Sweepers (1998) - full transcript

Argo!

What's wrong with that dog?

Hey, Ace.

That should keep Johnny
happy for a few years.

He's been bugging me for weeks.

Hm.

Pretty good on me, huh?

So who brought the tin can?

I don't know, but MIG said it worked great in Cambodia.

You want to go for a ride, Ace?

I hate those damn things--



prefer the fresh air.

I don't blame you.

So what's the story?

You need to move the
party North, as usual.

Nobody invited the land mines.

So Johnny got in all right?

Yeah, sure he's
at home with old Mo.

Waxman, get the snake ready.

We're going in 10.

Yes, sir!

So get this-- last
night he says to me--

he says, why do you
call me Bug, Daddy?

I say, well, hey, son,it's a pet name, you know?

Shows how I feel about you.



Can I speak to your
CO for a second, guys?

Yes, sir.

So-- so he says, well, Mommy's got a pet name for you, too,

Daddy.

She calls you asshole.

See?

I told you she still loves you.

Sure.

So we got anti-tanks
booby-trapped

with anti-personnels,
all laid in a 50

meter radius from the well.

It's a real piece of ass.

Well, they're using
a Chinese AV pattern.

Sweet and
sour piece of ass.

Stop!

Down.

"Murder, She Wrote."

What is it now?

I don't know.

I'm trying to find out.

There's nothing I've
ever seen before.

Man, I'm going back
to get the med kit--

Just in--

--case.

You're crazy.
You know that?

Thanks for drawing
me a map to get back.

Watch your step, Doc.

Which one?

!

Troops in formation!

Go!

Go!

Watch the tank!

Oh!

.

To the !

!

!

Get out!

Johnny!

Johnny!

Stay there!

Johnny!

Johnny!

Johnny!

Right, listen up!

Inside that mansion
is Senator Mitchell

Shepherd, the man most likely to be our next president.

He must not perish.

Recon confirms that the back and side entrances are

indeed wired with explosives.

However, the perimeter and the front door remain clear.

My call in is one
alpha six ..

When that front door opens in exactly 93 seconds,

leave no terrorist standing.

GIs, hurry up!

Get into position now!

Is everybody ?

back inside.

What's the situation?
- Go, go, go, go, go.

All right, Michelle, let's go.

The situation is
demolition man inside.

They've taken Senator
Shepherd hostage.

We've got recon
checking back and side

entrances for explosions.

Look out!

Come on!

Let's go.

Hurry, hurry.

Come on, .

Move it!

What you going to do?

You can't go anywhere.

You're surrounded.

You can't get out of here.

Move in!

Move in!

We're almost here
at the house now.

Oh, no!

Ooh!

Oh!

Ooh!

Uh!

Ah!

Oh!

Uh.

The blast that killed the SWAT team came from landmines.

What?

They planted land
mines in my front yard?

I have a gardener,
for Christ sakes.

He was arrested this morning Senator, the FBI assured us

that they had
thoroughly searched

the grounds before the guests arrived and found nothing.

Now it seems that
forensics turned up

some interesting
fragments yesterday.

They suggested we send it to one of our specialists

for further analysis.

Jesus wept, son.

What are you telling me?

Terrorists with top
secret technology?

Even the Arabs who blew up the World fucking Trade Center

had to light a goddamn fuse.

You're telling me that this thing is one of ours?

No, Alan.

What I'm telling you is it's one of ours, but we lost it.

This document was
deemed classified,

making it illegal for Uncle Sam to export landmines.

Two years prior, your office had commissioned a company headed

by a man named Michael
Lewis to develop

a new type of land mine for sale to the highest foreign bidder.

A smart mine, invisible
to metal detectors

or explosive smelling dogs,most forms of mine sweeping--

and it's kind of--

One that contained a PTC,a personal tracking device.

An electronic brain
that allows the A6

to track any approaching
target, enabling it to

activate without contact.

And how do you know all about the A6, may I ask, Miss--

Michelle Flynn.

I created the PTC for Lewis.

After the moratorium
passed, Lewis vanished.

Intelligence last
traced him to Angola,

home of the rich UNITA rebels.

Their civil war is over.

Unita would be fools to deal in black market weapons now.

