATR 42 was seized by gunmen
at Sheremetyevo an hour ago.
TAO, set weapons posture one, all mounts.
[artillery clicks]
- They're detaching.
- That's good.
That's bad.
They're getting out of the way.
[whirring]
Designating track 141 hostile.
All mounts in remote.
Awaiting batteries release.
- Permission grant...
- Repeat, this is Lieutenant Troy Kelly
- Belay that.
- 7741. I've been MIA. Do you copy?
[captain] Welcome back, Lieutenant.
- [both shout]
- [Troy groans]
- Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
- [control panel beeping]
We're below minimum fuel.
Request emergency landing. Over.
In that thing? Without a tail hook?
He's nuts.
What's the wingspan on the ATR-42?
Eighty-one feet, sir.
[sighs] It's tight, but it's possible.
This is the captain.
On the flight deck,
emergency pull-forward.
All ahead full.
Skopa Air 1628, you are clear for landing.
Congratulations, Troy.
[Troy chuckles]
You're going home.
Yes, I am.
[sighs]
Captain, I need you to help me
with something before I can land.
[captain] Name it.
I need permanent asylum status
for a Soviet citizen, Nikolai Ustinov.
What?
[captain]
I'm not authorized to grant that.
Then I think you should ask
somebody at the State Department who can,
because you hear this?
We're down to 20 kilos of fuel.
I don't understand.
You've been given permission to land.
And I respectfully decline permission
to land until I get what I'm asking.
Fifteen kilos.
This guy's a soup sandwich.
He's also an American MIA.
Get Assistant Director Meadows
on the horn.
Quickly.
Why are you doing this?
'Cause right now the only way to stand up
for my country is to stand up to it.
Thank you.
[control panel beeping rapidly]
We're dead-stick, Captain.
Kelly, this is Karen Meadows
at the State Department.
Consul General Hennessy
has apprised me of your situation.
You should know
I don't like to have my arm twisted,
especially at 5:00 in the morning.
Understood, ma'am. Sorry to wake you.
But considering the circumstances,
I am officially granting
your request for asylum.
And I wanna thank you
for your service, Lieutenant.
Now, land the goddamn plane.
You risked your life for me.
Sort of. There's a reserve fuel tank.
[laughs]
[Troy laughs]
[people chattering]
[Troy] Flaps 30.
Condition levers max. On-slope, on center.
It's like I'm inside my favorite movie.
[whirring]
[tires screech]
[shouts]
[beeps]
[both panting]
- Hey, Troy.
- Yeah? [Sighs]
You can be my wing man any...
No. No, no, no. What is that? No.
No. We're not gonna do that.
[Nick] I understand.
It's been my great honor
to serve this nation
and uphold the Navy's motto,
non sibi sed patriae.
"Not for self but for country."
[stammers]
Which is why I have the utmost confidence
that this body will issue
a public acknowledgement
of the government's use of cancer-causing
materials in military construction.
Uh, additionally, I'd ask for the
establishment of a compensation committee
to reimburse the good people,
including my father,
who sacrificed their own well-being
to safeguard ours.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
This country owes you a debt of gratitude
and we will take your request
under serious advisement.
[microphone feedback]
Sorry.
It's a little trick I picked up
from the Russian boy scouts.
I probably should've mentioned
that I have this.
Uh, this is a copy of a classified letter
sent from
the Secretary of the Navy in 1956
recognizing the health risks
posed by asbestos to shipyard workers.
I have the original somewhere. I just
can't quite remember where I put it.
This is just very damning though.
Very, very damning.
[Nick] Bravo.
Well? How's the Big Mac?
Is it everything you hoped?
It tastes like America.
Huh. When do you head out?
At dawn.
I want to have lunch at the Liberty Bell.
Well, that's-that's everyone's dream.
It's a beaut.
It is.
Didn't you say that
you had months of leave saved up?
After my little stunt, they may
put me on permanent leave.
So, why don't you join me?
You know, the kitchen table
folds down into a second bed.
There's a car phone,
so I can keep in touch with Anna.
I have a cassette player.
- I'm out.
- Understood.
But isn't it time
that you explored the country
that you fought so hard to protect?
I don't know.
Come on, Lieutenant.
One more adventure.
[sighs]
Let me finish my drink before I decide.
Of course.
[slurping]
[slurping continues]
- I think you are fucking with me.
- [slurping continues]
[chattering on radio]
[pants, groaning]
[grunts]
Damn it. [Grunts]
[grunting, panting]
[yells, grunts]
[panting]
[panting, grunting]
Stay back!
[pilot] Outlaw 1, flight of two,
checking in as fragged.
Red Hook 3507,
tally two hostile, one o'clock.
So I got Anderton's daughter
one of those Cabbage Patch dolls
for her birthday.
Can someone explain them to me?
- What do you mean?
- Their faces. Why do they look like that?
Their eyes are too small
and their cheeks are all swollen,
it's like they're on steroids.
I think they're kinda cute.
They're just chubby like babies.
You know, if I saw a baby like that
I'd never stop screaming.
Outlaw 2, tally. My understanding is
they're born in a cabbage patch.
[Troy] You say that like it's not insane.
Whatever happened to
good ole Raggedy Andy?
- Uh, are we gonna do this drill or not?
- [Troy] Uh-oh.
Russians are getting impatient.
Engaging north man. Tapes on. Fight's on.
[Longshot] Outlaw 2, taking south man.
Turning and burning.
[Boomer] What you gonna do?
Hey, you got nowhere to go, boss.
You ready to call it?
[Troy] Uh-huh. Maybe.
[Boomer] Oh.
[Troy] Kill north man.
You're dead, Nikita.
- [Boomer] Dang it!
- [Troy] Splash one Mig.
Longshot, say status.
South man is a kill, bubba.
[Troy] I think we can all agree
that this was deeply embarrassing
for our Soviet colleagues.
[Mullet] Hey, you got lucky, Lieutenant.
[Troy] I'll see ya on the boat.
Uh, Assassin, I seem to be having
a flight controls malfunction.
[Troy] What's going on?
[Boomer] Right aileron's jammed.
I'm holding a full left stick.
[Troy] Okay, just Hey, hold her steady.
Lemme get a visual.
Oh, yeah, I see it.
Can't land on mom if
I'm shaking like this.
- ISO, you copy?
- [landing officer 1] ISO copies.
All right. Get my boys on the boat.
I'm gonna hang back with Boomer.
[Longshot] Good luck, brother.
- Damn it.
- [Troy] Unpucker, Boomer.
Let's get you up to altitude.
Uh, no-go. Juice is 2.1. I'm nearly dry.
Think I gotta punch out.
[Troy] No. Let's think of the taxpayers.
I'm gonna try something. I just
I want you to hold her
as steady as you can.
[Boomer] What the hell are you doing?
- I'm gonna unjam your aileron.
- How?
[Troy] Don't worry.
Just drop your gear, fly your needles.
[sighs] It's too unstable.
I know. This is kind of crazy.
Just go with me.
You're gonna get us both killed.
[grunts]
Oh, shit. Come on!
It's okay. That's all right.
I'm a professional.
[scoffs] It's no-go. [Sighs]
Wave off, 382. You're gonna hit the tower.
He's right. You gotta abort.
[Troy] You just focus on Meatball.
Lineup AOA.
Now, you're gonna feel a little pressure.
Okay, all right. I owe you one, buddy.
- [laughs]
- I owe you more.
You just made me employee of the month.
They're gonna let me
park my plane next to the entrance.
[Ronald Reagan]
Let me say to the hostage families,
we have not given up.
We never will.
And I promise you we'll use
every legitimate means
to free your loved ones from captivity.
But I must also
- Hey, what'd he say?
- He said I'm gonna live another 75 years.
