The System - Recap

Jim picks up his briefing at an empty doctor’s office and is informed that Constantine “Mr. V” Victor, a Syndicate man, has been indicted by the government. The chief witness is dead and only Victor’s friend Johnny Costa knows enough to put him behind bars. Costa works at Victor’s syndicate in another country where gambling is untouchable. The IMF must convince Costa to testify against his friend.

Jim assembles the usual team and they go over the casino plans. They have to intercept the phone calls at Costa’s end, since Victor calls him every 24 hours from a different phone booth. Rollin has mastered his impersonation of Victor’s voice.

Jim goes into the casino and wins big by cheating, and the security men take him to Costa. He tells Costa that he deliberately cheated so he’d be brought into see the man, so he could offer him the name of the person who hired him… to kill Costa. Costa doesn’t believe him and has him taken out, although Jim warns that if Costa’s men lay a hand on him that the price of his info will go up later. Meanwhile, Cinnamon deliberately loses at cards and catches Costa’s attention.

Costa calls Victor in New York to ask about the possibility of a hit and the IMF intercept the call and Rollin impersonates Victor’s aide Markos. Rollin casually tells Costa not to worry and then says they’re sending an auditor down to review his books. Cinnamon has lost again and gets a meeting with Costa to ask for credit, flirting with him to get it. Costa agrees and signs off on a marker.

That night, Barney sneaks into the casino’s basement through the ventilation shaft while the guards bring down the money to put in the impenetrable vault. After they count the money and leave, Barney opens the grille and uses an extendible arm to open the safe from across the pressure-sensitive floor. He then puts in an additional $25,000, closes the safe, and slips away.

Jim records Rollin impersonating Victor’s voice as Rollin gives Costa’s assistant Arnie orders to take over the operation. They carefully anticipate when Arnie will respond and they leave blank spots in the recording then Rollin makes a response to the anticipated statement.

Rollin goes to the casino as Victor’s accountant and sets up a new accounting system. He checks the money and finds the extra $25,000. Now thinking something is up between him and Victor, Costa contacts Jim and pays him to spot the hitman, while Barney and Willy rig a hotel room. Cinnamon returns to the casino and asks for another $250 credit. Costa signs off on the check while Rollin looks on, and then Cinnamon switches it for an IMF-forged check for $25,000. She gets the cashier to okay it after he confirms with Costa from across the room.

Willy sneaks into the basement and opens a window, then goes upstairs and signals Jim. Jim points Willy out as the hitman and Costa and his men go after him. Willy hides in the basement and after Jim points it out Costa thinks he slipped out the open window. Upstairs, Cinnamon starts betting more heavily and afterward, Rollin takes over Costa’s office and accuses him of okaying the $25,000 as a payoff. He has the check with the forged signature and the cashier’s confirmation to “prove” that Costa did the deed. Rollin arranges a (fake) call with Victor from a phone booth in the casino, and when Arnie arrives Rollin puts him on and Barney plays the pre-recorded message. Arnie apparently hears Victor telling him to take over since Costa is now embezzling.

Costa goes to Cinnamon’s room and she fake-confesses that she’s working for Victor and it’s all a set up. Barney shoots at them with a shotgun and pre-planted squibs make it look like he’s trying to kill Costa and Cinnamon. Costa goes out the window and goes to the vault to take out the money and escape. Upstairs, he calls Victor in New York and starts rambling about how his friend tried to get rid of him. Victor has no idea what he’s talking about but Costa doesn’t believe him and Rollin takes the phone, cutting him off. Willy comes in as well and he and Rollin prepare to take care of Costa, but the guy breaks away and locks himself in the vault. He boasts that he’s going to testify and put the double-crossing Victor away for good, and the team slips away as the police arrive in response to the alarm.

Share this article with your friends