In 1989 the prospect of war between America and Russia is escalated when a group of rebels manage to hijack a nuclear missile and launch at Russian soil. America is blamed and counter attacks are launched. The opposing presidents of America and Russia manage to gain a mutual radio dialogue amidst the chaos and discover the rebel's responsibility and work desperately to de-escalate the war ahead, but the American President finds himself superseeded in power by a warmongering lunatic.

What makes the film shine as a political thriller is the military characters who play empowering statues of moral dignity and courage willing to sacrifice their lives and break their oaths for what they believe in. The film really does present brilliantly the military duality between rigid duty and obedience against heartfelt morals and fears. Civil men of negotiation driven to extremes by authority gone mad and where the destruction of the planet and annihilation of the human race is no longer the stuff of religion or science fiction, but a real immediate possibility.

The romantic subplot of the film between two of the deserter airforce pilots, (Powers Booth and Rebecca DeMornay) takes a lead from "An Officer and a Gentleman" with violently emotional melodrama and problematic sexual politics, but manages to forcibly work driven by the two lead's fiery performances. The action scenes are minimalist but very satisfying, relying on military strategism which intensifies the sense of realism of the events.