Oh, come on. Look, is that new stuff
he's got you on doing anything?
I told you I'm cured.
- Oh, you're cured? [Mutters]
- Excuse me?
Rules are you gotta be in a wheelchair
until you leave the hospital.
- Really? [Grunts]
- Come on. No, no, no. Let's not make a...
Dad, y-you don't have to protect me
from this stuff.
I'm pretty good with stressful things.
Oh, Lord.
Well, they're gonna try a new medicine.
It's worked on rats,
so it should be good for me.
Hey, you wanna go to the Turf tonight?
Grab a steak or something?
- I thought you were meetin' your friends?
- [smacks lips] You're my friends.
[father] Well, thank you very much.
But if you wanna cheer me up,
then go drink with your pals.
At least pretend you haven't
given up so much for me.
Besides,
I'm going out with that girl tonight.
Oh, nice.
Dinner and a funeral.
You're a dick.
GASLAMP QUARTER
[people chattering]
[Troy] Oh, please.
Don't let Gorbachev fool you.
[Mullet] Right, well, I don't know if
Gorbachev is the problem.
- It seems to me like
- [Troy] Oh, no.
- he is trying to make some reforms.
- The guy came up through the Politburo.
He's a dyed-in-the-wool Communist.
- Regardless of what he calls himself.
- Here comes Captain America.
- That's right.
- Honestly. I don't see
the big difference between
capitalism and communism.
- You what? The whole Soviet system
- Why would you poke the bear, man?
- flies in the face of human nature.
- Great, now he's not gonna shut up.
You can't reform something
- that's fundamentally broken.
- I didn't sign up for this course.
- No, you didn't.
- You didn't sign up for this course.
- Lenin, Stalin, you know
- Didn't we just go out?
These guys would pretend that
we're living in some... Hi, there.
We're living in some,
you know, big, happy collective.
You know, but for some reason,
that collective is always at the cost of
- individual freedoms.
- [Boomer] Whoa!
- [driver] Watch out!
- Sorry. Hi. You drive safe tonight, sir.
Okay. Take me, for example.
I think we can all agree
that I'm the best pilot in the 3rd Fleet.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Boomer, I know you can.
- What? Wh No shame, this guy!
- Oh! [Laughs] Save me, Troy.
- I don't have any shame. Nor should I.
- Save me. [Laughs]
Right, because in America,
we celebrate being the best.
- Yep.
- We reward greatness.
You know what happens
over there if you're great?
What's that? Tell them.
- Nothing. You're just another comrade.
- Mm-hmm.
- That's not a society
- You guys sucking up to him?
- that's a prison.
- What?
And anyone who doesn't fight to break out
of that, well, then they're, you know
- They're part of the problem.
- Anyone?
Even the poor civs
who just happen to be born there?
Silence is complicity.
- Top guns! Yeah. What's up?
- Hey, buddy.
[chuckles]
You know, it's times like this
I am so glad they made that movie.
- [laughs] Uh-huh. What's up?
- [commander] Gentlemen.
Uh, Commander. [Clears throat]
Everything okay, sir?
Speak privately for a moment?
Just Lieutenant Kelly.
I've been briefed on your stunt today.
Okay, yeah. I-I saw
an opportunity to help a wing man
- and save an aircraft, so...
- Easy, Kelly.
I'm not here to tear you down.
You ever heard of Big Bird?
Not the one from Sesame Street.
Then no.
Operation Big Bird.
Since '71, the NRO has been
sending up recon satellites
to keep track of what the Russians are
doing in the remote regions of, uh, USSR.
Problem with that is
resolution is limited.
So occasionally, we have to
send someone out for a closer look.
You need a spy plane.
You want me to fly a spy plane.
You ship out to Ramstein Air Base
in Germany, 0400 tomorrow.
I'll brief you there.
And it's TS,
so don't tell anyone you're leaving.
Thank you, sir.
For the opportunity. Thank you.
No, thank you. For earning it.
Last week, we received imagery suggesting
that the Russians are building
missile silos northeast of Nyandoma.
That places our area of ops
1,200 miles inside the Soviet border.
That's 30 minutes in and 30 minutes out.
The site is flanked by four SAM sites
as far as we know.
And the nearest Russian airstrip is
at Os'mino, 200 miles east.
All this suggests that the Russians are
not using this site to make nesting dolls.
You'll fly in at 80,000 feet,
above the SAM ceiling.
You'll get your shots and you'll vmonos.
You're the only one here, Kelly.
Uh, you said 80,000 feet, sir.
Doesn't that exceed
the max altitude of a U-2?
That's correct.
But you won't be flying the U-2.
The SR-71 Blackbird.
Max speed Mach 3 plus,
ceiling 85,000 feet.
Fastest, highest flying aircraft
in the world.
[Troy] She's a beauty.
[Hardwick] She's a beast.
She can outrun a missile.
You'll be in a full pressure suit.
But that won't stop you
from getting shredded
should you decide to eject above Mach 1.
[chuckles]
Correct me if I'm wrong, sir,
but isn't this an Air Force op?
[sniffs]
It's a black op.
You're flying for the CIA.
- You're decommissioning me.
- Temporarily.
Your training with the cameras
used on the Blackbird
makes you uniquely qualified.
You'll be second seat
to an Air Force flyer.
Wait. I'm RIO? I'm not flying?
Not this time, squid.
Major Sanders. Lieutenant Kelly.
The major here's flown 23 sorties
on the Blackbird.
- Nice to meet you.
- Uh-huh.
You ever, uh, come under fire in this?
Wouldn't have been doing my job if I had.
This isn't a Navy tac-air beer run.
Recon requires less brawn, more brains.
I can see that. Yeah. [Clicks tongue]
[scoffs] You just keep your eyes
on the radar and let me do the rest.
Got it. Okay, I'm picking up
a bogey with a...
Just a big old pile of cheek bones
and eyebrows at my 12.
[Hardwick] You can fang each
other all you want on the ground here.
But up there, you are one or you are dead.
Remember that.
[Troy] Understood, sir.
Sorry I made fun of your face.
You just don't see 'em like that
outside of nightmares.
[coughing]
- [coughs]
- Jesus, Dad.
[father] Hell, I'm fine. I'm fine.
I thought you didn't come home
'cause you got lucky.
Well, I-I might've. We'll see.
Should I be worried?
No, no, no, no. It's a...
It's a walk in the park.
Oh. Which park? Libya?
Iran?
Uh, that
Well, a classified park actually.
[sighs]
- Well, don't get yourself in any tr...
- No, no. Never do.
- [sighs]
- Never do. I gotta go.
I, uh I love you, Pop.
Love you too, pal.
Okay.
[Sanders] You're gonna wanna
put those in your boot.
Sorry?
The chain can choke you
if you have to eject.
Any zoomie would know that.
Oh, yeah? Zoomies know that?
[Hardwick] Tank pressure check.
[Sanders]
She's at 1.3 PSI. Setting IGV to lockout.
[Hardwick] Habu 43, checklist complete?
Affirmative. IGV normal.
OBC camera OP checks good.
[Hardwick] Habu 43, wind 265 at five.
Cleared for takeoff, runway 26.
So, Sanders, are you married? Kids?
Not a priority till I make colonel.
Same. You think that's why they chose us?
No ties?
You know, we don't have to talk.
You do realize if your dream comes true,
what that'll make you?
What's that?
Colonel Sanders.
No one's ever pointed that out?
1,700 knots.
[Troy] And 11 herbs and spices.
It's all just one big chunk of land
from up here.
Flight level eight-zero-zero.
[Hardwick] Copy that.
Be advised, you are now
crossing Soviet airspace,
512 miles from target.
OBC camera on. Ready.
[camera whirs]
How are we looking?
Heavy soup over the target.