Mitch, I don't know
how I can help you.

I do.

Sign this release form.

It's not New York over there.

Hm.

You call the Senator directly if you run into any problems.

The numbers are in this.

There's a man there, formerly of the Humanitarian Order

of Chivalry, a now
defunct minesweeping

team, Christian Erickson.

The boy's talent for
finding landmines

is exceeded only by his complete lack of discipline.

If there's an A6 to
be found in Angola,

he may have already dug it up.

He was trained in the
US Special Forces,

locked horns with his CO and demanded a discharge.

He joined the HOC, went to Angola, and never came back.

He's a real deal
soldier of fortune.

He left his wife for it.

Angola,
Angola, Angola.

You, too.

Hi.

You must be Shepherd's group?

Hi.

I'm Zukili from the
embassy in Rwanda.

Come with me.

I'll explain as I walk, please.

Thank you.

Angola,
Angola, Angola.

So what's the
average number of mines

that a team would
pull from a place?

Like--

Uh, most places,
two's average.

But in Angola, it's
more like four.

Thousand?

We are here--

the Gemstone.

Here we go.

Here you go, gentlemen.

A toast-- to the good
Senator Shepherd--

a man with enough
vision to send us here.

Because he knows that
inside every Angolan,

there's an American
trying to get out.

Yeah.

Come on!

Come on!

OK.

Your rooms are upstairs.

Here you go.

Now wait for me while I get some more information, OK?

Be right back.

Seven five.

Hello.

I'm here.

All right.

Give me my money!

Give me my diamonds back.

Ah.

OK.

I got $15.

$15 more?

Ooh!

Ooh!

Ooh!

Oh.

Ah.

Ooh.

Ah!

Ah!

Hey!

Ooh!

Had enough?

Hey, Ray?--

Vince and I have liberated about 10 poppers so far,

just the usual suspects.

I'm going to blow
them before moving on.

Over?
- 10-4.

You take the count.

Everything's cool?

Let's do it.

All right.

Let's do it!

Five, four, three, two, one.

Good job, guys.

Come on.

Sun's low, let's go.

Jack?

Come on.
Quit screwing around.

Mitch?

We're cool, Ray.

Jack, not too funny man.

Uh, Ms. Flynn?

What does your popper look like?

It's made of Kevlar and
shaped like a butterfly.

Yeah, yeah.

What else?

When still active,
there'll be tracking

lights on either end of it.

In that case, found it.

Woo!

That's got to be a record.

I am gonna get so
fucked up tonight!

Hey, hey-- what the
hell are you guys doing?

Relax, counselor.

It's frozen.

Polyurethane foam
locks everything up.

It's nothing more than
a fancy paperweight now.

Yeah, full of explosives.

I have done this before.

It ain't my first barbecue.

Have you guys been
listening to anything

that I've been saying?

The A6 is electrical--
not mechanical.

She's right, Jack.

Put it away.

Shit, I forgot my jacket.

I'll be right back.

Chicks-- crazy, all of them.

Mitch, as soon as we
get back to the hotel--

are you listening to me?
- Yeah.

As soon as we get
back to the hotel,

we're going to have to geton the horn to Shepherd.

Let him know we've got things squared away here, OK?

Hey!

Look out!

Calm down, Ms. Flynn.

Now what do you mean
they're all dead?

What do I mean?

I mean, something went wrong.

The chopper blew up,
and so they're dead.

Oh, shit.

All right.

Ms. Flynn, we're going to get you out of there, all right?

Your contact has arrangedfor a ground unit

to rendezvous with you
at the Zaire border

on the Congo River in two days.

Fine.

And what about the A6?

You just forget about
the A6, OK, Ms. Flynn?

What's important now is to get you out of there before anyone

starts asking questions.

Now I'm sure you can
appreciate this has

become a potentially
embarrassing

scenario for Senator Shepherd.

You're going to have
to work with us here.

No, I did not come
here for the Senator.

I came here for one reason--to find that damn land mine.

Now look, I'm not leaving until I have proof in my hand

that that A6 is in Angola.

OK?

You said I have two days?

Fine.

Just make sure that
my escape route

is set to get me out of here.

What?

Where's your money, guys?

