The Vertical Ray of the Sun 2001

A powerful montage showcases the turmoil in Nigeria as a violent coup unfolds, toppling the Presidential family and paving the way for a dictatorship led by the merciless general, Yakubu. The Fulani rebels launch a brutal ethnic cleansing campaign against the Ibo tribes in the south, leading to chaos and suffering.

Amidst this catastrophe, we join Lieutenant Waters (Bruce Willis) and his Navy SEAL team aboard SH-60B Seahawk helicopters as they approach the USS Harry S. Truman, stationed off the African coast. A news reporter on the flight deck is abruptly interrupted by the devastating news of the assassination of the entire presidential family by rebel forces.

Upon landing, Waters and his team are met by Captain Bill Rhodes who briefs them on a critical mission: to extract an important American citizen, Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks (Monica Bellucci), from a Catholic mission in the jungle. Despite the urgency, the SEALs take the time to refit and replenish after their previous mission, ready to undertake a challenging extraction that includes a twelve-kilometer trek back to safety.

The mission launches successfully, with the SEALs executing a precise Halo Jump over Cameroon. However, trouble brews when they forcibly recruit a young Nigerian woman to guide them to the mission. Waters informs Kendricks about the approaching rebel forces, but she stands her ground, refusing to abandon the innocent lives she cares for. After a tense conversation with Rhodes, Waters reluctantly agrees to bring along those refugees capable of moving under their own power, prompting Kendricks to rally them together for the perilous journey.

As night falls, the group’s trek proves grueling, with the struggles of escorting injured refugees weighing heavily on the SEALs. They set up a defensive perimeter to protect the vulnerable civilians, but are soon faced with the danger of guerrilla rebels closing in. Waters remains resolute in his orders, prioritizing his mission even as Kendricks voices her concerns.

Upon reaching their designated landing zone, the SEALs make a shocking turn of events: holding the refugees at gunpoint and securing Kendricks, they extract her while leaving the innocent civilians defenseless in the ruthless jungle. The gravity of their choice quickly haunts Waters when they discover the devastated remains of the mission, precisely as Kendricks had feared.

Determined to rectify their decision, Waters opts to return for the stranded refugees. As they retrace their steps, they learn that they are being tracked by a large group of rebel soldiers. Amidst chaos, they stumble upon a village under siege. Demonstrating impressive precision, the SEALs spring into action to protect the powerless villagers, suffering from the horrors inflicted by the rebel soldiers.

In the midst of their harrowing journey, the SEALs uncover a shocking truth: a surviving member of the Presidential family is within their group, igniting the rebels’ eagerness to eliminate him. Tensions rise when a false refugee is discovered harboring a transmitter, reflecting the stakes they face. Water’s anger intensifies as he realizes Kendricks has known all along of the boy’s identity.

As the SEALs press on with their mission, they confront overwhelming firepower from the rebels that results in devastating losses within their ranks. Calling for air support, two F/A-18 Hornets roar into action, while the SEALs create a defensive line to shield the refugees desperate to reach the Cameroon border.

A climactic firefight ensues, and amidst the chaos, hearts race as Arthur and Kendricks make their escape amidst bombings, fearing for the very lives of Waters and his team. Emerging from the smoke, the SEALs reach the other side of the border where they are received by Captain Rhodes, ushering them to safety along with the rescued refugees.

In the film’s poignant conclusion, the refugees recognize Arthur as their rightful tribal king, culminating in a moment of triumph as he raises his hand exclaiming “Freedom!” Celebrations erupt, while the closing title resonates with the profound quote: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” by Edmund Burke, evoking the film’s powerful message of moral responsibility in times of violence.