FREELANCE
NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by David G
Mason Pettits (John Cena) explains that he planned to become a lawyer but dropped out of law school after one year to enlist in the U.S. Army because he did not want a stereotypical life. After he performed well in training and was selected for Special Forces, he fell in love with his wife Jenny (Alice Eve) and had a daughter, Casey (Molly McCann). On a mission in Paldonia, South America, to kill dictator Juan Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba), Mason’s team is killed, and he is badly injured, forcing him to return home and restart his law career.
Years later, Mason and Jenny have fallen into a rut in their suburban lives. Mason is visited by his former boss, Sebastian Earle (Christian Slater), who now runs a private security firm, CDI (Contract Defense Initiatives). Sebastian offers Mason a job to protect a journalist traveling to Paldonia to interview Venegas. Mason is hesitant because he blames Venegas for the death of his comrades. Still, Sebastian convinces him to accept by offering a $20,000 payment.
Mason does research on Claire Wellington (Alison Brie), an award-winning journalist who was disgraced after a fact-checking scandal. Jenny and Mason fight and Mason agrees to move out of the house. Jenny is angry to learn Mason is going on the mission and risking his life, but he still decides to leave. Mason meets Claire, and they fly to Paldonia. Claire explains that Venegas has never agreed to an interview until now, so this is an opportunity for her to rebuild her career.
Venegas picks Claire and Mason up at the airport. Claire and Venegas bond over their mutual acquaintance, Elly, Claire’s college roommate, who introduced them. Venegas talks positively about his country, but it is clear the citizens of the capitol do not think highly of him. On the road to Venegas’ estate, the caravan is attacked by militants, killing all of Venegas’ security. Mason takes control, killing the attackers. Venegas is thankful for Mason’s help and tells Claire that the attack was an attempted coup. However, Mason wants to leave the country; Claire is adamant they stay to cover the story.
Colonel Jan Koehorst (Martin Csokas) receives a call telling him that all the men are dead. Mason, Claire, and Venegas make their way through the jungle; Mason calls Sebastian for backup and is directed to a clearing for a rescue pickup. Venegas calls his nephew Jorge Vasquez (Sebastian Eslava) and learns that Jorge was behind the assassination attack so he could seize the presidency. Mason insists he and Claire leave, though Claire is upset to give up this career-making opportunity. While awaiting extraction, Mason and Claire are attacked by mercenaries and chased through the jungle. Mason kills most of the men, and Venegas shows up to save them from a final attacker.
Jorge and Koehorst meet to discuss the situation; Koehorst explains that his clients are disappointed Venegas has not yet been killed and threatens to kill Jorge if the job is not finished. Mason tells Claire this will be his last mission due to his age and shares that he is separated from his wife and disappointed with his life as a lawyer.
Venegas takes Mason and Claire to the small village where he grew up and where the locals admire him. Claire conducts and films her interview with Venegas in which he admits his presidency has been backed for a long time by outside forces who wanted to exploit the country’s natural metal resources but who have not been happy by Venegas’s renewed desire for independence and to better the lives of Paldonians over foreign interest. Claire comes onto Mason in their bedroom, but he rejects her advances. Mason calls Sebastian to try to understand the situation and learns his real mission was to assassinate Venegas, but Jorge decides to change the plans. Sebastian explains that South Africans, led by Koehorst, want to take control of the Paldonian resources.
Koehorst and his men arrive at the village, forcing Mason, Claire, and Venegas to escape on horseback. During a chase, Mason and Venegas get away while Claire is captured. Venegas tells Mason he knew about Jorge’s plan to assassinate him as well as Mason’s army mission years earlier but that it was friendly fire from competing contractors that killed Mason’s men, not Venegas’s men. Venegas reveals to Mason that he is friends with the opposition party’s leader and pays the rebels as a form of propaganda to increase nationalism.
Sebastian helps Mason broker a trade with the South Africans for Claire’s return; before Venegas can be taken, a crowd of angry Paldonians show up and attack the mercenaries. Venegas, Mason, and Claire sneak into the palace with Claire live-streaming from her phone. Venegas and Jorge reconcile, but General Martinez (Mauricio Cujar) arrives and shoots Venegas. Venegas is unharmed and kills Martinez, but Jorge dies from a stray bullet. The Paldonian military and South African mercenaries arrive; Venegas gives a passionate speech that convinces the military to fight with him, and a firefight ensues. As Claire films, Mason and Koehorst battle; Koehorst reveals he is the one that killed Mason’s men. Claire saves Mason’s life by knocking Koehorst unconscious, and Mason fights the remaining mercenaries. Sebastian arrives with a group of backup forces that finally drive the South Africans out.
News coverage worldwide reports on the events and Claire’s brave footage. Sometime later, Venegas stepped down as president and revealed that Paldonia would have an upcoming free election. There would be a significant investment in the health and education of the Paldonian people. Mason returns home and reconnects with Jenny and Casey. Mason discovers that Venegas has given him $5 million; Mason decides to spend more time with his family now that he knows his purpose.