How 'bout you, ?

Say, get over here.

What's going on?

Cowards!

Cowards!
Come on!

How 'bout you?

Huh?

Or you?

, how 'bout you?

?

You got any money on you?

Four
says I can do it.

Yeah, you can do it.

Can you do it faster than me?

And who are you?

Yager.

Yager.

You got it!

You got that bet.

To the fire and
back-- first one

to step on a landmine loses.

To the fire and back.

Five.

I used to be in the Olympics.

Four.

I was competing for--

Three.

--for the sports event.

One.

And zero!

What?

What are you going to do now?

Yay!

Uh.

Huh.

So what's your three favorite pleasures in life?

A stiff drink before
and a cigarette after.

I guess we have
something in common.

So where are your friends?

They're dead.

Well, I guess we have
two things in common.

What about this?

Do we have that in common?

Look, I know who you are--

Christian Erickson, 20,000 mine kills confirmed.

Publicly applauded by Lady Diana herself for it.

Member of the Humanitarian--

Time for a cigarette.

Look, it's just one mine.

That's all it takes, lady.

It's not a problem.

She's all alone.

I told you, it's not a problem!

Will you listen to me?

Your shipment won't be affected.

I'll give you my word.

It will just cost
a little bit more.

Fine.

Look, I'll call later.
I've got work to do.

Please.

I don't know anything.

I've got a wife.

I got a wife and kid.

So pick it up.

Go home.

Please don't make me do this.

Who is she working with?

I don't know.

Why is she looking
for my landmines?

I don't know!

I suppose he didn't know.

Christian?

Such a sad song.

Come, old friend.

Let's go home.

Zukuli?

MAN : We're looking for the American lady.

I'm just getting dressed.

MAN :
Christian send us.

He wants to talk to you.

I'll be right there.

Oh, shit.

MAN : Come on, lady.

Open the door.

What's going on?

- Oh, hi.
- Hi.

You're the white woman
who wants Christian?

Excuse me?

Oh, look, you're right.

Do you know where
I could find him?

I need to speak to him.

Inside-- this is his house.

But he's sleeping--
big headache.

Gotta be quiet.

Oh.

You know what?

I'm going to come back tomorrow when he's feeling better.

Tomorrow?

What a beautiful white word.

Shit might happen.

OK.

Bye.

He's the only one
who can help you

find what you're looking for.

isn't the only one with eyes in ..

This is Christian's heart.

A gift from the to Christian for being in Angola.

Yeah, but the war is over now.

You must understand how ..

What used to belong
to ,,

now belongs to
Consolidated Mine.

What's Consolidated Mines?

The diamond company--

our ground is full of diamonds.

After the war,
Consolidated Mines

hired those
mercenaries

to be their private army.

Now with this army,
they once again

bring terror into our homes.

Yeah, I think I met some of those guys last night.

With them, you
control the people.

Control the people,
control the diamonds.

Control the diamonds,
you control Angola.

For most countries,
truce means peace.

To Angola, truce is terror!

Uh.

Why are you doing that?

Argo!

Hey!

Hey, I need to talk to you.

Hi.

Oh, god.

What are those things
that everyone's eating?

Mopani worms-- second best thing for a hangover.

Oh.

Ooh.

Um, look-- I need your help.

Did you hear me?

Christ, Mo!

You know, I don't get you.

Have you always been
this much of an asshole,

or did you take lessons?

Took lessons.

The problem of landmines hasn't gotten any better

since your little boy died. OK?

Infact, it's gotten worse.

Look, lady.

Every morning I have to
go out into that field

to make sure no little surprise resurfaced during the night.

There's no making a
difference anymore.

Angola is the wild
fucking West now.

And it's gotten that
way all by itself.

No, it didn't.

I helped.

That popper that I
tried to show you--

I had a hand in creating it.

It's the A6 butterfly.

And I know it's here.

Look, if I could just find one and take it back to the states,

then maybe that would
make a difference.

Damn it, Argo.

Quiet!

Forget the damn dog!

And forget making a difference.

I desperately need your help.

Look, I'll pay you, OK?

$3,000 is all I've got.

But it'll be enough to
drown yourself in this.

Get the ball!

Hey, hey, hey.

