Genre: Political/Thriller
Director: Oliver Stone
Writer: Jacob Jones
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Nicolas Cage, Gal Gadot, Charlie Sheen, John Cena, Maulik Pancholy, Sharon Stone, Ryan Guzman
Plot: During the early beginnings of a senate meeting, two senators named Kenneth (Maulik Pancholy) and Sami (Shia LaBeouf) are discussing the recent tensions between America and North Korea and the role Russia and China have played. Both agree to try not to let these scary times get to them. Afterwards, Sami notices New Mexico senator Alexandria Gabriel (Gal Gadot) sitting all alone, away from the others. He considers going forward to formally introduce himself to her only to back away at the last second.
Upon the maniacal arrival of Elias (Charlie Sheen), the senate erupts into discontent over having to hear his radical Libertarian values when Travis (Nicolas Cage) calmly tells that if he wants to act like a bonehead, they should let him be one in peace. The senate meeting goes on without any major developments as the main four senators all get a chance to shine during their daily debate. Perhaps noticeably, Sami and Travis are the only ones that seem to pay much attention to Alexandria whenever she speaks.
At the end of the meeting, Sami decides to go up to her, complimenting her speech, Alexandria ignores her at first only for him to persist. Finally, she turns around and asks him if he noticed the issues she brought up. Sami tries to answer, but Alexandria is quick to see that he didn’t and she storms off much to his confusion.
Back in In a house in Arizona, Travis's wife Rhonda (Sharon Stone) worriedly watches the news on T.V, observing the tensions between the two feuding countries. Travis is unsurprised regarding the rhetoric but Rhonda dears that something different is making things seem more dire than usual. Travis sits next to her, reassuring her that they have seen far worse in their time and have survived it.
The next day, Alexandria’s brother Miguel (Ryan Guzman) wakes up his groggy sister. As she makes breakfast, the two talk about her life as a senator. A life she sarcastically considers wonderful.She questions why she became a senator if no one was even going to listen to her. And asks if she should resume her attempts at an art degree, Miguel tells her that she did a great thing running senator beating the establishment at it’s own game and winning. And since then, she’s made the state and her family proud by representing them. Alexandria smiles a little, thanking Miguel in the process.
Travis Whitley is hounded by the press, asking him about his reelection campaign to the senate, citing his advanced age. Travis refuses to leave a comment saying that there are other needs that should come first. To find shelter, he enters the public library. He then notices the newspaper section and learns that North Korea has launched its first ICBM with a warhead. Despite holding hope that things will work out, he admits that he would hate to be the president right now.
In the Oval Office, the President (John Cena) makes several calls to the prime ministers of Japan, China and Russia, demanding an explanation. Someone notes to him that he will be having a meeting with four senators later this week to discuss the North Korea situation. He understands that, and slumps on his chair. He understands the importance of democracy, but the more extreme the tests from North Korea get, the more he wonders if it is even worth it at this point. One by one the senators are called to represent their country. Sami being first, followed by Elias and Travis before finally Alexandria, who celebrates with Miguel. Later that day however, She begins to hear voices inside her head say horrible things about herself. Some say she’s ‘radical’, some accuse her for ‘being defensive’ or ‘overzealous’ with her rhetoric and political stances. Miguel knocks open the door, telling her that she’s going to be late for a press conference and she bolts out of the door and passes by Miguel.
Travis finally exits the library, noting that the press has gone away. Relieved, he makes his merry way home only to realize that he doesn’t even know where his car is and prepares the long walk to find someone who may know the whereabouts of said car when he comes across a fellow listening to something via his iPod. He garners his attention and asks what it is he is listening to. As it turns out, The United States has responded with the recent reports of Russia helping North Korea behind their back with the largest sanctions they’ve ever given them. Japan, South Korea and even China have responded with the same act.
He then mentions that tomorrow, the four senators are going to get together and start discussing on what to do about North Korea. Elias mentions Russia being upset over sanctions, but let’s be real: He would’ve done far worse and leaves Travis off on that note and hands his car back to him by putting it back upward and backing out of the way. Travis shakes his head in amazement and disgust at what a strange man he really is.
