Panama 2022

Becker, a former marine, is swallowed by guilt and despair after his wife’s tragic death in 1989. His days blur into a haze of alcohol, and he often finds himself passed out by her grave in the backyard. Then a familiar figure from the past, Stark, a defense contractor and Becker’s former associate, appears with a glimmer of hope: a secret mission that could finally pull him out of the darkness. At first, Becker resists, but curiosity and a yearning for purpose win out, and he agrees to take on the challenge.

At a government base, Becker faces skepticism from Stark and another agent, while his own arrogance and lack of discipline threaten to derail the plan. The mission is clear-in principle: facilitate an arms deal that serves U.S. interests in Central America. A covert alternative to overt meddling is devised to push Noriega, the Panamanian dictator, from power. The CIA agrees to the deal with a twist—Noriega offers a Russian helicopter in exchange for a substantial sum placed in a Swiss account. The United States intends to pass the helicopter to the Contras as part of a broader strategy to safeguard its interests, effectively balancing covert actions against legal constraints. Becker is assigned as a casino consultant in Panama, a role designed to let him move undercover and manage the delicate negotiations around the helicopter.

On arrival in Panama, Becker is introduced to Enrique Rodriguez, a Harvard-educated broker whose vast connections make him a formidable player. Enrique’s ties extend to Colonel Marcos Justines, a powerful military leader, and his own uncle, a politically engaged figure who opposes Noriega. Enrique lives large, chasing champagne-fueled nights, cocaine, and a string of admirers who pretend to be fiancées. When Becker opens discussions about the helicopter deal—already seeded by a CIA advance of a million dollars—Enrique sidesteps, urging Becker to settle in first and learn the lay of the land, including his job at the Casino Nationale.

Inside the Casino Nationale, Becker meets Brooklyn Rivera, a man who pushes him toward a pivotal contact, Steadman Muller, a key Contra figure. Their Miami meeting hints at a larger web of deals: a barter that would swap Soviet communications gear for a helicopter, drawing Becker deeper into a dangerous political maze. In an effort to pressure Becker into securing the helicopter, Enrique proposes a brutal test—a dirt-bike race through the jungle with a harsh stake: win and the chopper is yours; lose and Enrique will seek another buyer. Enrique triumphs, exposing his calculated manipulation and his greed. Enraged, Becker pulls back the million-dollar advance hidden inside a music speaker, reclaiming some leverage amid the growing tension.

As the American invasion looms, Colonel Justines orders Enrique to retrieve Becker’s money, hiring assassins to purge anyone connected to the operation. Becker’s bond with Camila deepens, even as danger encroaches on their nights together. One evening, at Camila’s residence, Becker anticipates trouble when she slips away; his instincts are proven right when armed hitmen attempt to breach the room. He defends himself with lethal efficiency and comes to grasp the magnitude of the danger surrounding him.

After a tense conversation with Cynthia, Becker grows suspicious of Camila’s motives and confronts her at another location. He uncovers Enrique’s betrayal, and a furious confrontation reveals that Colonel Justines orchestrated the attempt on his life. Returning home, Becker discovers Camila has been murdered. Grief fuels his rage as he vengeance takes hold, wiping out Camila’s killers. The cycle of violence tightens its grip when Justines learns of Enrique’s treachery and poisons him, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. With vengeance driving him forward, Becker prepares to confront Justines, only to discover that an ally he trusted, Hank Burns, is entangled with Justines in the pursuit of the missing money.

Burns tightens his grip, taking Becker’s sister-in-law, Tatyana, hostage to force compliance. In concert with Stark, Becker orchestrates a perilous handover: Tatyana is exchanged for a briefcase full of cash, and her safe return seems to seal the deal. Yet the danger remains high. Becker goes to Burns’ Panama residence to collect the funds, sparing Burns at first, but the moment Burns pulls a gun, Becker acts decisively and ends Burns’ threat.

As Stark recounts, the rebel leadership ultimately chooses a different path, sparing Noriega to rescue 200 families, a decision that reshapes the power dynamics behind the operation. With personal vendetta tempered by a hard-won sense of justice, Becker finally takes a well-deserved vacation, but the power struggle continues behind the scenes. In the end, the U.S. military captures Manuel Noriega during the invasion of Panama, and Becker’s voyage from despair to vengeance marks a brutal arc of survival and consequence.