Soldier Girls

Danielle “Danni” SHAWCROSS is a US Marines lieutenant based in the Philippines. On a routine outreach mission, Shawcross and her team are attacked by rebel guerrillas of Communist New People’s Army – and distinguish themselves in the battle. Shawcross saves her tough Sergeant – Sally OERTELL – from a horrible fate at the hands of the NPA. For this, Shawcross is awarded a gallantry medal by the team’s C/O - Major Wesley BENNETT.

Unbeknownst to Shawcross, her father, GEORGE, a journalist, has recently arrived in the Philippines, exposing UN’s ineffectiveness in dealing with the NPA. George meets with a fixer – MARTELL JOHNSON – who arranges an “interview” with NPA (for a fee).

George meets Shawcross for dinner. It’s clear they don’t have a great relationship. The meal ends acrimoniously and Shawcross returns to base. In the bar, she meets Bennett – who acts as more of a father figure to her than George has ever done.

George meets the NPA – but it’s a double-cross. Martell has sold them out and the two men are taken hostage.

Bennett delivers the news to Shawcross and advises her that the US government won’t cut a deal with terrorists. Shawcross is well-off – she determines to pay the ransom but is caught out by Oertell. The Sergeant takes the story to the Team – she wants to help Shawcross who “saved her ass.”

The girls agree. Bennett knows Shawcoss and the team and will hatch a hare-brained scheme - and he knows he has to do all he can to help. He tells them of a contact he has in Manila and sends lets them go on “the mission.” Bennett career military – and he calls in favors from the top brass to cover his girls.

The team meet Bennett’s contact – STEVE SETTERS in bar (the sort of place Chuck Norris frequented in the 80s). He’s arranged contact with Martell (they’re old enemies) – and they make an agreement to exchange the cash for the hostage.

But the girls plan a double cross of their own. At the exchange, they ambush the guerrillas and – after a hell-for-leather van-chase-cum-battle through the jungle – capture Martell and force him to tell the NPA all has gone well. They then trek through the jungle to conduct the rescue mission – with Steve who’s along for the ride (and the payday).

Their progress is halted when they come across an NPA outpost. They attack at night – in a desperate knife fight, one of the team is killed and Shawcross – distraught - is on the verge of sending the team back and going alone. But they won’t have it. They’re a team. They have each other’s backs. But as they’ve been fighting – Martell has escaped.

The Soldier Girls find the NPA base and attempt to get George out – quietly. But it goes awry and a massive firefight erupts. Shawcross and Steve locate George and save him moments before he’s about to be executed. They make a run for it, but Shawcross is intercepted by the NPA leader. There’s a one-on-one knife fight – Shawcross takes him out and, in the chaos, tries to find her team.

Steve creates a diversion and leads men away from the girls. Martell arrives and sees Steve – with vengeance on his mind. He corners the mercenary away from the main action and they fight tooth and nail. Steve wins, hurling Martell from a clifftop, but he too is dragged down and disappears from view.

Shawcross and the team are pursued through the jungle by vengeful NPA. It is a running battle with no quarter given or taken. Running low on ammo, the girls face their Thermopylae on a plateau – determined to die on their feet. As all looks lost… UN helicopters swoop in and mow down the NPA. It’s Bennett – having their backs as he promised he would. He picks up the team and the chopper flies off into the sunrise.

In a mid-credits scene, we see Steve has survived: he takes the ransom money the girls have stashed and walks off into the jungle – living to fight another day.