That night, Miguel hears someone slamming the front door. He turns around and sees a very upset Alexandria, she storms up to the table and sits down; laying her head down, softly crying. Concerned, Miguel comes up to her and asks what is wrong. Alexandria was rattled during a press conference having heard the developments about North Korea, from the ICBM to Russia’s reveal and now the sanctions and having no answer to any of those questions. But that was not what really upset her, it was what one person said to her. She was told off hard by a journalist, who said that she may be ‘out of her depth’ for such a big task given her failure to give a decent answer.
She considers just quitting now and going back to live with her mom, but Miguel talks her out of it. She has come too far to give up now, Her parents had to go through hell just to get to where they are. She was given a gift to prove herself in front of the president of the United States and if she can do it there, she can make it just about anywhere. He knows this because he believes in her as a person, a senator and as a brother.
The telephone rings,Miguel goes to get it and sees who it is. He calls over Alexandria and says that the phone call is for her, she goes up to find Kenneth who acknowledges her seeming grudge on Sami because of previous events 'over the years’, but Sami has had it hard today and he really wants her to make it up to him tomorrow evening when the four of them go together to discuss North Korea. Reservations have already been made so there is no getting out of it. Back with Sami, he keeps thinking about what happened at the press conference and his meltdown, being noted as a fiery liberal. Enraged, he starts to punch his pillow...but he stops and takes some deep breaths. If nothing else, he’ll hope to see Alexandria again.
The next day, Travis is seen at the grocery store trying to pick things up on his shopping list, finding that many of the things he needs are lacking. He then sees someone at that same aisle rather upset at him and seemingly in a rush, he demands that Travis lend some food for his family. Travis wholeheartedly apologizes and lends him at least one of the cheese types. He looks at it and throws it across the floor saying that it’s not enough..
Travis sternly tells the man that this is not a place to act out, the man tells him off saying that at a time where they may all be dead now is not the time to lecture him about how to ask. As it turns out, Russian troops have invaded South Korea and Japan. To make matters worse, six cruise missiles have been directed at China and are selected to meet the country any moment by now.
Travis’s cell phone rings and he calls Rhonda who begs her to come home immediately and cancel all his plans. Travis can go home right now, but he cannot cancel any plans: The meeting with the other three senators is tonight. Rhonda gives her the big scoop, Defcon 2 has gone off for the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis; she’s seen people evacuating Arizona in the hopes to get away from a war. Travis tries desperately to reassure her that everything is alright, but Rhonda is quick to tell him that he’s starting to sound repetitive. Travis gives in from there and tells her that he will be home as soon as possible.
Travis rushes his way to the checkout and to his car, and not a moment too soon as more cars begin to pile up in the highways. As Travis attempts to keep focus on the road, he hears that while Japan managed to successfully fight off Russian troops, their might was too much for South Korea and the government in charge was overthrown. In other news, the Chinese government was able to deflect all but one missile, said missile landing in Shanghai and thankfully not nuclear. But it still has seemed to have killed many people and injured still more, it seems that it may be hopeless for Travis until he sees cars get totaled by another car. Travis turns his head to the right to see who has done such a thing, the car window goes up and reveals Elias asking if Travis needs a lift.
Meanwhile, inside the Oval Office: The president is listening to everything that has happened and is given some words from his advisors. The question seems no longer to be if they can control the situation but how they can and what they can do to end it. The president tries to suggest a peaceful compromise by reversing the sanctions ruling in the hopes that Russia can give South Korea back to the old government. But it’s too late, Russia has executed most of the original administration and has already attacked China: An once ally of Russia’s. Japan is in a state of panic and China is planning an attack of their own and is said to be imminent.
The president cryptically reveals that there may be only one thing that may work then, referring to pushing the nuclear button. But he decides not to, realizing that he still has a meeting with the four senators in two days. The president decides to move it up to tomorrow in case things continue to escalate further. The last we see of him is a shot of him with his hands over his head and in a state of distress. By the next day the North Korea situation has exploded into an international crisis; Britain, France, India and the United States coming to the aid of China with medical care. Meanwhile Syria, Turkey and Belarus have joined in the fight with Russia to attack Japan, thankfully they are not alone as Germany, Ukraine and Israel have come to fight on their side.Chinese missiles have also apparently hit Moscow, St. Petersburg and Siberia and The United States president tries desperately to preach the message of peace.
