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Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game (1987) movie poster

Timeline

Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 97 mins · Russian
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Starring
Aleksandr Feklistov, Elena Yakovleva, Aleksey Guskov, Aleksandr Pashutin, Oleg Filipchik, Sergey Serov

Fifteen‑year‑old Ruslan Chutko, a gifted teenager, adopts the pseudonym Plumbum to assist the police in uncovering crimes. In a small provincial town he sets out to eradicate evil, but his zeal drives him to cross the line of a harmless game, ruthlessly intruding into the lives of those around him.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game (1987) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Undercover start during winter raid

    During a cold winter evening, Ruslan's undercover work comes to fruition as a citizen patrol bursts into a remote cottage where thieves and gamblers hide. He has spent weeks earning their trust to lead authorities to them, and the raid confirms his success as an informant. The event marks the moment he steps from bystander to essential infiltrator.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Remote cottage
  2. Tkach captured at the restaurant

    Ruslan's careful surveillance pays off when the criminals' accomplice, Tkach, is caught at a local restaurant. The raid exposes the reach of the criminal network and demonstrates Ruslan's ability to blend in with dangerous circles. Authorities begin to recognize his usefulness despite his age.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Local restaurant
  3. Yearning to join the force, thwarted by appearance

    Back home, Ruslan maintains a normal family image, singing to his parents, but the world of crime pulls at him. He dreams of joining a formal law enforcement squad, yet the police dismiss him because of his youthful look. The conflict deepens as he considers the cost of continuing his double life.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Ruslan's home
  4. Infiltration of the Invisibles

    Ruslan bullies through danger and befriends a gang of vagrants known as the Invisibles, earning their trust to pass along their whereabouts to his supervisor Grey. He uses this network to map where criminal activities concentrate and to feed the authorities useful leads. The line between informer and participant begins to blur as risk becomes routine.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Invisibles' hideout
  5. Blackmail yields information on counterfeiters

    He leverages his position to extract information through blackmail from a bartender about a ring of counterfeiters. The tactic demonstrates his growing recklessness and willingness to break rules to achieve justice. The thrill of control comes with a price as trust erodes around him.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bartender's bar
  6. Risks himself to follow smugglers

    Ruslan abandons caution and follows a group of smugglers, going so far as to throw himself in front of their car to win a place among them. This daring move solidifies his aura as a fearless vigilante in the eyes of criminals and police alike. It also compounds his personal danger and his internal moral conflict.

    When
    Night
    Where
    City street
  7. Manipulating Maria for partner's departure details

    He manipulates Maria, the girlfriend of a smuggler, into divulging information about her partner's departure with stolen documents to Simferopol. He wins her trust only to betray it to the authorities, highlighting the deception at the core of his mission. The relationship chaos foreshadows the emotional fallout of his crusade.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Maria's apartment
  8. Raid and father captured

    During a raid, Ruslan participates without hesitation and even captures his own father, who is an unwitting poacher. The moment underscores the moral complexity of his vigilante tactics and the personal cost of his crusade. The father is unaware of his son's undercover life until the confrontation.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Smuggling raid site
  9. Disassembling the smuggling gang

    As the operation unfolds, Ruslan's information helps authorities dismantle the smuggling ring. He experiences a mix of satisfaction from delivering justice and anxiety over the collateral damage his methods cause. The narrative shows the double-edged sword of vigilantism.

    When
    Night
    Where
    City raid site
  10. Maria's heartbreak and fallout

    The consequences of Ruslan's manipulation ripple through the lives entangled with the case, including Maria's heartbreak. He confronts the human cost of his relentless pursuit, realizing that justice can be costly for those around him. His actions weigh on him as the case wraps up.

    When
    Following days
    Where
    Maria's world
  11. Old foe and cassette player pursuit

    With Sonya's help, Ruslan tracks down an old foe who once stole his cassette player, chasing the thief across rooftops. The chase reinforces his obsession and the way personal grievances drive his vigilantism. The thrill and danger intensify as they close in.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Rooftops
  12. Sonya follows; tragedy strikes

    Sonya follows the pursuit and slips on the rooftops, a moment that reveals the cost of their chase. Ruslan is left to confront the consequences of his obsession with retribution and the fragile line between justice and vengeance. The incident marks a turning point in his journey.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Rooftops

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:38

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Timeline questions answered

Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game (1987): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Ruslan become a police informant at such a young age?

