London, England, April 1980. Six terrorists assault the Embassy of Iran and take hostages. For six days, tense negotiations are held while the authorities decide whether a military squad should intervene.
A police hostage negotiator plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a cornered bank robber who is hell bent on getting out of the bank and humiliating his brother, the police hostage negotiator, in the process.
When a mafia accountant is taken hostage on his beat, a police officer – wracked by guilt from a prior stint as a negotiator – must negotiate the standoff, even as his own family is held captive by the mob.
John McClain, a new York City cop flys to LA to visit his wife at a Christmas party. But when twelve terrorist attack the building at the same night, McCain is the only hope of saving everybody. With nothing but a handgun and his wits he is forced to take on Hans Gruber and his fellow terrorists.