Doubt we'll get anything clean.
Base, Habu. We've got poor vis.
Please advise.
[Hardwick] Habu,
descend to flight level four-five-zero.
First time for everything.
Copy. Four-five-zero.
[metal rattles]
There we go.
Film is moving. We got eyes on target.
[Hardwick] Bravo, zulu.
Get back on altitude and RTB.
[engines roar]
Bogey one-nine-zero-ten.
Damn it.
Tally one Mig, five o'clock.
Jamming engaged and working.
Why are you banking? We'll lose airspeed.
I've got this.
No, you don't. He'll gain on us.
See, Kelly? This is why you're
a trunk monkey and I'm a...
Sanders? Sanders, do you copy?
[engines power down]
Habu 43, defensive. Scram east.
100 miles west of Pechora.
Pilot is unresponsive
and I've lost all flight control.
[alarm beeping]
- [wind rushing]
- [metal rattles]
Come on. [Grunts]
[mechanisms restart]
[sighs]
Right engine is bent.
[pilot speaks Russian]
Mayday, mayday, mayday.
Habu 43 marking latitude 65.18,
longitude 72.10.
I'm gonna have to punch out.
[Hardwick] You cannot eject
at that speed, Assassin!
I know, I know.
[engine splutters]
[alarm beeping]
[sighs] That's it. Get up here.
[targeting system beeps]
[grunts]
[panting, grunting]
[shouts, panting continues]
[debris rushes past]
[shouts]
[breathing heavily]
[yelps]
[grunting, shouting]
[breathing heavily]
[gunshot]
Okay.
[grunts, inhales sharply]
[grunts]
[rope strains]
What is this? Hey!
[gasps]
Ah, good. You have not died.
Who are you? Where am I?
Well, my name is Nikolai Ustinov.
But you should call me Nick.
And you are in my home.
Uh, welcome. It is an honor.
Why am I tied to the bed?
I tied you so that you would not move
during the surgery.
What do you mean surgery?
The stick in your leg.
I removed it and repaired an artery.
There was a great deal of blood.
Ah, you screamed a lot,
but that is my fault
because I do not have proper anesthesia.
Uh, can y can you untie me now?
Of course. Soon, yes.
But I need you to rest now
so that the healing can continue. Uh-huh.
Oh, okay. Um, what is what is with the
all the American stuff?
All the W-Well, this may shock you,
but I admire your country very much.
Um, your democracy and your culture.
And, uh, and your food.
I have never had McDonald's,
but I suspect I would love it.
You could almost say I am obsessed.
Oh, is that right?
My dream is to someday live in America.
Drive from sea to shining sea
in a recreational vehicle.
- Fun.
- I don't know yet,
mmm, what I would do for work.
But I know that there,
anything is possible.
Yeah.
I have something I want to show you.
This is very special,
but also quite illegal.
A man could go to jail for having this.
I have watched it over 100 times.
And each time,
I imagine I am the man in the movie.
Doing the things that he does.
You see, we don't get
many American films here,
but last year I came upon this bootleg
Of Top Gun.
[sighing]
It confirmed for me
all of my beliefs about your people.
And then, suddenly one day, here you are.
Falling from the sky like providence.
- Listen, Nikolai. I'm...
- Stop!
Nick. Call me Nick.
Nick. I'm-I'm Troy.
- Troy, nice to meet you.
- I appreciate you patching me up, Nick.
Um, but, as you can imagine,
I really need to get going.
- I am behind enemy lines.
- Mmm.
Not that Not that you're an enemy. Right?
Just the opposite, Troy.
I am your biggest fan.
Good. That's good.
So, you'll understand why
I need to get across the border.
Of course. The nearest border is Finland.
How far is that?
2,000 kilometers.
Well, shit.
[liquid pours]
[in Russian] It's been two years.
Why didn't you do this
when Chernenko died?
It gives me no pleasure
to hang the portrait
of a man who is destroying my country.
[associate] Mmm.
Gorbachev would argue he is saving it.
I still remember
when Russia was an empire.
Half the world fell within our influence.
Look at us now.
Losing a bloodless war
to a soulless superpower.
And this bald fool wants us to be
closer to our enemy.
What is it?
An American spy plane shot down
over Khorovaya.
They believe one of the pilots ejected.
Have they secured the crash site?
Not yet.
General Korzhev is leading the search.
Not anymore.
[Maverick, in English] Goose!
Goose, hold on!
[sobs] Oh, God.
Goose and Maverick
were more than copilots.
They were best friends.
Yes, they were.
This is where the man
filming the movie goes to the toilet.
Do you recall what happens here?
[smacks lips] I do not. I'm so sorry.
No problem. How is your meat?
Oh, well, this is, uh, very, very hard.
But at least it's sour. So
[man urinating on TV]
Yeah, in the winter,
it is difficult to find fresh bear.
I'm eating bear?
Yeah, I have 40 kilos of it
in my root cellar.
Eat as much as you like.
Thank you. Uh, what is this?
Samogon. I make it from beets.
- In a barrel.
- Mmm.
That doesn't taste like beets.
Oh, thank you very much.
Uh, I noticed on your flight suit
your call sign is, uh, Assassin.
May I ask the origin of this name?
That's a story that only me
and my friends know.
Oh, I see.
I hope, uh, someday you and I
will be such friends.
Definitely. Um [sighs]
I should probably be going.
If you can just untie me,
I'll be on my way.
But if I untie you, you will leave.
Yes. That's what I just said.
I don't think you understand
your situation.
Thousands of kilometers
stand between you and safety.
The Red Army will already
be looking for you.
And when they find you,
they will give you to the KGB.
And that is a fate I would wish on no one.
Believe me, I am your safe haven.
I can't stay here.
Just until the Cold War dies down.
The Cold War has been
going on for 40 years.
Exactly. How much longer can it last?
Okay. Okay. You know what,
you're probably right.
Look, I'm It would be insane to
try to do this in my condition.
And I would be insane to let you go.
Right. Look, uh, okay.
So, here's what I'll
I'll stay until it's safe to go.
- Excellent.
- Good.
[stutters] Are you gonna
Are you gonna keep me tied up until then?
Of course not. I just needed to know
that we can trust each other, yeah?
I trust you completely. Nick, thank you.
- Yeah, no problem.
- Yeah.
We're going to have a wonderful time.
[grunts] That's good.
That's better. Okay. [Chuckles]
- [speaks Russian]
- [speaks Russian, chuckles]
- I'm sorry, Nick.
- [groans]
[grunts, gasps]
Please stay.
[grunting]
[grunts]
[Troy, Nick grunting]
[grunts, pants]
Oh. [Grunts]
How are you so spry?
- [Nick grunts]
- [Troy grunts]
Very effective guillotine.
[Troy strains, grunting]
[grunts, panting]
You are damaging yourself.
Let us stop now.
Okay. You win.
[grunts]
Wonderful.
[panting]
[grunts]
[groans]
[grunting]
Find the keys. Keys.
[engine sputtering]
["Dancing in the Dark"
playing through radio]
- [gasps]
- Hey! Come back inside, my friend.
I will make tea.
- [Troy thumping]
- [music distorts]
[grunts]
- [grunts]
- [tires screech]
[moose splutters]
[sighs, speaks Russian]
[muttering in Russian]
[Russian pop song plays on radio]
[sniffs, speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
[patrons speaking Russian]
[Troy sighs, sniffs]
[operator 1 speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
- [operator 1 speaking Russian]
- Uh...
[patron speaks Russian]
[operator 1, Troy speaking Russian]
Please connect me to
the US Embassy in Moscow. Quickly.
- Qui...
- [patron speaks Russian]
[operator 1 speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian, chuckles]
This is for you.
[in Russian accent] Practicing English.
