Guardians

During the Cold War, the secret Patriot program selects representatives from the diverse Soviet republics to become enhanced champions. Arseniy (Arsus), Temirkhan (Khan), Lernik (Ler), and Xenia are genetically augmented and trained to defend the motherland from superhuman threats. The team is formed to respond to escalating dangers posed by powerful adversaries.

Professor Avgust Kuratov, creator of Module-1, escapes after the Patriot lab bombing and rebuilds himself as a cyborg. He gains electricity manipulation and mastery over machines, and he crafts an army of clones to amplify his reach. The Patriots' first failure foreshadows the looming conflict as Kuratov prepares his Module-2 project.

After the explosion, Arseniy hides in a northern Siberian cabin, Lernik meditates in Armenia, Temirkhan roams the Kazakh steppes, and Xenia performs stunts in a Moscow circus. They live in isolation for years, avoiding both Kuratov and Soviet authorities. Each guards the memory of their mission and waits for a chance to reunite.

Rogue walking robots at a training facility trigger a crisis, prompting the Ministry of Defence to revive Patriot under Major Elena Larina. The authorities issue a mission to locate the missing super agents and reassemble the team. The stage is set for a confrontation that could redefine the balance of power in the USSR.

Major Elena tracks the Guardians to their hiding places: Ler in Armenia, Khan on the Kazakh steppes, Arsus in a Siberian cabin, and Xenia in a Moscow circus. Their first mission is to raid Kuratov's laboratory in an old factory, but the team is captured before they can mount a confrontation. Elena reassesses their abilities and the threat Kuratov poses.

Kuratov offers the Guardians a place in his Module-2 scheme, but they refuse. Enraged, he traps Ler within a magnetic field and injures him, showing his ruthless ambitions. He then heads to the Noginsk military facility to seize tanks and weapons in preparation for an invasion of Moscow.

Using captured armor and vehicles, Kuratov launches an invasion of Moscow and advances toward his beacon tower and the planned satellite broadcast. He aims to seize control of global technology by transmitting a signal via an old Soviet satellite. His brutal plan includes eliminating resistance and killing Major-General Nikolai Dolgov.

Major Elena frees Ler, Arsus, Khan, and Xenia from Kuratov's laboratory and begins their retraining at the Patriot facility. To safeguard against clones, she assigns Kuratov's rival to study one of his clones, but Kuratov releases poison gas to kill him. The Guardians receive upgraded suits, weapons, and renewed combat readiness.

Xenia and Arsus push through Moscow streets while Ler defeats patrols in an underground car park and Khan soars above the fray to reach the top of Kuratov's beacon. They move through a shopping mall and connect to the tower-beacon, where Xenia seizes the power source to short-circuit the beacon. The Guardians prepare to confront Kuratov atop the tower as the battle intensifies.

Khan uses his speed to tether the Guardians to a grappling rope attached to an airplane, attempting a daring escape. Kuratov interferes with the controls, causing the plane to crash and the Guardians to fall into a river. They survive the fall and regroup, reassessing their chances against Kuratov.

As the Guardians debate destroying the beacon, Major Elena arrives and urges restraint, explaining that they can pool their energy for a final, potentially fatal blow. The Guardians join minds and unleash a massive energy surge that destroys Kuratov's tower and the surrounding skyscrapers, sending the cyborg villain to his death. Elena notes that the Guardians created themselves rather than claiming Kuratov's legacy.

The Guardians recover and reunite with Major Elena in rebuilt Moscow, choosing to return to ordinary life while remaining open to future Patriot service. Elena hints that the Patriot program has grown beyond them, mentioning that 'we found other Guardians.' The world feels a renewed sense of hope with a broader network at work.

In a post-credits scene, Elena is seen attacking a soldier after his truck stops, suggesting ongoing vigilance. The soldier mentions that 'Ferrum' has sent him on an unspecified mission, hinting at a larger, unseen organization and future conflicts. The scene hints at a wider world of threats and the expanding reach of the Guardians.