Ruslan, a gifted fifteen-year-old, adopts the pseudonym Plumbum and works undercover because the police dismiss him due to his youthful appearance when he tries to join a formal law enforcement squad. Frustrated by being rejected yet driven by a self-imposed mission to eradicate crime in his town, he uses his age to his advantage, infiltrating criminal circles where no one suspects a teenage boy could be a threat.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes show Ruslan singing folk songs at home with his parents, portraying a normal adolescence that contrasts sharply with his dangerous double life.

  • ruslan
  • plumbum
  • informant
  • undercover
  • police
  • teenager
  • motivation
Q2

Why does Ruslan manipulate Maria and betray her trust?

Ruslan manipulates Maria, the girlfriend of a smuggler, to extract information about her partner's departure with stolen documents headed to Simferopol. He deliberately wins her trust, builds an emotional connection, and then betrays her confidence by passing the information to authorities. This demonstrates how his pursuit of justice has corrupted him morally, he treats people as means to an end, sacrificing personal relationships for results.

Foreshadowing: His earlier infiltration of the Invisibles shows him already comfortable using deception as a tool, establishing a pattern of manipulative behavior.

  • maria
  • manipulation
  • betrayal
  • smuggler
  • simferopol
  • documents
Q3

What happens to Sonya at the end of the movie?

Sonya tragically dies during a rooftop chase. She helps Ruslan track down an old foe who once stole his cassette player, and when she follows him across the rooftops, she slips and falls. This devastating moment forces Ruslan to confront the deadly cost of his single-minded obsession with justice and personal vengeance.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Sonya quietly knows about Ruslan's double life and loves him despite the danger, foreshadowing her involvement in his dangerous world.

  • sonya
  • death
  • rooftop
  • chase
  • tragedy
  • accident
Q4

Why is Ruslan's father arrested during the smuggling raid?

Ruslan's father Viktor Chutko is unknowingly involved in poaching and gets caught during the same raid that dismantles the smuggling gang. Ruslan participates in the operation without knowing his father would be there, leading to the traumatic moment of capturing his own father, who was unaware of his son's undercover activities.

Foreshadowing: The setup shows Ruslan navigating between his family life, singing with his parents, and his criminal infiltration work, hinting at the inevitable collision of these two worlds.

  • viktor chutko
  • father
  • arrested
  • poaching
  • raid
  • smuggling
Q5

Why does Ruslan throw himself in front of the smugglers' car?

Ruslan throws himself in front of the smugglers' car to prove himself and earn a place among them. This desperate, reckless act demonstrates how far he has shifted from careful informant to full participant in the criminal world. The daring move solidifies his reputation among both criminals and police but also exposes how his moral boundaries have eroded.

Foreshadowing: His earlier blackmail of the bartender already shows his willingness to take extreme risks and bend rules to achieve his goals.

  • car
  • smugglers
  • risk
  • dare
  • undercover
  • intimidation
Q6

Why does Ruslan blackmail the bartender for information about counterfeiters?

Ruslan blackmails a bartender to extract information about a ring of counterfeiters operating in town. Using leverage he has gathered through his infiltration work, he forces the bartender to reveal details about criminal activities. This tactic marks a turning point where his methods become genuinely coercive, crossing the line from passive information gathering to active intimidation.

Foreshadowing: His work with the Invisibles and previous successful infiltrations have given him enough knowledge and confidence to begin blackmailing rather than merely observing.

  • bartender
  • blackmail
  • counterfeiters
  • information
  • extortion
Q7

What does the name Plumbum mean and why does Ruslan use it?

Plumbum is the Latin word for lead, the heavy metal. Ruslan adopts this pseudonym for his undercover work because it represents weight, seriousness, and gravity, qualities he wants to project as he takes on adult criminals. The name also creates a stark contrast with his actual age and appearance, allowing him to move undetected in dangerous criminal circles.

Foreshadowing: The opening winter raid establishes his reputation as a valuable informant operating under this mysterious alias.

  • plumbum
  • latin
  • lead
  • pseudonym
  • alias
  • code name
Q8

Why can't Ruslan join the formal police force despite his help?

Ruslan is rejected from joining a formal law enforcement squad because his youthful appearance makes police officers dismiss him as too young for the job. Despite his proven effectiveness as an informant and his genuine desire to work within the system, the authorities refuse to take him seriously, forcing him to continue his vigilante approach outside official channels.

Foreshadowing: The contrast between his useful undercover work and his rejection sets up the central tragedy of a capable person forced into an unofficial, morally ambiguous role.

  • police
  • rejection
  • age
  • youth
  • squad
  • officers
Q9

Why does Ruslan infiltrate the Invisibles gang of vagrants?

