| Director | William Friedkin |
|---|---|
| Budget | $6 million |
| Box office | $17.3 million |
After foiling an assassination attempt by an Islamic jihadist on President Reagan, Secret Service agents Richard Chance and Jimmy Hart are assigned as counterfeiting investigators in the Los Angeles field office. Days away from retirement, Hart stakes out a warehouse in the desert used by artist-turned-counterfeiter Eric "Rick" Masters and is killed by Masters and his bodyguard, Jack. Chance, who has earned a reputation for impulsive behavior, vows to his new partner, John Vukovich, that he will take Masters down by any means necessary.
Chance and Vukovich arrest Masters' mule, Carl Cody, after he makes a delivery to attorney Max Waxman, who lies to Masters that he never received the money. The agents place Waxman under surveillance, but he is betrayed by Masters' girlfriend, Bianca, and murdered by Masters. The by-the-book Vukovich is uncomfortable with Chance's increasingly reckless and unethical tactics, while Chance relies on his sexual-extortion relationship with Ruth, an informant on parole whom he threatens to send back to prison.
When Masters attempts to have Cody killed in prison, Chance arranges for his supervised release, but Cody escapes. Vukovich convinces Masters' attorney, Bob Grimes, to arrange a meeting between his client and the two agents, who pose as offshore bankers from Palm Springs seeking $1 million in fake bills. Masters demands $30,000 in front money, which the agency refuses to authorize. Desperate to entrap Masters, Chance persuades Vukovich to aid him in robbing Thomas Ling, a man Ruth learned will be carrying $50,000 to purchase stolen diamonds.
They intercept Ling at Union Station and seize the cash at gunpoint under the Sixth Street Viaduct, but are followed by his associates, who open fire, accidentally killing Ling. After a panicked car chase, Chance and Vukovich finally escape by going the wrong way on the freeway. Their next daily briefing reveals that Ling was an undercover FBI agent, and his associates were an FBI agent detail, but Chance remains determined to avenge Hart and continues their plan, paying Masters and arranging the $1 million exchange. Consumed by guilt, Vukovich meets with Grimes, who advises him to testify against Chance in exchange for a lighter sentence. Vukovich refuses to implicate his partner, who recaptures Cody.
The two agents meet with Masters and Jack for the exchange and attempt to arrest them, but Jack and Chance fatally shoot each other as Masters escapes. Vukovich pursues Masters to his warehouse workshop, where he is burning all evidence of his crimes. Masters asks why Vukovich did not take Grimes' advice to turn his partner in, revealing that Grimes was working on Masters' behalf all along. Subduing Vukovich, Masters covers him with shredded bills to set him on fire, but Vukovich awakens and shoots Masters repeatedly as the counterfeiter burns alive.
Packing up to leave Los Angeles, Ruth is confronted by Vukovich, now dressed much like Chance. She defends her right to keep the remaining $20,000 Chance left her, but Vukovich suggests that she knew Ling was an FBI agent and set Chance up. Embracing Chance's willingness to do "whatever it takes" and assuming his control of Ruth's life, Vukovich declares that she now works for him.