Berlin Falling

On the outskirts of Berlin, a terrorist plans a brutal attack during Christmas. He hijacks a car and forces the driver to take him toward the city center so the attack can unfold. The driver becomes an unwilling participant in the ploy.

Frank faces an ultimatum from his soon to be ex wife. She demands a good last meeting with their daughter Lily or she will file for sole custody. He agrees to the Berlin trip hoping for a chance to see Lily.

While driving toward Berlin, Frank picks up a stranger who asks for help. The man, who calls himself Andreas, chats endlessly and unsettles Frank. Frank tries to quiet him, increasing the tension of the ride.

Andreas reveals that a bomb is in the car and sets the terms for Frank to cooperate. Frank wrestles with fear as the threat becomes immediate. The driver realizes the stakes have exploded far beyond a simple ride.

Andreas shows Frank live footage of a man with a gun on a train threatening his wife and daughter. He warns that if Frank does not comply, they will be killed. The ride becomes a coercive countdown toward Berlin.

Frank tries to drive past the police, but a confrontation erupts. He knocks out one officer and shoots his partner in the vest. Andreas kills another officer, and Frank shoots the final officer to spare him further suffering.

Andreas makes Frank stop at a small store to buy painkillers and apple juice. Frank lies about availability, and Andreas shoves him against a wall for failing to follow orders. The coercion deepens as the fear intensifies.

They reach a building with a camera, laptop and projector. Andreas tasers Frank and forces him to change into a German military uniform, using fear to squeeze compliance.

In a room with a projector, war footage and audio fill the space. Andreas identifies Frank and pressures him to confess about his past actions on June 19, 2011, including the Kunduz operation and its aftermath. The threat uses Frank's history to justify the Berlin plan.

Andreas reveals his hatred of Muslims and explains the attack was staged to provoke a backlash against Arabs and to disrupt Germany's ties with the United States. He then makes Frank accept that he will detonate the bomb in Berlin, framing him as a martyr. The motive shifts from religion to political manipulation.

Frank is forced to drive toward Berlin Station, knowing the detonation moment is near. Andreas reminds him of Lily, using the child as emotional leverage to compel compliance. The tension mounts as the clock ticks.

Frank resists, overpowers Andreas, and detonates the bomb in the car as they reach the Berlin station. The blast ends the ordeal and distant sirens fill the air. In the final scene, Frank's wife and Lily walk out of the station while his voicemails reveal his desperate pleas and fear for Lily.