Year: 1982
Runtime: 88 mins
Language: English
Director: James Glickenhaus
The story follows a lethal operative, unleashed to confront a terrorist group that has seized a plutonium‑laden bomb and threatens to blow up a Saudi Arabian oil field. An elite anti‑terrorist unit is deployed to thwart the plot and prevent a catastrophic disaster, and the mission tests their skill and resolve as they race against time.
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Renegade KGB agents, led by Ivan, Jeremiah Sullivan, hijack a plutonium shipment inside the United States and plan to plant a nuclear device in the Ghawar Oil Field in Saudi Arabia. They threaten to detonate it, contaminating 50% of the world’s oil supply, unless Israel withdraws its settlements from the West Bank. In Washington, the President William Prince contemplates starting a war with Israel to avert a global oil crisis, unaware that the KGB is behind the threat. The President orders the head of the CIA Ron Harper to uncover who planted the bomb and to stop it; the Soldier is activated.
An elite CIA operative codenamed “The Soldier” Ken Wahl, who operates outside standard channels, is assigned to the case. After the KGB assassin Dracha Klaus Kinski attempts to terminate him in the Austrian Alps, The Soldier contacts the CIA director from the US embassy in West Berlin. A KGB agent assassinates the director and frames The Soldier, leaving no official knowledge of his actions except for the president, who has disavowed any knowledge. On the run, he seeks refuge in the Israeli embassy. He and his team cooperate with the Israeli Mossad, represented by their director of covert operations Susan Goodman Alberta Watson.
Meanwhile, the president authorizes military action against Israel. Faced with the unpleasant options of the KGB destroying a large part of the world’s oil supply or the United States having to invoke a military response to force Israel to remove its settlements from the West Bank, The Soldier’s team infiltrates and captures a US nuclear missile silo in Smith Center, Kansas, and obtains independent launch capability. As the American military launches air strikes toward Israel, The Soldier and Susan break into East Berlin by launching their Porsche over the Berlin Wall, confronting the KGB agents and informing them that if their nuke in Saudi Arabia is detonated, his team in Smith Center will nuke Moscow. This forces the Russian KGB to dismantle their device in Saudi Arabia and the American air strike is recalled.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:56
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.
Elite operatives work against a ticking clock to prevent global catastrophe.If you enjoyed the urgent, high-stakes mission in The Soldier, you'll find more movies like it here. This section features action-packed spy thrillers and explosive hero-vs-villain stories where a lone operative or team races against a ticking clock to prevent a world-altering disaster.
Narratives in this thread follow a clear countdown structure. A catastrophic event is imminent, forcing a highly skilled protagonist to undertake a series of dangerous, high-speed operations. The plot is linear and goal-oriented, with each obstacle increasing the tension as the deadline looms, culminating in a last-second confrontation to avert disaster.
Movies are grouped here based on their shared core structure of a time-sensitive mission, their high-intensity, fast-paced action, and a tense, urgent tone. They deliver a specific kind of suspense rooted in the pressure of a ticking clock and the scale of the threatened catastrophe.
Stories of rogue operatives and shadowy agencies maneuvering on the global stage.For viewers who liked the Cold War setting and political maneuvering in The Soldier, this section collects similar movies. Explore tense espionage thrillers and international conspiracy stories featuring rogue agents, KGB and CIA intrigues, and missions that operate in the grey areas of global politics.
These narratives unfold in a world defined by East-West tensions. Protagonists are often disavowed or operating unofficially, navigating a landscape of double-crosses and shifting loyalties. The conflict is not just physical but deeply ideological and political, requiring cunning and unconventional solutions to outmaneuver powerful, shadowy opponents.
This group is defined by its distinct historical setting and the specific tone of Cold War-era suspicion. The movies share themes of international conspiracy, political blackmail, and the tension of operating in a world where a single misstep could trigger a larger conflict.
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Track the full timeline of The Soldier with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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