Year: 1987
Runtime: 92 mins
Language: English
Director: Harley Cokeliss
After years as a police officer, CIA operative and bomb expert, former assassin Richard Malone seeks a quiet retirement in the Pacific Northwest’s tranquil forests. Instead, he is pulled into a violent clash with a right‑wing extremist plotting a secret revolution, forcing him back into the deadly world he hoped to leave.
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Richard Malone, a covert CIA operative who specializes in assassinations, has grown disillusioned with his line of work and abruptly resigns, much to the chagrin of his superiors. He drifts aimlessly until his Ford Mustang breaks down in a rural Oregon valley. He pushes the car to a small gas station and garage run by Paul Barlow and his daughter Jo Barlow. Paul Barlow suggests towing the car 60 miles to a larger service station, but Malone opts to wait for the necessary parts and stays in the spare room. The two men form a tentative friendship as they swap stories about their experiences in the Vietnam War.
On the edge of town, the landscape is controlled by Charles Delaney, a superficially respectable and affluent businessman who, in truth, is a white nationalist leading a network of terrorist cells. He buys up property to force people off their land and has built havens for his cause. A group of Delaney’s thugs harasses Malone and Jo on a bridge, insisting they cannot pass. Malone defends himself and delivers a brutal beating to the ringleader, Dan Bollard, sending him to the hospital. Dan’s brother, Calvin Bollard, is goaded into killing Malone by Delaney’s right-hand man, Madrid, Madrid. Calvin tries to shoot Malone at the barber shop, but Malone shoots and kills Calvin instead.
While Sheriff Hawkins holds Malone at the jail, Delaney strides in to make his introduction and later orders Madrid to arrange a hit on Malone. The next day, two hitmen come to the service station; Malone kills both with a shotgun he had concealed in his room, though he is badly wounded in the process. Hawkins instructs a deputy to drive Malone to the hospital. The deputy drives off-road, and Malone, realizing the deputy intends to kill him, wrests control of the vehicle and crashes it.
Back at the hospital, Malone’s CIA handler Jamie arrives—sent to poison him before he recovers. They hole up in a safe house, where their romance is rekindled. When Malone goes to pick up his car from the Barrows, Madrid leads an attack on the safe house. Jamie shoots one attacker but is captured by Madrid and his group. Madrid tortures Jamie to learn Malone’s location, and she refuses to break; Madrid murders Jamie by suffocating her with a plastic bag. Malone returns to find Jamie’s body.
Fuelled by rage, Malone infiltrates Delaney’s sprawling compound, cutting down the henchmen, including Madrid, to avenge Jamie’s death. Delaney retreats to a secret command center and reveals that he is part of a larger conspiracy of like-minded “patriots” who are buying land and electing Congressmen to retake the country from those he calls mongrels. Malone pursues him, killing Delaney and blowing up the compound, then walks away, burning his Virginia driver’s license.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:38
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Action-packed stories of world-weary assassins dragged out of retirement for one last bloody mission.If you enjoyed Malone, you'll like these movies featuring retired assassins and operatives forced back into action. They are fast-paced, violent thrillers with a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on a lone hero seeking revenge against overwhelming odds. Find similar stories of bitter justice and explosive confrontations.
The narrative follows a linear path of provocation and retaliation. A secluded, peaceful existence is shattered by an external threat, often involving personal loss or betrayal. This forces the protagonist to embark on a straightforward, violent campaign against a corrupt or extremist enemy, leading to a final, explosive confrontation that resolves the immediate conflict but leaves the hero scarred and unable to fully return to their former peace.
Movies are grouped here by their shared central character archetype—the retired killer—and the specific narrative of forced return. They share a high-intensity, fast-paced structure, a dark and gritty tone, and a focus on brutal, practical action. The emotional journey is consistently heavy, culminating in bittersweet resolutions where survival comes at a great personal cost.
Gritty stories where a lone hero in an isolated setting confronts a creeping conspiracy.Explore more movies like Malone that combine the lone hero archetype with an isolated, atmospheric setting. These neo-Western thrillers feature a fast pace, high tension, and themes of corruption and conspiracy in a remote location. If you liked the gritty, confined feel of Malone's forest setting, you'll find similar vibes here.
A protagonist seeking isolation or a fresh start arrives in a seemingly quiet, remote community. They soon discover that the locale is a hub for sinister activities—corruption, extremism, or crime—and their presence threatens the fragile status quo. The narrative unfolds as a series of escalating confrontations, where the wide-open spaces paradoxically create a sense of being trapped and hunted, leading to a violent, final reckoning.
These movies are united by their distinct 'neo-Western' atmosphere and setting-driven tension. They share a specific vibe: the juxtaposition of vast, open landscapes with a creeping, claustrophobic sense of danger. The pacing is fast and tense, the tone is dark and gritty, and the stories often involve a lone individual standing against a entrenched, conspiratorial enemy.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Malone in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Malone is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Malone with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Malone. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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