| Director | Joe Carnahan |
|---|---|
| Budget | $110 million |
| Box office | $177.2 million |
U.S. Army Special Forces Ranger John "Hannibal" Smith escapes from corrupt Federal Police officers working for renegade General Javier Tuco in Mexico, and returns to rescue his friend Templeton "Face" Peck with help from fellow Ranger B.A. Baracus. The trio evade Tuco's pursuit in B.A.'s modified GMC Vandura, stopping at an Army hospital to recruit a pilot H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock who flies them off in a medical helicopter. In an ensuing dogfight Tuco's helicopter is lured into American airspace and shot down.
Eight years later, in Iraq, Hannibal is contacted by CIA Special Activities Division operative Lynch, who assigns them on a black operation to recover U.S. Treasury plates and over $1 billion in cash slated to move out of Baghdad. Hannibal's commanding officer, General Morrison, reluctantly consents to the operation. Face's former girlfriend, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Captain Charissa Sosa, tries to discourage the team from getting the plates. The team succeeds but on return to base, both the money and Morrison's vehicle are destroyed by Brock Pike and his men from the private security firm Black Forest. Without proof Morrison authorized the mission, Hannibal, Face, Murdock, and B.A. are court-martialed, sentenced to ten years in separate supermax prisons, and dishonorably discharged while Sosa is demoted to lieutenant.
Six months later, Lynch visits Hannibal in prison to tell him Pike is selling the plates with an Arab backer. Hannibal, already tracking Pike, makes a deal with Lynch: full reinstatement and clean records for his team in return for the plates. Hannibal escapes and breaks out Face, B.A., and Murdock. The reunited team hijacks a C-130 which is destroyed by pursuing Reaper UCAVs. The team escapes in an M8 light tank using airdrop parachutes and recoil from the main gun. The team discovers that Pike's backer is a disguised General Morrison, who stole the plates with Lynch and Pike, double-crossed Lynch, then faked his own death. Lynch orders an airstrike which kills Morrison while the team escapes.
Hannibal meets Sosa on a container ship in Port of Los Angeles to exchange "Morrison" and the plates. Pike and Lynch blow up the ship and B.A., forgoing his pacifist ideals, kills Pike as he pursues Face. Hannibal lures Lynch into a container to get him to shoot Murdock who is impersonating Morrison. Believing that he killed Morrison, Lynch admits to stealing the plates and is arrested by Sosa. CIA agents led by a separate "Lynch" claim custody of the original. The team is arrested for escaping from federal prison. Sosa, reinstated as a captain, promises to help and kisses Face. Entering a prison van, Face opens his mouth, revealing a handcuff key Sosa exchanged with him during their kiss.
"Still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire...the A-Team."}}