Hey, watch out!

I swept that field yesterday!

Now will you help me?

Let's go see
someone I can trust.

Hey, Doc?

When did you collect
all this junk?

In the four years
since we last hung out.

What's up, big guy?

How you been?

Good.

These things will
stunt your growth.

Nice hat.

I'm Harper.

You must be Michelle.

We spoke on the phone.

Yes.

Wow.

This is all you?

This is amazing.

Yeah.

This is me.

I'm looking to
expand the program.

Did you know that 10 Cambodians step on a popper every day?

And what about here?

Three-- reported,
which is about

75 a day in a place
with the population

of the United States.

I'm looking for a new
American-made landmine.

You haven't heard about the A6 butterfly, have you?

No new US-made land minesin Angola for three years now.

Well, this one isn't being exported by the US.

It's being imported into the US.

And we think that it's being
manufactured in Angola.

That's crazy.

Only two things made
in Angola these days--

diamonds-- well, I
know they're not made--

and prosthetic legs.

Have you ever heard of a guy named Michael Lewis?

He was last seen here in Angola.

He's the creator of the A6.

No.

Why hasn't anyone
from the UN informed

me about this, Ms. Flynn?

Unless-- you working for
Uncle Sam now, big guy?

Um, it was a covert
operation that--

it went very wrong.

I doubt the UN knows
squad right now.

I barely know anything about it.

Wow.

A rogue landmine
being made and sold

by a third world
country that can't even

keep its own shit straight?

If this is true, take
my advice-- be careful.

As always.

That's exactly what
I'm talking about, Ace.

Dr. Hopper, come, come!

Look-- I'll--

I'll do whatever I can to help.

Just-- Chris-- you
got to call me.

Make sure that son
of a bitch still

knows how to use a telephone.

How's he doing?

Well, I haven't
been here since--

If I can remember the
way I entered last time,

I'll be able to
pick up the pattern.

Point of entry--

As in you're going in there?

As in we're going in there.

Step only where I step.

Unless, of course,
I step on a popper.

Oh, my God.

The man made a joke.

What?

What is it?

Hm?

Last night at the bar,that sketch you showed me--

the one with the wings?

You mean the one
you'd never seen before?

I didn't say that.

That day Johnny died,
I was onto something--

right here, right before opened up on us.

It was something I hadn't
seen before, something

Argo didn't pick up--

shaped like a wing.

No.

That's impossible.

I mean, five years ago we were still perfecting the A6.

And PTC hadn't even
been tested yet.

Gee, I wonder where you
can find a place to test

a new kind of land mine.

Here.

Bingo.

That means that Lewis was operating ahead of schedule?

No, I said bingo.

Specs?

Motion-activated, LED indicates when it's tracking.

And if it were still hot, we'd be dead by now.

?

There should be arelease plug underneath it.

Time?

15 seconds track,
one second to activate.

Oh, and Christian-- she bounces.

Figures.

Oh, by the way, I think someone's kind of after me.

Shit!

Oh, God.

It's hot.

And it's tracking.

Oh, my God.

It's going to pop.

Give me a count.

What?

I said, give me a count.

13, 12, 11, 10, nine--

Now turn it so
that it won't lock.

Seven, six, five--

What the hell is this?

The pre-arming switch.

Three!

Two!

One!

Bingo.

Oh, Jesus.

No way!

I'm driving!

You want to drive?

Then drive.

Nice shot.

Thanks.

Where are they?

I don't know.

What do you mean
you don't know?

There's a bridge ahead.

Should I take it?

Look out!

Good job.

Thanks.

Hey, cowboy!

I want my diamonds back.

Hit it!

Pull out!
Pull out!

Pull out!

Someone's kind of after you?

Of course-- that thing survived.

Let's go.

By the way, I'm fine.
Thanks for asking.

Oh, my God.

What happened?

Be careful.

Stay there.

Mo!

Listen.

Listen.

Mo!

Oh, God!

Listen.

I'm here, Mo.

I want to take you to Hopper.

Take you to a hospital.

Listen.

You are--

All right.

Bring the bodies over here.

All right.
Put them down there.

I just talked to Hopper.

He's prepping the hospital for the wounded.