[stutters] Okay. No, no, no.
Hey, hey, hey. Whoa, whoa.
- I'm leaving. Okay? I...
- [speaks Russian]
Okay. Listen to me. It's fine. It's...
[grunting]
[yells, grunts]
- [all speaking Russian]
- [grunting]
[door opens]
Don't... Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[shouts, grunts]
[groans]
[grunting]
[grunting]
[panting]
[grunts]
- [shouts]
- [Nick grunts]
[grunting]
[grunts]
- [bones crack]
- [shouting]
[grunting]
[shouts]
[Nick, patron grunting]
- [bones crack]
- [grunts]
[groans]
[grunting continues]
[yells]
[panting] All right.
[in Russian] Nikolai!
What have you done?
[groans]
This should settle their tab.
[in English] Who are you?
Where did you learn to fight like that?
I'm sure you would have held your own
if not for your injury.
American combat training
is far superior to ours.
"Ours"? You were military?
It doesn't matter.
Well, it matters to me.
I wanna know who I'm sitting here with.
[sighs]
Years ago, I was a state security officer.
Hold on. You're KGB?
What do you do for them?
Nothing now.
I led a
a team that carried out covert ops.
Uh, counterintelligence. Interrogation.
Oh, so you're a monster.
I believed I was acting
in the interest of my country.
[scoffs] Right.
But when my daughter grew old enough
to ask me what I did when I went to work,
I was, uh, too ashamed to tell her.
You see, when a man does something
for long enough,
it stops being what he does.
[breathes shakily] It becomes who he is.
So I'm supposed to buy that you
just washed your hands of all this,
moved up here
and became Grizzly Adams? Is that right?
Uh, I had to put myself
as far from the regime as I could.
And I need to put myself
as far from you as I can.
Listen to me. If I were still
that monster, why would I take you in?
Why would I nurse you
and fight those men at the bar?
I've aided an enemy of the Republic.
That is punishable by death.
I appreciate you helping me out.
[sighs]
- I'm sorry I set you on fire.
- You were trying to get home.
Lot of good it did me.
I couldn't even get a call
through to the embassy.
Even if you had, you'd only be
bringing state security to our door.
The government monitors all calls
to foreign embassies.
- What if I called on this?
- Ah, that's a relic.
It's a 30 kilometer range on a good day.
The only way is
if you had access to an Altai.
- A what?
- It's a mobile radiotelephone.
They can't be traced.
They're not monitored.
Okay. How do I get one of those?
You don't. They're only available
to high-placed government officials.
And I'm guessing you don't have
a lot of those out here?
No. Not here.
- Out in Lake Lake Vozhe, though.
- Lake Vozhe?
Many of the members of
the Supreme Soviet have dachas there.
Is that close?
It's about, uh,
halfway between here and Moscow.
Perfect! We're gonna steal an Altai,
I'm gonna call the embassy and
they're gonna get me the hell out of here.
[sighs]
What?
You would be rescued, but I
Right.
What if I take you with me to the States?
[scoffs] Soviets cannot emigrate, Troy.
No, not normally.
But I'm a shot-down pilot.
I'm gonna be a national hero. They'll
probably give me the Medal of Honor.
There's no way the embassy's gonna
say no to me, Nick.
Unfortunately, it's not so simple.
I have a daughter in Moscow.
I cannot leave without her.
We'll take her along.
She wouldn't come. She does not
believe that I am a changed man.
Talk to her. Make her believe it.
Russians are not as, uh, comfortable
sharing their feelings as your people.
You said that your dream
was to become an American.
Start acting like an American.
Nick, will you help me?
This is very tempting,
but it is also very dangerous.
Hey. Isn't it about high time that we
"ride into the danger zone"?
Kenny Loggins.
I understand this joke.
We got a deal?
Let me finish my drink first
before I decide.
Of course. Mm-hmm.
I'll drink to that. Mmm.
[slurps, swallows]
[slurps]
[continues slurping]
Down the hatch.
- [slurps]
- Come on, man,
it's the world's smallest glass!
[helicopter rotor whirs]
[helicopter approaches]
[in Russian] May I help you, Comrade?
Alexander Volkov. State Security.
May I come in?
Uh
You live alone here, I take it?
Yes.
What is this about?
An aircraft went down
12 kilometers from here.
We are asking local residents whether
they heard or saw anything of interest.
No, sir.
I see.
Hmm?
My daughter, Anna. [Chuckles]
You were KGB?
How
Your signet ring.
[chuckles, sighs]
Division?
Alpha Group.
I commend you for your service.
What made you leave?
My mind was becoming less sharp.
You strike me as having a very sharp mind.
What is down here?
[clicks tongue] Root cellar.
Humor me.
There is nothing.
Very well.
Ha!
I've caught you!
[sniffs]
Samogon?
Yes
You do know that home distilling
of spirits is against the law?
I'm sorry, Comrade Volkov. I didn't know...
Please.
I will make you a deal.
You share a glass with me
and it will be our secret.
Of course. [Chuckles]
[Volkov, Nick speaking Russian]
Mmm.
You can taste the beets.
Thank you very much.
Reminds me of the moonshine
we had in Prague in '68.
I was a lowly junior lieutenant.
We spent two months in the barracks
with very little to do.
So we drank.
You must miss it.
The camaraderie.
The sacrifices we make for our motherland.
I think about it every day.
Well,
thank you for your hospitality.
I must continue my survey.
Certainly.
I trust I can find you here
should we need to speak again?
Ah.
If anything occurs to you,
do not hesitate to call.
I wish you continued good health.
You and your daughter.
[in English] Christ.
[blows]
Thought you were gonna ask him
to stay for dinner.
- This is bad.
- What do you mean? He left.
He will speak to the men at the bar.
They will identify us.
We must leave immediately.
Well, I'll tell ya something.
That Samogon stings.
Front and back, Nick.
[music playing on radio]
I don't know if it's safe
to drive that way.
There's no time for safety.
I'm getting a lot of your beard
in my mouth.
Okay. Can we just, maybe maybe just
put your hands on the wheel
or slow down a little?
We don't know whether they have
connected us yet.
We need to change our appearance.
Well, if we hit a tree,
that'll change our appearance.
How long is the drive to Lake Vozhe?
Three days.
But we will get there in one.
How's that?
[music stops]
- We're not driving.
- What're you doing?
They'll be looking for my truck.
So?
You'll want to get out.
What? Why?
[ice cracks]
Yep.
[grunts]
Is this a lake?
You-You could've told me
you were gonna do that.
I apologize. I assumed you knew
standard tracking evasion.
Do they not train pilots in such methods?
No, Nick. No, they don't train us
to hide our planes in frozen lakes.
[ice cracking]
Where are we going?
Railroad station. Through here.
[groans] Somehow, your beard is
still attacking my mouth.
[in Russian] Our divisions are searching
the north and eastern edges of the forest.
The second pilot landed here.
[dogs barking]
No body?
He survived.
The snow has covered his tracks.
[metal detector beeps]
[sighs]
His boot.
We are waiting for
equipment to retrieve it.
Hold this.
[panting]
Find his photograph.
Get it in front of all security personnel.
[train horn blares]
[in English] Couldn't have shot us down
closer to the border?
"Us"?
Yeah, I had a copilot, Sanders. He
He didn't make it.
I'm sorry.
Uh, he was an asshole,
but he deserved better.
It takes great courage
to be a fighter pilot.
I suppose so, yeah.
It's all I ever wanted to do.
Actually, I wanted to build ships
for the Navy like my dad.
Then when I was eight,
he took me on board the USS Randolph
to watch the F-9s land for CQ
And the way those guys
walked across the flight deck
with their helmets in their hands,
and everybody, including my dad,
looked at them like they were gods,
and then
Then that was it. I was I was hooked.
