Commandante - Recap

Jim picks up his briefing at the back of a bowling alley and is informed that Father Paolo Dominguin has been leading a democratic revolution in his country. Far eastern enemies are taking over the moment, using Carlos Martillo, a local insurgent. The legendary international revolutionary, Juan Acero, is assisting and they plan to murder Dominguin as soon as they discredit Dominguin and kill him without making him a martyr.

Jim assembles the usual team and they test an explosive device that should set off crates of ammo. Acero and Martillo are rivals and Paris will be going in as Major Chen, representing the company backing the movement. There’s only one way out past the nearby mountains, and everything depends on a special helicopter.

The local mayor, Esbarto, meets with Acero, who claims that Dominguin is an American patsy. The skeptical Esbarto warns Acero not to harm the priest. Jim arrives and claims to be a representative of a religious charitable organization, the Friends of Religion. Martillo tries to force Dominguin to confess without success, while another man prepares a noose made out of sheets. Acero arrives to stop the fake suicide and ask if Dominguin knows that Jim’s organization is with American intelligence but the father denies it.

Acero meets with Jim and asks for medical supplies and finally guns, and Jim reluctantly promises to see what can be arranged. Willy arrives with a delivery of arms on behalf of the Friends of Religion. The guards inspect the truck but fail to spot Barney in a hidden compartment. The delivery confirms to Acero that Jim is with American intelligence and he comes up with a plan to frame them for Dominguin’s death.

Acero lets Jim meet with Dominguin while the guards let Willy through and en route he stops and Barney gets out with several large crates. Dominguin chastises Jim for providing the guns. Willy and Barney begin assembling what is a small helicopter. Jim mentions his plan to Dominguin, while Acero secretly listens in. Willy releases a homing pigeon with a message confirming Paris’ arrival as Major Chen then heads on to Acero’s compound after breaking off a mirror and dropping it along the road. As he leaves, Barney prepares an inflatable unit and a remote control. He then digs a pit.

Jim is aware Acero is listening in and details a plan for Dominguin. Acero figures that Jim knows he would listen in and humiliates Martillo, who briefly gets violent. Acero figures that they won’t take the route that Jim laid out.

Paris arrives as Major Chen while Willy delivers the arms and is taken prisoner along with Jim and Dominguin. Acero meets with Paris who asks why Dominguin is still alive. Esbarto is brought n and Acero still tries to convince him that Dominguin is working with the Americans. Acero seemingly relents and releases Dominguin to the Americans, then explains to Paris he doesn’t want to make a martyr and plans to kill him once he determines the American plans. Paris agrees with Martillo’s more direct approach over Acero’s intrigue, then undermines the commandante after he leaves. Paris suggests that Martillo may have to take over and gives him a psychiatric report on Acero confirming he’s a megalomaniac. Paris notices Acero leaving with his lieutenant, Ortiz.

Acero finds the mirror from Willy’s van and backtracks it into the mountains where they find Barney with the helicopter. Acero gives one of his privates, Sanchez, very specific orders, then returns to his compound as Paris watches. Martillo brings Paris up to speed on the helicopter discovery. Acero tells them that he plans to arrange the helicopter’s seemingly accidental crash and then plant papers incriminating the Americans.

Sanchez stages a fake rape with a local girl near Barney, who goes to investigate, while Ortiz sneaks up to the helicopter and sabotages it. Barney, disguised as a local soldier, knocks Sanchez out while the woman protests.

Paris goes to see Dominguin but is turned away by the guards. Sanchez demands answers from Barney, who draws a gun on him and turns him away. He then returns to the helicopter and seemingly doesn’t notice the sabotage.

Acero releases Jim, Willy, and Dominguin, who depart in a jeep. Acero then takes Esbarto along to see his rescue by American intelligence. Dominguin and the others seemingly board the helicopter while Acero and the others look on from a distance. The helicopter takes off in a cloud of dust then goes down from engine failure. Acero tries to claim that Dominguin would have been safe if he had left by road, then orders Martillo to acquire the bodies.

Later back at the compound, Martillo arrives and after dismissing Esbarto, reports that there were no bodies in the crash. Paris orders them back to the crash area for a search and discovers a hidden hole. Inside they find a remote and the air cylinders used to inflate the dummies that were in the cockpit. Paris then activates a remote triggering the explosion of the arms and ammo that Willy brought in along with the rest of the arsenal. When Acero goes berserk, Martillo shoots him dead and Paris drives away, picking up the rest of the team.

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