He asked if you're OK.

There's your mom.

There she is.

It's just her arm.

I've got this one.

Don't worry.

I'm making sure your shipment is leaving, as per schedule.

There was nothing at his house.

Well, she's booked
into the Gemstone.

But I don't think she'll
go back there now.

It was Yager.

Are you sure?

That was in Mo's
hand when he died.

Consolidated Mines?

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Come with me.

Look, if it was them.

They'll be gunning for you next.

Let 'em come.

You be a good boy.

Daddy's going to work.

Oh, uh.

Ooh!

Uh.

Uh.

Ah!

Ah!

Aw!

Aw!

Uh.

What am I doing?

Hey, kid.

Did you see who took her?

Was it Yager?

Did you see where they took her?

Do you know what this is?

Can you take me there?

Bring her down below.

Well, she's here all right.

Do these places have back doors?

I've retrieved this landmine.

So you just tell me
where Erickson is,

and then we don't have
to do any of this.

He's on his way to
kick your fucking ass.

What a mouth!

Kiss your mother
with that mouth?

Enough.

Death tiptoes lightly with rude surprises in his hands.

I know.

It's so dramatic, this place.

Where's Christian?

This is what you
call a back door?

No elevators, huh?

Yager here is going to torture you until I find out exactly

what your operation was about.

I told you.

I was just along to confirm the type of landmine.

While he's doing
that, I'll be topside,

making sure my shipment
gets off on time.

Now if you tell Yager what he wants to hear, then maybe

I'll come back down in time to stop him from slowly sucking

the air out of your lungs.

Promise I'll be back.

Just stay here.

Ah!

He's just doing his job.

Make sure it's nice and tight.

What does the US know about Consolidated Mines involvement

in the A6 --

Hey!

I'll kill him.

I'll kill him.

Fucking .

Do it.

Now drop it.

Four more, please.

We have to put them
on first before we

get the other on top of them.

It is the only way to
make the boat stable.

Yager, it's time.

Let's go.

Yager?

Hey, .

What the hell's going on?

She got away.

Jesus Christ!

What the hell's gotten into you?

I swear!

She can't go anywhere, man!

We'll find her.

You'd better.

Hey, you!

Go back down to .

You, Carlos-- you come with me.

Make sure she doesn't
get to the plant.

Ah!

Uh!

Ew!

Oh!

Oh!

Ah!

I should be used
to this by now.

Don't move.

I said-- Uh!

Ooh!

Ah!

Oh!

Christian?

It's Hopper.

So where are we going?

Going to see my
old friend, Hopper.

Dead.

Get after them!

Oh, my God.

What do you see
when you look at me?

Yourself, that's what.

We're both survivors, Erickson,cut from the same mold.

We just chose different
paths to get here.

No.

You're just a mercenary.

Right or wrong don't matter to you, just the prize.

The only justification for revolution is success.

And to be successful,
it takes money.

That's why I'm
nothing like you.

Oh, yeah?

Then show me.

Oh!

Pull out.

OK.

Oh.

Still not convinced?

I'll give you some
time to think about it.

No one rides for free.

Oh!

Ooh!

Ah!

Ah!

Ooh!

Ow!

Oh.

So are you OK?

Oh, the train.

Wait here.

Wait here, my ass.

Ooh!

Oh!

Oh!

Ooh!

Oh!

Oh!

Stupid fucking bloodhound!

One squeeze

You're always !

Your boy?

Johnny?

He wasn't meant to be there.

It was an accident.

Oh!

You should have
left, Christian.

It wouldn't have come to this.

You planted that mine.

Yeah, it was me.

It was me all along--

purely business, Ace.

You see, what better way to test an invisible landmine

than to see if the best sweeper in the free world can find it.

Ah!

Oh!

Oh.

Oh, OK, Ace.

I-- I guess this is it.

Go on.

Go on to him, boy.

Angels can fly because they take themselves so lightly.

Oh!

Did that hurt, buddy?

You know, you should
have looked out for me,

Christian, just a little better.

Now let's see if you are
really big enough to go

through the gates of hell.

Ooh.

Oh.

You OK?

I thought you guys
might need a ride.

Thanks.

But this time, I
think I'll drive.