So you wanted to be God.
I wanted to serve my country.
I think you can understand that.
Fear drove me to serve mine.
We were told that
America would destroy us.
That your greed and soullessness
would bring the end of humanity.
And we were taught that you were cogs
in a giant world-killing machine.
We were both fed lies.
I wasn't fed lies.
It was Khrushchev that said,
"We will bury you."
And Reagan called us the evil empire.
Do you believe we are all evil?
I believe you're brainwashed.
Products of the system
that you grew up in.
But you are not
a product of your system, Troy?
Don't you KGB me.
I'm going to rest my eyes.
Please wake me when
we get to Starokostyantynivske.
I don't see any reason why
I won't be able to do that.
[train operator speaking Russian
through speaker]
- [Russian soldiers speaking Russian]
- [sighs]
- [clamoring in Russian]
- [water splashes]
[sniffs]
[sighs]
[passengers clamoring, laughing]
Nick. Wake up.
[soldiers singing in Russian]
I think we need to change cars. [Sighs]
[groans] Now I've got herpes.
[clears throat]
[sighs]
Nick, I really need you to wake up.
Don't look in the folder.
Yeah, he's showing his friends.
[singing stops]
[speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[shouts in Russian]
[Russian soldiers clamoring]
Nice nap?
[in Russian] Comrades,
I am an officer of the KGB.
I am delivering this prisoner
to my superiors.
Why should we believe you?
Why would I lie to my brothers-in-arms?
[in English] Listen to me right now!
I'm doing this to convey the impression
- that you are my prisoner.
- Okay.
But this ruse will not last for long.
[splutters]
In 30 seconds,
this train will enter a tunnel.
There will be a moment before
the carriage lights come on.
[groans] Hey!
I am so sorry.
[in Russian] What the hell?
[in English] In that moment,
we run toward the front of the train.
[in Russian] Comrade.
These credentials expired ten years ago.
Did they?
I am taking you both into custody.
- [punch lands]
- [in English] Why?
- [muttering]
- There!
Stop them!
[clamoring]
[soldiers speaking Russian]
[in English] What'd you put us on?
A goddamn troop train?
[gunshots sound, bullets clatter]
[soldiers clamoring]
[groans]
- [soldier screams]
- We must jump.
All right. On three. Two. One.
[groans] Jesus.
[soldiers shouting]
- We're running out of train.
- As long as we run out of tunnel first.
[train operator speaking Russian
through speaker]
- [soldiers shouting]
- [grunts]
- [shouts]
- [Troy shouts]
[soldiers screaming]
Whoa.
We're almost out.
- [soldier shout indistinctly]
- [both grunt]
[bullets fly past]
Maybe we should've waited
till the Cold War is over.
[dogs barking]
We need to find shelter for the night.
Think there's a Red Roof Inn here?
I don't know what that is.
[sheep bleats]
Where are you going?
I'm finding shelter.
Do you know these people?
No. Why would I?
[speaking Russian]
[speaking Russian]
[speaking Russian]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- [stammers] What did you say to her?
- That we are cold and hungry.
And she's just gonna let us in?
And you said we were all evil.
[Russian ballad plays on radio]
[villagers speaking Russian]
- [speaking Russian]
- Vodka.
- That...
- Ah. She says, "Please enjoy."
Okay, thank... No, thank you.
Okay.
Are you sure that this is a good idea,
bringing an American in here?
I told them you were my cousin.
What if they've seen my picture on TV?
They could call the authorities.
You see a television here?
- Uh, it could be in the other room.
- Do you see another room?
[speaking Russian]
- No, I do not see
- Uh, please.
another room. Okay. Thank you. All right.
This looks delicious.
[villager 1 speaking Russian]
[in English] What is with the kid?
I'm guessing these
aren't his parents, right?
Although, that would explain a lot.
Uh [speaks Russian]
[speaking Russian]
His name is Gorgo.
His parents had to move
to Moscow to find work.
So, now he stays here
with his grandparents.
Oh, hey. Hey, Gorgo. What's up?
Okay. Just gonna pull that away.
[villager 1 speaking Russian]
Mm-hmm. [Speaks Russian]
His parents send money back here,
but every day it is a struggle.
Sometimes they must decide between
coal for the stove or food for the table.
Yeah?
[stammers] Well, then why why would
they let us in?
[stammers] If someone came to the door
in America and asked for help,
wouldn't they be taken in?
- Of course they would. [Chuckles]
- [villager 2 speaking Russian]
- [speaks Russian]
- [in English] Thank you. [Chuckles]
[villagers speaking Russian]
[in English] It's interesting.
They taught you so many ways to fight us,
but you've never learned
the first thing about us.
Do you know the cormorant bird?
You are What?
You are all over the map tonight.
When hunting fish, the cormorant will dive
60 feet below the sea
and remain underwater for over a minute.
Out of its element. Completely vulnerable.
But the only way for the bird
to understand the fish
- is by swimming with them.
- [chuckles]
Just gonna
Are we all sleeping in the same room?
[engine thrums]
[Troy sighs]
- [groans]
- [speaks Russian]
[speaks Russian]
Apparently, Lake Vozhe
is just down this road.
Hey. Hey, uh
Look, that's, uh That's
That's for you. You take that.
[speaks Russian]
No, no, that's the least I can do.
You take it.
Okay. All right, thank you.
- Okay. Oh.
- [kisses]
That felt good. All right.
Let's not make the missus jealous.
All right.
Get out of here.
[engine starts]
That was a very nice gesture.
It's worth more than
he would make in a year.
Maybe they can finally afford to get
little Gorgo a proper cage with a lock.
[Nick] You know, I feel sorry for him
in many ways.
[Troy] For Gorgo?
[Nick] Yes, Gorgo.
- [Troy] He's a demon, Nick.
- He's unusual.
[Troy] Looked a demon right in the eyes.
[Nick] Yeah, those are
not private security. They're KGB.
Only an apparatchik would
have such protection.
So whoever lives in this dacha
- has an Altai phone?
- More than likely.
There's no car in the driveway. Meaning
our man is in town, but not at home.
Good timing.
So how are you gonna get past these guys?
They're walking
a standard vos'merka patrol pattern.
We simply wait for
the seredina gap to present itself.
- So I'll follow you?
- You will follow me.
What are you doing?
Looking for their channel.
- [indistinct radio chatter]
- Yeah, here it is.
- [radio feedback sounds]
- [both shout]
Go. Go, go.
You learn that trick in the KGB?
No. Young Pioneers. Like your Boy Scouts.
Well, the Scouts taught me how to build
a very slow car out of a block of wood.
If that comes in handy.
It won't.
Young Pioneers again?
KGB.
Okay, you search upstairs.
Stay in contact.
Roger that.
Wait, hold on.
I-I don't know what this phone looks like.
Small briefcase.
About the size of a human baby.
Got it.
[bottles clinking]
And this is the one they chose to frame.
[music box clicks, plays melody]
Neat.
Nick.
- Troy, I have the phone.
- [radio buzzes]
Oh, good. We can use it
to call a therapist for this child.
- Here.
- Oh, that's good.
When we get a safe distance
from the house,
then you can make your call.
- [door opens]
- [person speaking Russian, laughing]
[speaking Russian]
- [apparatchik speaks Russian]
- That is not his wife.
Uh-huh.
- [apparatchik speaks Russian]
- She is a sexual escort.
[Troy whispers] I can see that. Thank you.
I meant to ask
now that we've grown closer,
will you tell me
why they call you Assassin?
Really?
For real, you're asking me this now?
I'm very curious.
It's private.
I thought we were closer.
We're not.
[both continue speaking Russian]
[giggles]
Oh, she is unclothing him.
Okay. I, uh
I don't need the play-by-play.
