As a Latin American nation nears collapse under a highly organized terrorist movement, idealistic policeman Agustin Rejas (Javier Bardem) faces the greatest challenge of his career: to catch the mysterious guerilla leader Ezequiel.

The brains behind the bloody revolution that threatens to bring the government and entire country down, Ezequiel is as elusive as Rejas� superiors are corrupt – an irony not lost on Rejas, who left a career as a lawyer to try to find �a more honorable way of practicing the law.� The military�s response to the brutal tactics of Ezequiel�s followers is equally ferocious, creating an atmosphere of mass panic.

In the midst of the chaos, Rejas finds respite in Yolanda (Laura Morante), his daughter�s soulfully beautiful ballet teacher. As Rejas draws nearer to the man who considers himself to be the �Fourth Flame of Communism,� he and the dancer he loves will be forced to choose between love, country and self.