The first one in the restaurant, Sami patiently waits for the other three to arrive, even mentioning this to one of the waiters. The first to arrive is Travis and the two shake hands with each other.. Alexandria is the next one to arrive with Sami awkwardly complimenting her. Alexandria smiles back, trying not to strangle him. She then sees Travis and sits one seat away from him, glaring at him in the process. The last to arrive is Elias and he vigorously shakes Sami’s hand, Sami looks at his outfit and asks if he at least brought a tie. Elias’s joy turns into boredom as he reluctantly reveals a black tie in his pocket, putting it on and marching to the table where the other three sit.
Elias and Sami softly argue over who wants to tell Alexandria the truth which is broken up when Travis asks Sami what he would like to order. As the minutes tick by, it becomes clear that no one is really interested in discussing North Korea. Alexandria looks on anxiously as everyone enjoys themselves. Realizing she can’t hold it in, she interrupts calmly and asks if they will be discussing the topic of how to address North Korea. A brief silence pounded with awkward undertones follows which is broken when Elias tries to make a getaway by calling for the check, Sami tries to shush him but it’s too late. Elias breaks free from Sami’s grasp, admitting to Alexandria and says that they already made up their minds before the meeting what to tell the president about North Korea.
Furious that she was never told this and basically got all dressed up for nothing, she storms off preparing to go home. Sami tries to stop her from leaving but the only thing she can do is slap him, shocking the others and a few people inside the restaurant. She calls them all out for agreeing on something that they never even told her, Elias assumes that she thought she knew. She didn’t and now she’s been embarrassed, embarrassed by three hacks that lie through the skin of their teeth. Elias continues to try and reason with her, but Travis solemnly and calmly tells Elias to stay out of it.
Alexandria thrashes Elias on his association with the Koch Brothers, sending him into a rage so palpable, Travis has to restrain him. Travis is then rammed for his numerous years of war-pedaling and failure to understand the middle class. And then there’s Sami, tthe biggest, most inconsequential, egotistical, pandering, lying scumbag she has ever met. Everything he says and claims to do is false, because she knows that not only does he not care about the real issues at hand (Such as giving jobs back to hard-working Americans, getting money out of politics, ending wars, improving infrastructure, healthcare, social security, the middle class) and can barely name a policy other than vague platitudes and feel-good claims.
Finally, Sami can take no more and it’s his turn to rant. He says he believes in everything she just said, he wants to give Americans jobs, he wants to work on healthcare, giving the middle class some respect for once and would be happy to help end all the wars and get money out of the political umbrella. And he knows many others that have this same settlement, all of which have worked hard to provide for Americans the best possible life they can have. They agree a lot more than Alexandria likes to think they do, but yet she still talks about them like she holds a grudge. It is this reason that she has no friends in the senate, because she thinks that she knows more than everyone else.
Alexandria hits back hard saying at the top of her lungs that her mother fought Sami’s dad a long time ago. Elias and Sami are confused at first, but after listening to Sami and Alexandria argue; Travis clears his throat and allows her to speak further. As it turns out, her mother was a refugee from Cuba who came to this country in the 50s in the hopes of a better life. Everything about America seemed pleasant at first, but during the height of the cold war, that hope was destroyed when she learned that she was to be deported back to Cuba because of the country’s connections to the Soviet Union. All Cubans who lived in America were to meet this fate, and this was because of one man. Sami’s father. Had she not rallied a movement over this bill, her life would have drastically changed for the worst. And in the 80s, Her father slaved for days making little for his profit and having to live in unethical conditions. He would lead a strike in the hopes of garnering a fairer deal, then still living in Arizona: Travis Whitley stood in his way and it was only because he had a ‘change of heart’ that he got those conditions. And that is why she is in the green party, because she knows that the two major parties never respected her family...so why should she respect them?