- But thank you.
- Let us hope this is merely the foreplay
and they move upstairs
for the act of intercourse.
You are scorching my ear
with the heat of your breath.
[vehicle approaches]
[sighs, speaks in Russian]
Shit! It's my family!
You said they were coming tomorrow!
Quickly!
- [family speaking indistinctly]
- Not that way! She'll see you!
In there!
[in English] Oh, she is coming here.
[in Russian] Who are you?
Burglars.
[family speaking Russian]
Nadia! What are you doing here?
We came up early to avoid traffic.
Are you not happy to see us?
Of course I'm happy.
I have such a headache. I need some wine.
I will get it.
- You sit down.
- [Nadia speaks Russian]
[in English] And now the man is coming.
[in Russian] My head has been pounding
since this morning.
Please. No more whining.
You sound like the children.
I'll draw you a bath.
Don't rush me.
The car ride was so tiring today.
- [in English] Yeah?
- [staffer] There's a call for you, sir.
At this hour?
If he is who he says he is,
you're gonna want to take it.
This is Consul General Hennessy.
To whom am I speaking?
This is Lieutenant Troy Kelly.
US Navy service number E02-77-41.
I'm behind enemy lines
and I need immediate evac.
Uh, hold on, Lieutenant.
This line might not be secure.
I'm calling from
a Russian Altai radiotelephone.
There's no way they can monitor this.
- How the hell did you get that?
- [stammers] That's not important.
All right, look,
if I give you my approximate location,
how quickly can you dispatch an S&R team?
Okay, hold on.
[stammers] It's not that simple.
You were in a black op.
The US can't recognize
your presence in this country.
An evac on Russian soil would be
an admission that we engaged in espionage.
So what am I supposed to do?
[stammers] If you can make it across
the border or to our embassy in Moscow,
we would have plenipotentiary.
We could get you home.
Do you have a vehicle?
[car engine rumbles]
Yes, I do.
There's one more thing.
Um, there's a Russian guy.
He's been helping me out.
Um, his name is Nick Nikolai Ustinov.
I promised him and his daughter asylum.
I'll have to clear that
with the ambassador.
Well, you do that.
We'll call you when we get to Moscow.
Did they give you an extraction point?
Yeah, the embassy in Moscow.
They want us to go to them.
But you are an American hero.
Why would they not come get you?
Well, I guess
there's bigger things at stake.
Okay. We will have to
pick up my daughter first.
Uh, I will page her and ask her address.
- You don't know where she lives?
- She moves around a lot.
[sighs] There is good news though.
What's that?
We have a cassette player.
Mmm. Twelve hours of that one tape.
["I'm on Fire" plays on radio]
[Nick] Who is the daddy in the song?
[Troy] Uh, you know,
I've always wondered that myself.
[song continues on radio]
[Nick] It is too late
to get into the embassy tonight.
We will stay with my daughter.
If she allows us.
Moscow always this angry?
[Nick] They're preparing for
the Mayday parade tomorrow.
A celebration of Soviet might.
The streets will be filled
with soldiers and weapons.
In America, we just have a
like a Snoopy balloon.
Thanksgiving. So boring. [Chuckles]
Probably best to turn this off now.
[music stops]
[in Russian] This is where Deputy Chairman
Dukhov's Altai phone was stolen.
Just 90 kilometers south of here
the railway
where our troops engaged with the targets.
What time was the robbery?
Approximately 2100 hours.
Here. A call to the US Embassy at 2214
where monitoring was switched off.
That must have been him.
He is coming to us.
I'll inform the general secretary.
No.
I want to greet
our American friend myself.
[announcer speaking Russian
through PA system]
[classical music
playing through PA system]
[in English] This place is nice.
- [glass breaks in distance]
- Isn't nice.
[dogs barking]
- What's that for?
- Follow me.
You sure it's 709?
It's 809. Come on, we'll take the stairs.
Oh, come on.
Hey, remember when you drove the car
onto the ice
and then sank that car without warning me?
Getting that same vibe here.
- [in Russian] Hello, Anna.
- [speaks Russian]
Do you have a safe house we can use?
Yes.
[in English] Hi.
All right, what is all this?
There were four state security men
staking out the building.
But they will not catch us.
[shouts]
[groans]
[in Russian] Eighth floor.
[ax thumping]
[pants]
[in English] Do you own or rent?
- [banging on door]
- [KGB agent shouting in Russian]
[in English] Anna, come.
[shouting, banging continue]
[speaking Russian]
- [grunts]
- [speaking Russian]
[grunting]
[speaking Russian]
[dog barks]
[elevator chimes]
[in English] I'm Troy, by the way.
- Anna.
- Pleasure.
[Nick] So, first thing in the morning,
Troy will call the embassy
on the Altai phone
and the three of us
can leave here forever.
Is this all true?
You're an Air Force pilot?
No, Navy pilot.
We have planes and boats.
It's confusing, I know.
[in Russian] Do you know how long
it's been since we've spoken?
Huh?
Why would you think I'd go with you?
It's a chance to start over.
I'm not like you.
[Nick grunts]
I don't want to run off
to the woods and hide.
I'd rather make the home I have better.
You won't be safe if you stay.
I've never been safe here.
Go to the States if you can.
[chuckles]
You have many things to feel guilty about.
But leaving me shouldn't be one of them.
[Nick sighing]
- [automated voice speaks Russian]
- [in English] Does the stove work?
What, are you gonna
blow this place up too?
[Nick] I'm making tea.
Oh, I'll have some tea.
You, uh, some kind of freedom fighter?
The organization I'm in
works for human rights.
They allow that here?
They can only forbid what they know about.
And they can only punish
the ones they catch.
So they employ men like my father
to sniff us out.
- [speaks Russian]
- Ah.
[in English]
Did you do the stitching yourself?
No. No, no, no, your dad did it.
He's trained to create wounds,
not treat them.
Appreciate you taking us in for the night.
I didn't have much choice.
You led my father's comrades to my door.
Well, ex-comrades. [Chuckles]
[chuckles] Yeah.
I don't know what my father has told you,
but I wouldn't put much trust in him.
- Right.
- He lies for a living.
I get that. But on the other hand,
he's saved my life, like, 44 times
in the last couple of days,
so I'm gonna give him
the benefit of the doubt.
Yes. Well, I hope you make it home
safe to your family.
No family, just my dad.
Really?
A handsome American pilot like you?
I assumed you had a wife and kids
and a house with a picket fence.
No. Single. Condo with a chain-link.
I've been mostly focused on my work.
Looks like that's really paying off.
- [laughs]
- Thanks.
What about you?
Is there a man in your life?
Not my type.
Come on, all men?
Oh.
I figure since I'm hiding you,
you can keep a secret. [Chuckles]
Does Nick know?
[chuckles]
It is against the law to be gay
in the Soviet Union.
And that law is enforced by the KGB.
Right.
- [water runs]
- [dishes clatter]
Anna's great, by the way.
Much gentler touch than you.
[Nick] She's a very special girl.
I wish things were different between us.
[Troy] Yeah, I bet she does too.
[sighs] Don't you
Don't you see what you're doing?
Hmm?
You're making the same mistakes
that Maverick did.
Maverick from Top Gun?
- Do you know another Maverick?
- Not really.
After Goose died,
Mav was wracked with guilt about all the
things that he could've done differently.
All the things that he wished he could've
said to him. But it was too late.
You still have a chance to talk to Anna.
And who knows?
You know, maybe you'll discover
stuff you didn't know about each other.
What stuff?
Yeah, well, private stuff.
You know, uh, personal...
You mean that she likes women?
- Wait, you know?
- Yeah, I've always known.
I mean, that's one of the reasons
why I left the KGB.
How could I work for a system
that considered my own child a criminal?