Ruslan befriends the Invisibles, a gang of vagrants, to map where criminal activities concentrate and gather intelligence for his supervisor Grey. He earns their trust by living among them and then passes their whereabouts to authorities. This operation demonstrates how his infiltration extends beyond obvious criminals to anyone connected to criminal networks, blurring the line between justice and persecution of the vulnerable.

Foreshadowing: His progression from the initial cottage raid to the Invisibles shows an expanding scope of his operations and increasing comfort with deception.

  • invisibles
  • vagrants
  • gang
  • infiltration
  • information
  • grey
Q10

What personal cost does Ruslan pay for his vigilantism?

Ruslan pays devastating personal costs: his manipulation leads to Maria's heartbreak, his actions result in his own father's arrest, and his obsessive pursuit of justice directly causes Sonya's death. While he successfully helps dismantle criminal rings, the victory is hollow, his relationships are destroyed, his moral integrity is shattered, and he gains nothing but loss.

Foreshadowing: The narrative consistently shows his satisfaction from aiding authorities being tempered by the growing collateral damage around him.

  • cost
  • vigilantism
  • consequences
  • relationships
  • moral corruption
  • loss
Q11

Why does Ruslan chase the thief who stole his cassette player?

Ruslan pursues an old foe who once stole his cassette player, chasing him across rooftops with Sonya's help. This chase illustrates how his sense of justice has become entangled with personal grievances, he cannot separate professional crime-fighting from his own grudges. The pursuit is less about justice and more about obsessive personal retribution, demonstrating his moral corruption.

Foreshadowing: His earlier blackmail and manipulation already reveal a character who uses his position to settle personal scores.

  • cassette player
  • chase
  • thief
  • rooftop
  • personal
  • vengeance
Q12

Who is Grey, Ruslan's police supervisor?

Grey (Roman Ivanovich) is Ruslan's police supervisor who coordinates the teenager's undercover operations. He accepts Ruslan's help despite the boy's age, using him as an informant to infiltrate various criminal networks. Grey represents the legitimate law enforcement system that both enables and is indifferent to Ruslan's dangerous methods, accepting the results while ignoring the moral toll on the young informant.

Foreshadowing: From the initial cottage raid, Grey is the recipient of Ruslan's intelligence, establishing their professional but morally complicated relationship.

  • grey
  • roman ivanovich
  • supervisor
  • police
  • informant
  • handler

Movie threads

More Movies Like Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about vigilante justice and moral collapse like Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game

Stories where the quest for justice becomes a path to moral collapse. If you liked the dark descent of the protagonist in Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game, you'll find similar stories here. These films feature characters who embark on a dangerous vigilante path, leading to moral compromise and psychological unraveling. They are tense, character-driven dramas that question the cost of personal justice.

  • tense
  • morally ambiguous
  • unsettling
  • cynical
  • dissonant
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, tense, morally ambiguous
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character who, driven by a personal sense of justice or trauma, begins operating outside the law. Initially successful or righteous, their methods become increasingly extreme and morally questionable. The story arc is a downward spiral, focusing on the psychological toll and the irreversible damage to their relationships and own identity.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a central theme of moral corruption through vigilante action. They possess a dark, tense tone and a steady pacing that builds towards an inevitable, often bittersweet or bleak, conclusion. The emotional weight is heavy, centering on the loss of innocence and the high cost of obsessive justice.

Bleak and tense coming-of-age dramas like Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game

A grim passage into adulthood, where innocence is shattered by harsh reality. For viewers who appreciated the tense, claustrophobic portrayal of lost innocence in Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game. These films focus on adolescents forced to confront the dark side of the world, leading to a bittersweet or bleak awakening. They are psychologically complex dramas with a heavy emotional impact.

  • claustrophobic
  • tense
  • unsettling
  • morally ambiguous
  • anxious
  • dissonant
  • Tone: dark, unsettling, cynical
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative centers on a young protagonist navigating a restrictive or corrupt environment. Their coming of age is accelerated by being thrust into adult conflicts, often involving crime, betrayal, or moral dilemmas. The story structure is a linear progression towards a loss of innocence, where the protagonist's worldview is irrevocably darkened by their experiences.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific mood: a claustrophobic, tense atmosphere that mirrors the protagonist's psychological confinement. The tone is dark and cynical, the pacing is steady and deliberate, building a sense of inevitable disillusionment. They are united by the core theme of a bleak, morally complex transition into adulthood.

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Every angle

Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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