Snake Eyes 1998

As the night wears on, corrupt Atlantic City police detective Rick Santoro (Nicolas Cage) finds himself entangled in a web of deceit at Gilbert Powell’s (John Heard) Atlantic City Arena. The setting is electric with anticipation as heavyweight champion Lincoln Tyler (Stan Shaw) faces off against challenger Jose Pacifico Ruiz in a bout that promises to be one for the ages. Meanwhile, Santoro’s childhood friend and US Navy Commander Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinise) is tasked with escorting Defense Secretary Charles Kirkland (Joel Fabiani) and Powell at the fight after a trip to Norfolk, Virginia. As the opening round gets underway, Dunne becomes distracted by an alluring redhead named Serena (Jayne Heitmeyer), who catches his eye with her striking ruby ring. His attention momentarily diverted, Dunne leaves his seat, only to be replaced by Julia Costello (Carla Gugino), a mysterious woman shrouded in mystery.

As the action unfolds on the canvas, Tyler is suddenly felled by Ruiz, and chaos erupts as gunshots ring out, mortally wounding Kirkland and grazing Costello’s left arm. The scene descends into pandemonium as Dunne kills the sniper and Santoro orders the arena to be locked down, but not before Costello slips away unnoticed, her silver-lined eyeglasses and platinum blonde hair replaced with a more subdued, dark-haired persona.

As the investigation gets underway, Santoro’s keen eye for detail reveals that Tyler’s unexpected knockout wasn’t quite as genuine as it seemed. Upon further scrutiny of the fight footage, Santoro discovers that the supposed knockout punch never actually landed, raising suspicions about the true nature of the match. Confessions from Tyler and Serena (the same alluring redhead who had earlier captured Dunne’s attention) reveal a complex web of deceit involving rigged fights, hidden agendas, and even terrorist organizations.

As the plot thickens, Santoro pieces together a conspiracy that implicates multiple players, including the sniper, Tariq Rabat, a known Palestinian terrorist. With the involvement of Tyler, Serena, and others revealed, Dunne deduces that the trip to Norfolk was actually a test run for the AirGuard missile defense system, which Powell’s company was backing. The stakes are raised further as Santoro uncovers evidence pointing to Rabat’s motivations - namely, to prevent the sale of the system to the US government. As the night wears on and the truth begins to unravel, Santoro must navigate a treacherous landscape of corruption, deceit, and international intrigue to uncover the truth behind the shocking events that have transpired.

As Santoro delves into surveillance footage from the security room, he embarks on a quest to locate Serena, concurrently with Powell’s security guards aiding Dunne in his pursuit of Costello. Initially, they operate in tandem, but their paths diverge, revealing a shocking twist: Dunne is the mastermind behind the conspiracy and the fifth party involved. With calculated precision, he eliminates Serena - now sporting a blonde makeover - and Zietz, the individual who signalled Tyler to descend, to prevent further entanglement, utilizing his bodyguards as accomplices. Next, Dunne recruits Tyler by revealing the truth.

Meanwhile, Costello employs her cunning charm to deceive Ned Campbell (David Anthony Higgins), a morally dubious hotel guest, allowing her to seek refuge in his room. Coincidentally, both Santoro and Dunne discover this development simultaneously, triggering a frantic pursuit. However, Santoro ultimately reaches Costello first, whisking her away to protective custody. She confesses to being an analyst who had worked on the AirGuard tests, uncovering fabricated results that exposed the system’s failure. Her revelation led Kirkland to the deception, but Dunne learned of her actions and orchestrated a conspiracy to eliminate both her and Kirkland. Santoro is stunned by this revelation, initially skeptical of his childhood friend’s involvement before rapidly grasping the truth.

Following a brief reprieve at a warehouse, where Costello finds temporary solace, Santoro scrutinizes footage from a newly installed floating camera, uncovering conclusive evidence of Dunne’s complicity. Confronted by Dunne, he confesses that his motivation stems from a desire to prevent further attacks on US ships, mirroring the traumatic experience where he witnessed multiple soldiers drown. He offers Santoro a staggering one million dollars in exchange for Costello’s location, guaranteeing her demise and promising to turn a blind eye to the plan. When Santoro refuses to compromise, Dunne resorts to physical intimidation, ordering Tyler to brutalize him, but the latter remains resolute.

Undeterred, Dunne plants a tracker on Santoro and trails him to the warehouse just as Hurricane Jezebel unleashes its fury on the Atlantic City coastline. As a tidal wave crashes onto the boardwalk, Santoro seizes the opportunity to spirit Costello away from harm, utilizing the chaos to make his move. The police, alerted by Santoro’s earlier efforts, converge on the scene, bearing witness to Dunne’s futile attempt to eliminate them. Captured and realizing his plan has imploded, Dunne takes a final, desperate measure - ending his own life in a tragic, self-inflicted conclusion.

As the dust settles on his tarnished reputation, Santoro finds himself stripped bare of everything he once held dear: his heroic status, his family, and his political aspirations. The mayor’s praise has given way to a chorus of condemnation, with the press exposing his corruption in all its sordid glory. His wife, lover, and son are now lost to him, casualties of his own downfall. The once-promising politician is left to face the bitter consequences: imprisonment, a shattered dream of becoming Atlantic City’s next mayor, and the harsh realities of life behind bars.

Before reporting for duty at the prison gates, Santoro encounters Costello on the sun-kissed boardwalk, their paths crossing like two divergent storylines. She expresses her gratitude for his role in saving countless lives by scrapping Powell’s doomed AirGuard project, a move that would have had devastating consequences for soldiers and civilians alike. As they share a bittersweet kiss, Santoro commits to contacting her when his sentence finally comes to an end – a promise he intends to keep, with the clock ticking away at 12 to 18 months.

As Costello departs, leaving Santoro alone once more, he can’t help but reflect on the fleeting nature of fame and fortune. His moment in the spotlight has given way to the cold harshness of reality. Yet, even amidst his despair, he finds solace in knowing that at least he’s been seen – a thought that brings a wry smile to his lips as he contemplates the prospect of life behind bars.

In the film’s final shot, a poignant reminder of Serena’s legacy is embedded in the concrete pillars of Powell Millennium Arena – her ruby ring, now a symbol of sacrifice and remembrance, serving as a haunting reminder of the human cost of war.