[sighs] Why [stammers]
Why didn't you talk to her about it?
Look, if Anna wanted to discuss it,
she would come to me.
That's not how it works.
You're the dad.
You need to show her that she
doesn't need to hide who she is from you.
Are all fighter pilots
as sensitive as you?
Yes.
[in Russian] Can we talk?
All right.
[speaking indistinctly]
[speaking indistinctly]
[church bell tolls]
DAD, CALL ME
WHEN YOU MAKE IT TO AMERICA.
AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.
[Hennessy, in English] Our building
is typically surveilled by state security,
so arrive at 9:00
and come straight to the gate.
You'll debrief here and ship out
to Ramstein before end of day.
Hooyah. Thank you, sir.
Don't hang up yet, Lieutenant.
I spoke with the ambassador.
Unfortunately, we cannot
offer asylum to your civilian escort.
Hold on. [Stammers] You don't understand.
I wouldn't be here if not for Nick.
I promised I'd get him to the States.
I hear you, but Nikolai Ustinov
is no ordinary citizen.
Did you know he was KGB?
Yeah. Yeah, he told me. But he quit.
This is a very delicate moment
in US-Soviet relations.
We give safe harbor to a KGB agent,
current or former...
You gotta be kidding me.
This guy is a major asset.
A window into Soviet ops.
You should be jumping at this.
My hands are tied.
This is coming from the highest level.
Well, what am I supposed to tell the guy?
He put his trust in me. In America.
If I leave him behind,
we're no different than them.
This is bullshit.
I need confirmation
you'll be here at 9:00 this morning.
I'll be there.
It won't be long now.
Listen, Nick, uh, before we get there
I When I talked to the Embassy,
I got some bad news and, um
Oh, is this, uh
Is this a dead end? What...
What is this?
I thought we were friends.
Nick, you ratted me out?
You were leaving me
and my daughter to the wolves.
Oh, come on, Nick. No, no, no, no, Nick.
What did you do?
Get off me! Hey! Hey, Nick!
[Troy shouting]
[door opens, closes]
[sighs]
[chatter in distance]
[prisoner speaks Russian]
[in Russian] This was not our agreement!
- [KGB agents speak Russian]
- [prisoner grunts]
[groans]
Get Volkov. This is unacceptable.
- [pants]
- [in English] Well, look who's here.
Feeling pretty good about
making that call now?
You lying bastard.
You promised you'd get me out of here.
I was gonna convince them
to take you in when we got to the Embassy.
More lies! Why didn't you tell me
they'd refused me asylum?
You never would've driven me there.
See? You're [speaks Russian]
[in English] I swear to God
I was not gonna just leave you there.
I am That is not who I am.
I don't know who you are.
Yes, you do. I'm a Top Gun.
I'm Maverick. You love me.
That is just a movie. I know that now.
Nick
Gentlemen.
You lied. You said I'd be released.
And you will. One of you will.
- What is this?
- [Volkov] A confession.
It states that your objective here
was to infiltrate the Kremlin
and assassinate President Gorbachev.
And yours affirms
that he disclosed this mission to you.
Well, that's not true.
But if enough people believe it,
that will put an end to this Glasnost.
Openness.
The only thing we've opened ourselves to
is dissent and disorder.
Once you sign,
you'll be very well taken care of here.
A new identity with more
comfort and luxury than you can imagine.
You, sir, are an ugly man.
And that is an ugly suggestion.
Your country refused to extract you
from behind enemy lines,
- leaving you to fend for yourself.
- I know what I signed up for.
How about your father?
Did he know his government was killing him
and taking no responsibility?
What did you say?
We do our research.
Harold Kelly.
Diagnosed in 1983
with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Worked for 32 years
at the San Diego shipyards
where he was exposed to high levels of
asbestos on a daily basis.
Why is this America's fault?
They knew the dangers, but suppressed
that information for decades
because it saved them money.
How would you know that?
This is a copy of the classified letter
from your Secretary of the Navy
dated September 1956.
I told you we do our research.
Nations are like people.
They do what they must to survive.
The only question is, will you?
I
Before I came here, I
I thought I knew what this country was.
But there's something I didn't know.
I didn't know that
there were good people here.
People who will risk their lives
to help a stranger.
[sighs] So, no, I won't
I won't sign that.
Not for the sake of my country.
But for the sake of yours.
And you, comrade?
You've proven your loyalty
by turning him in.
Are you willing to take the final step
for your country?
For your family?
What is loyalty?
An exercise for fools.
America. Russia. It's all shit.
None of us escape what we are.
If it will protect me and my family,
I'll sign your paper.
Nick.
What difference does it make?
[chuckles] Very good.
Your KGB training taught you well.
My training also taught me
never to give a prisoner a sharp object.
- [Nick grunts]
- [Volkov screams]
- [Nick grunts]
- Goddamn it. I knew it was an act.
- You did?
- [pants] No, but thank God.
- [Nick] I still have not forgiven you.
- Same. Why do we need that?
If we survive,
this will make sure he does not.
- You ready for this?
- No.
[bangs on door]
[groans]
[shouts]
[groans]
[groans]
[Troy] Where are we?
KGB black site.
Used for less formal interrogations.
So Volkov was going rogue?
Some men have their own agendas.
But you would know that.
You're the one who
called the torture police.
- [window shatters]
- [gunshots sound]
[Volkov] Hey!
[crowd clamoring]
[Volkov] Stop! Stop!
[parade announcer speaks Russian]
- Do we go back to the Embassy?
- KGB will be swarming the area.
We need to leave the country.
Where's the nearest airport?
Sheremetyevo.
It's about 12 kilometers from here.
Okay, okay.
All right, well, we need a car.
A car they can stop.
We need something bigger.
- You wanna steal a tank?
- A tank they can shoot at.
They can shoot at anything.
Not anything.
No.
I doubt they'll shoot
at a nuclear missile.
- You doubt?
- [Volkov] Hey!
[speaks Russian]
[shouting in Russian]
[yells, shouting in Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[Nick shouting]
- [in English] What did you say to him?
- That he had driven over my baby.
That just popped into your head?
What is it with you and babies?
Hey! [Shouts in Russian]
[missile carrier horn blares]
[soldiers yelling]
[crowd yelling]
Oh, God.
[shouts in Russian] Get out of the car!
I want every unit in pursuit of
that mobile launcher.
No one is to fire on them!
[horn honks]
[missile carrier horn blares]
[siren blares]
- [in English] You're seeing this, right?
- I'm seeing it.
[gasps]
[sirens blaring]
[speaks Russian]
Bus, bus, bus, bus, bus, bus!
[missile carrier horn blares]
- [metal creaks]
- [cables spark]
Maybe we should clear the air.
What is there to clear, Troy?
I risk everything to save you
and you pissed on my back.
Oh, that's funny 'cause I seem to
remember your piss running down my back.
I asked for asylum for you, they said no,
you threw me in a dungeon.
You promised
your country would protect us.
Well, it turns out that
my country isn't perfect.
My dad meant nothing to them
and neither do you or I.
[sirens wailing]
Well, look, if I'm being
If I'm being totally honest with myself,
maybe I was
just thinking about getting home.
Maybe I'm kind of a selfish guy.
[officer speaks Russian]
The least I could've done was tell you
'cause you're my friend.
And that's what friends do.
Move.
[tires screeching]
- [metal grinding]
- [screaming]
[sirens stop]
[blows]
Fine, you wanna know
why they call me Assassin?
Back when I was a JG,
I made my first carrier landing
and I was, uh
I was feeling pretty proud of myself.
So I get out of the plane,
I wasn't looking where I was going,
and I fell ass-first into a deck hatch.
A couple green shirts, they helped me up.
I look around to see
if anyone else noticed and I
Shit, I did it again.
