Subterfuge

Scuba-diver turned beach-bum Jonathan Slade is forced back into his previous milieu - the world of international espionage - in order to retrieve Black Boxes from an American jetliner that crashed under mysterious circumstances into the Black Sea. With his computer-hacker younger brother, Slade travels to a resort on the Russian-Turkish border to begin his quest. To his surprise and dismay, he's now joined by another secret agent, a beautiful but highly-skilled woman named Alex. As they begin diving in search of the downed jetliner, Slade and Alex begin to suspect they're being manipulated by higher-ups who may not be committed to American interests.

Directed by Herb Freed, Subterfuge leans on a strong ensemble — Matt McColm, Amanda Pays, Jason Gould — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1996.