Risk 2017

A tense, high-stakes chase unfolds as a U.S. Marshal’s plan to bring a guarded informant to testify against a powerful crime family spirals into a deadly flight for survival. U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris follows the trail of Winston, an accountant who turned informant, from a remote Alaskan hideout toward New York City, hoping to secure his testimony against the Moretti crime family. Winston’s demand for full immunity and airtight protection sets the terms of a mission that is already precarious, because every mile toward Manhattan increases the risk of betrayal, pursuit, and an execution that could shield the mob rather than expose it.

As the journey begins, a small plane becomes the stage for shifting loyalties and hidden threats. The aircraft’s radio and GPS are notoriously unreliable, a flaw that becomes a critical obstacle when Madolyn, Winston, and their pilot—an undercover operative posing as “Daryl Booth”—press their flight toward Anchorage and then beyond. The plan is clear in Madolyn’s mind: get Winston to testify in New York before the Moretti defense team closes in on their window of opportunity. But from the moment the flight starts, it’s immediately apparent that the calm of a routine transfer is an illusion. Daryl’s persona hides a far more dangerous reality, and the cockpit is muddled with information that doesn’t add up.

The tension intensifies as Winston becomes aware of unsettling details on the plane. He spots the pilot’s license under the seat and realizes the man at the controls is not who he pretends to be. Madolyn remains oblivious to the subtleties of the ruse, but the truth comes to a head when the impostor—revealing himself as a hit-man who intends to kill Winston—drops the veneer. A violent struggle erupts inside the confined space of the aircraft. Madolyn is knocked unconscious, and Winston is threatened by a weapon-wielding assailant who seems determined to erase the witness and seal the fate of the investigation.

Emerging from the chaos, Madolyn regains control and wrestles back the plane’s controls, using a taser to subdue the impostor and assuming command of the aircraft. Winston, quick-witted and ruthless in his own right, tries to bargain for his survival by offering a million dollars in cryptocurrency—an untraceable incentive that underscores the brutal economy of the criminal world they’re navigating. Yet Madolyn stays resolute in her aim to pursue justice through legal channels, refusing to shoot the would-be killer, even as she tries to steer the plane to safety.

With the impostor incapacitated, the duo discovers another layer of complication: the plane’s navigation system is compromised, and the route to Anchorage becomes muddled. The absence of reliable GPS leaves them adrift, forcing Madolyn to improvise. She reaches out to her superior, Caroline Van Sant, and explains the gravity of the situation, including the fact that Winston’s life depends on keeping the operation aboveboard. The communication reveals a troubling possibility: a leak within the U.S. Marshals’ ranks could be feeding information to the Moretti side. The suspense deepens as Winston’s personal vulnerability becomes a lever in the game—his mother’s safety becomes a bargaining chip that could influence events far beyond the immediate flight.

As the tension escalates, Winston uncovers a chilling detail: the hit-man’s body bears photos of Winston’s mother’s house, confirming that the mob knows exactly where she is and could strike at any moment. The realization places Winston in a desperate position, underscoring how a single misstep could cost a life outside the plane as well as the one on board. Madolyn, sensing a betrayal deeper than the immediate danger, begins to suspect that Caroline may be compromised, a possibility that threatens not only the mission but the integrity of her own career and sense of duty.

The plot thickens as Madolyn communicates with the ground and learns that a crucial decision—whether to keep Winston alive for the greater good—rests on her ability to navigate the maze of loyalties and lies surrounding the case. A new voice enters the conversation: a grounded navigator named Hassan who provides practical guidance to keep the plane afloat and offers a glimmer of human connection amid the peril. Hassan’s steady presence helps Madolyn regain focus—enough to chart a dangerous course along the coast toward safety, if only they can avoid a total loss of fuel.

In a brutal escalation, the impostor in Daryl Booth’s disguise manages to free himself and launches another assault. He stabs Winston and tightens his grip around Madolyn, threatening to finish what he started. The struggle shoots through the cabin as the tension between justice and violence comes to a fever pitch. Winston’s resilience—drawn from a mix of fear, cunning, and a stubborn will to see the case through—helps him survive a direct encounter, and Madolyn’s determination culminates in a decisive action: a flare gun is used to neutralize the threat and put the hijacker out of commission. The plane’s internal danger gives way to a broader crisis as the fuel dwindles and a Navy escort aircraft appears to shepherd them to a controlled landing.

The landing is a nerve-wracking blend of precision and endurance. Hassan guides Madolyn through a rapid, demanding approach, and the crew braces for impact as they near the runway. The impostor, once again resurrecting the danger, regains consciousness and makes one final attempt to seize control. He is shot and ejected from the aircraft, a grim reminder of the life-and-death stakes that defined the entire journey. The crash-landing is traumatic but ultimately successful, and Madolyn remains vigilant in the face of adversity as Winston is rushed to safety.

In the hours that follow, the danger shifts from the plane to the ground, as a fake paramedic moves into position within the emergency response chain, intent on smothering Winston and erasing the threat he poses to Moretti’s empire. Madolyn acts quickly, confronting the infiltrator and preventing the final act of murder. The moment is not only a victory for Winston but a vindication for Madolyn, who seizes the opportunity to expose the broader conspiracy by reaching out to Coleridge, the director who appears to be entangled with the criminal side. The arc of suspicion reaches a boiling point as Madolyn uncovers that Coleridge may be acting at cross purposes, revealing a deep-seated scheme that would jeopardize the entire witness protection effort.

As the smoke clears, a fragile sense of closure arrives with Winston’s survival and the sense that justice, though fragile, has not been lost. The sequence ends with Madolyn in a moment of quiet resolve, fortified by the difficult choices she has faced and the realization that the battle to bring Moretti to justice extends beyond a single flight. The reconciliation between duty and danger is underscored by the calm, human connection she shares with Winston in the aftermath, hinting at a future where the truth can prevail even in the face of relentless ambition and oppressive power.