I fell ass-first into the same hatch.
I don't understand.
I fell, ass in.
Twice. Get it?
Ass, ass, in.
[chuckles] That is embarrassing.
Point is, I've never told
anyone outside the service that story.
But I'm telling you now as a gesture.
A gesture?
Of trust.
You're trusting that I will tell no one
that you disgraced yourself?
Yes.
Trying to pull another lever?
I appreciate you telling me your secret,
Ass-ass-in.
You can just run it together.
Ass-ass-in.
Assassin.
Our bomb's not gonna clear that.
- [metal crashing]
- [shouts in Russian]
[booming]
- [shouts]
- [tires screeching]
[car horns honking]
[Russian music playing through radio]
[engine revving]
- [Troy] Where are the private jets?
- Private planes leave from Vnukovo.
Where's that?
An hour away.
Then I guess we're flying commercial.
[missile carrier horn blaring]
[brakes hiss]
[in Russian] My baby's in there!
My baby's in there!
[officer shouting]
- [in English] Oh, God!
- [screams]
- God!
- [people screaming]
[in Russian] Follow me!
- [in English] Why did you do that?
- What do you mean?
- I took a bullet for you.
- You didn't take it.
You shared it.
You can't stop a bullet with your hand.
I know that now. And I knew that then.
[in Russian]
Pull up close to the cabin door!
Closer!
[in English]
You wanna get the door, please?
[both yelling]
[Nick grunting]
[yells]
What are they paying this guy?
[screams, grunts]
Hey!
- [grunting]
- [magazine clicks]
[Volkov grunts]
[yells]
[Volkov screams]
- [choking]
- [in Russian] Once you are dead,
I will hunt down your daughter
and kill her too!
You are a traitor and a fool!
[groans]
[metal clangs]
No, Volkov.
I must break you.
Is that what he said?
[shouts]
[screams]
I don't think that killed him.
Who is flying the plane?
- I put it on autopilot.
- [alarm beeping]
- I put it on something.
- [grunts]
How far until Finland?
Too far.
When we lost that engine,
we lost our airspeed.
We won't make it to Finland.
We don't have the fuel.
- Where does that leave us?
- Somewhere over the Baltic Sea.
Or if we can find Carl Vinson.
Who is this man, Vinson?
How can he help us?
He's not a man. He was a man.
Now he's an aircraft carrier.
Can a plane this size land on a carrier?
Technically, no. But physically,
probably not.
Captain, TAO.
Unidentified aircraft, course 110,
20 miles, 5,000 feet.
- Military?
- No, sir.
- It's squawking commercial air.
- All right, hail them on guard.
[TAO officer]
Unidentified aircraft, course 285,
you are approaching a US warship
operating in international waters.
Request you identify yourself
and state intentions.
This is Lieutenant Troy Kelly
of the United States Navy.
We are declaring an emergency
and requesting a ready deck upon arrival.
Unidentified aircraft,
alter course immediately or you
may be subject to defensive measures.
- Holy shit.
- What?
Okay, we can hear them
but they can't hear us.
Let's get a visual. Launch the alert five.
If we can't communicate with them,
they're gonna assume that we're hostile,
and they're gonna run an intercept on us.
No, I can fix this. How long do we have?
As long as you need,
until we're shot down.
[pilot] Skopa Air, alter course
immediately and acknowledge.
- How is that coming?
- It is trickier than my ham radio.
Captain, that was an alert from Interpol.
Commercial ATR 42 was seized by gunmen
at Sheremetyevo an hour ago.
TAO, set weapons posture one, all mounts.
[artillery clicks]
- They're detaching.
- That's good.
That's bad.
They're getting out of the way.
[whirring]
Designating track 141 hostile.
All mounts in remote.
Awaiting batteries release.
- Permission grant...
- Repeat, this is Lieutenant Troy Kelly
- Belay that.
- 7741. I've been MIA. Do you copy?
[captain] Welcome back, Lieutenant.
- [both shout]
- [Troy groans]
- Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
- [control panel beeping]
We're below minimum fuel.
Request emergency landing. Over.
In that thing? Without a tail hook?
He's nuts.
What's the wingspan on the ATR-42?
Eighty-one feet, sir.
[sighs] It's tight, but it's possible.
This is the captain.
On the flight deck,
emergency pull-forward.
All ahead full.
Skopa Air 1628, you are clear for landing.
Congratulations, Troy.
[Troy chuckles]
You're going home.
Yes, I am.
[sighs]
Captain, I need you to help me
with something before I can land.
[captain] Name it.
I need permanent asylum status
for a Soviet citizen, Nikolai Ustinov.
What?
[captain]
I'm not authorized to grant that.
Then I think you should ask
somebody at the State Department who can,
because you hear this?
We're down to 20 kilos of fuel.
I don't understand.
You've been given permission to land.
And I respectfully decline permission
to land until I get what I'm asking.
Fifteen kilos.
This guy's a soup sandwich.
He's also an American MIA.
Get Assistant Director Meadows
on the horn.
Quickly.
Why are you doing this?
'Cause right now the only way to stand up
for my country is to stand up to it.
Thank you.
[control panel beeping rapidly]
We're dead-stick, Captain.
Kelly, this is Karen Meadows
at the State Department.
Consul General Hennessy
has apprised me of your situation.
You should know
I don't like to have my arm twisted,
especially at 5:00 in the morning.
Understood, ma'am. Sorry to wake you.
But considering the circumstances,
I am officially granting
your request for asylum.
And I wanna thank you
for your service, Lieutenant.
Now, land the goddamn plane.
You risked your life for me.
Sort of. There's a reserve fuel tank.
[laughs]
[Troy laughs]
[people chattering]
[Troy] Flaps 30.
Condition levers max. On-slope, on center.
It's like I'm inside my favorite movie.
[whirring]
[tires screech]
[shouts]
[beeps]
[both panting]
- Hey, Troy.
- Yeah? [Sighs]
You can be my wing man any...
No. No, no, no. What is that? No.
No. We're not gonna do that.
[Nick] I understand.
It's been my great honor
to serve this nation
and uphold the Navy's motto,
non sibi sed patriae.
"Not for self but for country."
[stammers]
Which is why I have the utmost confidence
that this body will issue
a public acknowledgement
of the government's use of cancer-causing
materials in military construction.
Uh, additionally, I'd ask for the
establishment of a compensation committee
to reimburse the good people,
including my father,
who sacrificed their own well-being
to safeguard ours.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
This country owes you a debt of gratitude
and we will take your request
under serious advisement.
[microphone feedback]
Sorry.
It's a little trick I picked up
from the Russian boy scouts.
I probably should've mentioned
that I have this.
Uh, this is a copy of a classified letter
sent from
the Secretary of the Navy in 1956
recognizing the health risks
posed by asbestos to shipyard workers.
I have the original somewhere. I just
can't quite remember where I put it.
This is just very damning though.
Very, very damning.
[Nick] Bravo.
Well? How's the Big Mac?
Is it everything you hoped?
It tastes like America.
Huh. When do you head out?
At dawn.
I want to have lunch at the Liberty Bell.
Well, that's-that's everyone's dream.
It's a beaut.
It is.
Didn't you say that
you had months of leave saved up?
After my little stunt, they may
put me on permanent leave.
So, why don't you join me?
You know, the kitchen table
folds down into a second bed.
There's a car phone,
so I can keep in touch with Anna.
I have a cassette player.
- I'm out.
- Understood.
But isn't it time
that you explored the country
that you fought so hard to protect?
I don't know.
Come on, Lieutenant.
One more adventure.
[sighs]
Let me finish my drink before I decide.
Of course.
[slurping]
[slurping continues]
- I think you are fucking with me.
- [slurping continues]
[chattering on radio]