All but defeated,Sami tells Alexandria to wait just before she leaves and tells her that if he knew how much her mother meant to her: His father never would have made that bill. From the bottom of his heart, he apologizes. Travis also apologizes for standing in the way of his father’s strike, and admits the true reason why he switched. He and Ronda got to meet them close up a week before the vote and they were so moved by how humble and charitable they were that Travis had to give them his support. He commends Alexandria for having such a wonderful family and thanks them for everything they have done for working people everywhere. Elias stands up, finally admitting that no one can ever truly be perfect, he is living proof of it. But it is because of our skeletons that we are all better people, because the skeletons help us realize the good inside of us and let it truly shine. Yes, his friendship with the Koch Brothers can alienate others, but his passion and love for this country will never die. And if doing this means they have to throw all their skeletons away just to save the world from a nuclear explosion, then by God that is what they will do.
The four all share a group hug, having gotten much closer to each other and being able to learn more about themselves. As wonderful as the moment is. It is ended suddenly when they notice people anxiously walking out of the room. Elias asks Sami what was going on, stuttering; Sami quickly checks his phone and heads to the Washington Post to discover…
”Oh my god.”
The other three crowd around Sami in concern. Finally, after sometime has passed. He lets the others see the phone while turning his head away in sorrow, revealing that China had betrayed the United States and had launched three missiles to South Korea and Japan. After seventy-three years of tumultuous peace, it seemed as World War III had finally begun. As the other four look on in shock, they realize what it is they must do.
The next day, the senators try their damndest to get Mr. President to try and call for peace, using their combined experienced and logic to help sway things in their favor. Mr. President listens onward, apparently having been moved by the speech. He is unsure of what to say…
That is until one of his advisors comes up to him stone-faced and yet somehow frantic. He whispers to Mr. President the latest news and he breaks down into soft tears as the four senators watch on, concerned. Sami asks Mr. President if everything is alright. He slowly and surely looks up at Sami and quietly says to him that they got them. He bursts into a rage, saying that North Korea broke their silence and while everyone was fighting, launched their entire missile supply to South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and even America. He slumps down to his chair, his advisor waiting for further instructions. As he gets his nuclear football and opens it, he softly but sternly tells him to fire every single nuclear weapon in their disposal to only one nation. The cause of all of this: North Korea. He will prepare a speech for the country to listen to. He then turns to the senators, horrified and devastated by the outcome: Feeling remorse for his actions, he quietly tells them that he’s sorry and heads off.
A hinge of silence follows as they realize they have failed in their task and that the world is now all but destined to become a nuclear wasteland. Travis breaks the silence saying that if you had asked him twenty years, thirty years, even as far back as the Cuban Missile Crisis if a nuclear war were to someday happen: He never would have believed it. And now, here they were. The doomsday clock had reached midnight and there was no hope of turning around. He looks sympathetically at Alexandria and realizes how she will never able to see her brother again and thinks about how he will likely never again see his wife and humbly apologizes for her losses. Alexandria is not surprised however, the greed of certain people sometimes outweighs the good of the many.
Sami then asks for everyone’s attention: He realizes tensions had been high ever since they started this journey, but he tells them how proud he is of the four of them for going in there and trying their absolute best to stop the world from blowing itself up to a dark extinction. He praises Elias first for his restraint in a time when nuclear war was more of a possibility than an inevitable reality, then he praises Travis for his diligence and diplomacy, something Travis nods at. And finally, he turns to Alexandria: He admits that for a time, he never knew why it was that she didn’t like him. It didn’t seem like that they would be seen as enemies given how similar they are. But during the last two days, he has gotten to know her as a strong, fierce and resilient woman who had to face many hardships during her life.
All of a sudden, the air-raid sirens begin to blare. Everyone looks on confused as to what has happened, the advisor to Mr. President frantically comes in his office to tell them that North Korea has fired their missiles and that they will hit America in minutes. He warns them to find shelter immediately. Travis declares that they will stay here and die together saying with much confidence that “If war is going to kill us, then we’d rather all die as one.” Travis then joins the other three as they stare at the land around them, hand in hand as the air raid sirens go off.
Cut to black.
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