Under Fire

Russell Price covers the Chad conflict and runs into Oates, a mercenary he knows. Back at his hotel, he attends Alex Grazier's Bon Voyage party and learns that Alex is leaving conflict reporting. He is also entangled in an affair with Claire Stryder, which strains both personal and professional loyalties. Alex's article paired with Russell's photographs is pitched for a Time magazine cover.

Journalists move to Nicaragua to cover the Somoza government and rebel fighting. They meet Marcel Jazy, a French spy tied to Somoza, who hints that Rafael—an elusive rebel leader who has never been photographed—may be found in León. The press corps believes the fighting is shifting toward Masaya, creating uncertainty about where Rafael appears.

Russell is arrested for no legitimate reason and spends a night in jail, a stark reminder of the risks journalists face. The experience deepens the strain between him and Claire as they navigate the dangers of reporting from a war zone.

In León, an intense rooftop battle pits rebels against government troops. Russell meets the rebel Pedro, who gives him a baseball to deliver to Dennis Martinez, creating a symbolic link between the war and a personal touch. The scene captures the chaos and immediacy of frontline reporting.

Oates rejoins the fight on the government's side and shoots Pedro in the back. Russell chooses not to reveal Oates's location to avoid taking a side in the conflict. The moment underscores the moral ambiguity heavy on reporters in a civil war.

At a press conference, President Somoza proclaims that Rafael has been killed. Rebels then take the journalists to a remote stronghold and reveal Rafael is indeed dead, asking Russell to fake a living photo of their leader to sustain the movement. Claire and Russell grapple with the ethics of deception in wartime reporting.

Claire and Russell decide to help the rebels by staging the 'living Rafael' photograph. Alex Grazier arrives in Nicaragua and learns of Russell's affair but chooses to stay and plans a fluffy piece on Jazy rather than exposing them. The personal and professional loyalties collide as war coverage becomes more dangerous.

The trio's efforts bring them into an even more dangerous situation as fighting escalates. They are detained again and encounter Oates, now with government troops conducting a mass execution. Russell begins to see how espionage, not journalism, shapes what the world sees.

Russell learns that Jazy has been using him to photograph rebel leaders, who are promptly targeted for assassination. The revelation exposes the manipulation behind some press work and warns of the danger of relying on intermediaries.

During a chaotic street scene, Alex is killed by paranoid government troops while seeking help, and Russell escapes with the aid of a local woman. Claire recovers the negatives and heads back to the hotel to reunite with Russell. The personal losses drive home the human cost of the conflict.

To control the fallout, Somoza proclaims that rebels killed Alex, and troops continue hunting Russell to destroy the photographs. Rebels also kill Jazy, removing another layer of espionage from the war's machinery. The regime's narrative begins to fracture as events spiral.

Claire delivers the negatives to the hotel, and Russell's photographs are broadcast worldwide, forcing Somoza to flee to Miami. With the rebels victorious, the couple reunites and decides to leave the country together. The final line hints at a perilous, but chosen, path of love amid chaos.