High Risk

High Risk

Year: 1981

Runtime: 94 mins

Language: English

Director: Stewart Raffill

ActionAdventureThriller

Getting in was easy… getting out was war!!! Four American friends, badly needing money, decide to make a commando-like raid into a South American drug lord’s compound.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen High Risk yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – High Risk (1981)

Trace every key event in High Risk (1981) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Fishing trip cover and weapons supply

Four friends—Stone, Tony, Dan, and Rockney—gather for a weekend fishing trip that doubles as cover for a planned robbery in Colombia. They meet Clint, who supplies them with weapons and sets up target practice to prepare them. With the exception of Stone, the group shows little relevant training and treats the heist as a lark.

fishing trip location
2

Reconnaissance and moral debate at Serrano's villa

From a hidden vantage, the quartet watches Serrano, his staff, and visitors at the jungle villa. They debate whether they would have the courage to kill someone and what to do with their cash if they pull it off. The planning session reveals the moral ambiguity and risk inherent in the mission.

Serrano's villa
3

Infiltration and capture; five million looted

The team infiltrates the villa, captures Serrano and his lover, and forces Serrano to reveal the safe's combination. They escape with five million dollars in cash, marking a grim turn in their plan.

Serrano's villa
4

Jungle escape and celebratory camp

They travel on foot through the jungle and later acquire horses to continue their escape. Believing their heist a success, they camp for the night and celebrate, unaware that a rebel tracker is watching them from the trees.

jungle
5

Pursuit by Serrano's forces; Tony and Rockney captured

The next day, Serrano's men and local troops close in with all-terrain vehicles and horses. The group flees, but Tony and Rockney are captured while Stone and Dan manage to leap across a very high rope bridge to safety.

next day jungle outskirts
6

Torture and prison confinement

Serrano tortures Rockney to force Tony to reveal where the money is hidden. Tony finally capitulates and reveals the location, and the pair are taken to a prison to await the consequences of their actions.

Serrano's compound/prison
7

Escape from prison with Olivia's help

In the neighboring prison cell, Olivia, a fellow prisoner who claims she was falsely arrested, becomes involved. Tony bribes a child to pull out the barred window with a tow truck; the boy demands their clothes as payment, so Tony and Rockney dash through town nearly naked. They lose their pursuers in a bordello and, after disguising themselves in women's clothes, join Olivia at the bus station to head toward the rendezvous.

prison and nearby town
8

Dan and Stone's capture and escape from Mariano

Meanwhile, Dan and Stone are captured by General Mariano, who wants the missing money. They escape, pursue Mariano's rebels to reclaim the cash, and must kill several rebels along the way to secure their prize.

Mariano's rebel camp area
9

Wounded at the rendezvous

The rebels pursue Dan and Stone to the rendezvous point. Dan is wounded by Mariano’s tracker, and Tony is shot while trying to protect Stone, complicating their escape plan.

rendezvous point
10

Final gun battle and airlift

Serrano’s mercenaries reach the airstrip first, triggering a three-way gun battle with the rebels. The retrieval plane arrives and provides covering fire, allowing the team to board and escape as gunfire rages around them.

airstrip
11

Plane takes off, engine stalls

The plane lands, the team boards in a rush, and they celebrate their hard-won escape with the money. As they lift off, the engine stalls, leaving their fate—and the film's ending—in suspense.

airstrip

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:51

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Characters, Settings & Themes in High Risk

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