Time for Some Tango Music and Dance

Dancing with my 2 daughters during our 25th Wedding Anniversary in Pinole, California

Tango Music and dance reminds me of my teenagers years in Iloilo, Philippines in the early 1950's. My late father was a good dancer and he taught me how to dance the Tango- The old style Tango, not the Argentine Tango shown in this video. So if you like dance and music, this video( and related vidoes in the set) is a must view for you. Enjoy!

Lifeforce is a 1985 science fiction film directed by Tobe Hooper, based on the 1976 novel, The Space Vampires, by Colin Wilson. The screenplay was written by Dan O'Bannon and Don Jakoby. Featuring Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Patrick Stewart and Christopher Jagger (Mick Jagger's brother) in acting roles, the film portrays the fictional events that unfold after three mysterious humanoids, discovered in a space shuttle, are taken to Earth.

While investigating Halley's Comet, the crew of the space shuttle Churchill finds a 150-mile long spaceship hidden in the corona of the comet. Upon entering the alien craft, the crew finds hundreds of dead, shrivelled bat-like creatures and three naked humanoid bodies (two male and one female) in suspended animation within glass coffin-like containers. The crew recovers the three aliens and begins the return trip to Earth.

During the return journey, mission control loses contact with the shuttle as it nears Earth and a rescue mission is launched to investigate. The rescuers discover that the Churchill has been severely damaged by fire, with its internal components destroyed, and the three containers bearing the aliens are all that remain intact.

The aliens are taken to the European Space Research Centre in London where they are watched over by Dr. Leonard Bukovski (Michael Gothard) and Dr. Hans Fallada (Frank Finlay). Prior to an autopsy, the female alien (Mathilda May) awakens and sucks the titular "life force" out of a guard. The female then escapes the research facility and proceeds to drain various other humans of their life force, also revealing an ability to shape-shift.It transpires that the aliens are from a race of space vampires that consume the life force of living beings, rather than their blood.

Meanwhile, in Texas, an escape pod from the shuttle Churchill is found, with Colonel Tom Carlsen (Steve Railsback) inside. Carlsen is flown to London where he describes the course of past events on the Churchill, culminating in the draining of the crew's life force. Carlsen explains that he set fire to the shuttle with the intention of saving Earth from the same fate and escaped in the pod to preserve his own life. However, when he is hypnotized, it becomes clear that Carlsen possesses a psychic link to the female alien. Carlsen and Col. Colin Caine (Peter Firth), a member of the SAS, trace the alien to the body of a nurse located at a psychiatric hospital in Yorkshire. Whilst in Yorkshire, the two believe they have managed to trap the alien within the heavily sedated body of the hospital's manager, Dr Armstrong (Patrick Stewart); but Carlsen and Caine later learn that they were deceived, as the aliens had wanted to draw the pair outside of London.

As Carlsen and Caine are transporting Dr Armstrong in a helicopter back to London, the alien girl breaks free from her sedated host and disappears. When they arrive back in London it is clear that a plague has overtaken the city — even the prime minister has been infected — martial law is enacted to secure the quarantining of London. The two male vampires, previously thought destroyed, have also escaped from confinement by shape-shifting into the forms of the soldiers guarding them; the pair then proceed to transform most of London's population into vampiric zombies.

Following contact with the male vampires, the victims cycle into "living-dead" every two hours and seek out other humans in order to absorb their life force, thereby perpetuating the zombie virus. The absorbed life force consumed by the zombies is collected by the male vampires to deliver to the female vampire, who then transfers the accumulated energy to a waiting spaceship in Earth's orbit.

Fallada manages to impale one of the male vampires with a sword made of leaded iron and surmises that the space vampire race is actually the origin of the human vampire myth. Carlsen then admits to Caine that, whilst on the shuttle, he felt compelled to open the female vampire's container and to share his life force with her. Carlsen realizes that his psychic connection is being used to lure him back to the alien so she can regain the life force shared with him earlier. She is later found lying upon a church's altar, transferring the energy from infected humans to her spaceship.

Caine follows Carlsen into the church and is intercepted by the second male vampire, whom he dispatches using the leaded iron sword obtained from Fallada (Caine was forced to kill Fallada, who had become infected with the others at the research centre). Caine relocates Carlsen but the colonel manages to impale himself and the female alien simultaneously as a sacrifice for the benefit of Earth. However, the female vampire is only wounded and returns to her ship with Carlsen in tow, releasing a burst of energy that destroys the top of the church building. The two ascend the column of light that leads to the spaceship which then returns to the comet it came from.

FDA Approved New Drugs as of June, 2012

A Brain Scan of a Normal Brain versus the Brain of the Person with Alzheimer's

If you been reading my blogs, you probably already know that I am a retired Chemistry Team Leader from FDA, Center of New Drugs. When I retired in 2002, I did not accept any consultancy ( some of my colleagues did) since I wanted to devote my time in building a small beach resort in Marinduque, Philippines. However, I had been watching development of new drugs and had been impressed by the number and high quality of the new therapies approved by FDA since 2002. The following is a list of new drugs approved as of June this year. By the end of the year, I am expecting with high hopes that three more drugs for the cure of Alzheimer's disease will be approved and can be included in this list. Note that there are no anti-infective and anti-viral drugs in this current list.

FDA Approved Drugs as of June, 2012 The following database contains a listing of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sale in the United States. Drug information typically includes the drug name, date of approval, indication of use, and the pharmaceutical company sponsor.( www.centerwatch.com).

Dermatology/Plastic Surgery: Erivedge (vismodegib); Genentech; For the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, Approved January 2012, Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil); GlaxoSmithKline; For the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, Approved June 2012, Picato (ingenol mebutate) gel; LEO Pharma; For the treatment of actinic keratosis, Approved January 2012, Sklice (ivermectin) lotion; Sanofi Pasteur; For the treatment of head lice, Approved February 2012.

Endocrinology: Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride); Arena Pharmaceuticals; For the chronic management of weight loss, Approved June 2012, Bio-T-Gel (testosterone gel); Teva Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of hypogonadism, Approved February 2012, Elelyso (taliglucerase alfa); Pfizer Inc; For the treatment of Gaucher disease, Approved May 2012, Jentadueto (linagliptin plus metformin hydrochloride); Eli Lilly; For the treatment of type II diabetes, Approved February 2012, Korlym (mifepristone); Corcept Therapeutics; For the control of hyperglycemia in adults with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome, Approved February 2012, Ultresa (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules; Aptalis Pharma; For the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions, Approved March 2012, Viokace (pancrelipase) tablets; Aptalis Pharma; For the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to chronic pancreatitis or pancreatectomy, Approved March 2012.

Gastroenterology: Elelyso (taliglucerase alfa); Pfizer Inc; For the treatment of Gaucher disease, Approved May 2012, Ultresa (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules; Aptalis Pharma; For the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions, Approved March 2012, Viokace (pancrelipase) tablets; Aptalis Pharma; For the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to chronic pancreatitis or pancreatectomy, Approved March 2012.

Hematology: Elelyso (taliglucerase alfa); Pfizer Inc; For the treatment of Gaucher disease, Approved May 2012, Omontys (peginesatide); Affymax; For the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease, Approved March 2012, Immunology/Infectious Diseases: Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil); GlaxoSmithKline; For the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, Approved June 2012, Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) nasal aerosol; Teva Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, Approved March 2012.

Musculoskeletal: Elelyso (taliglucerase alfa); Pfizer Inc; For the treatment of Gaucher disease, Approved May 2012, Lyrica (pregabalin); Pfizer; For the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury, Approved June 2012, Myrbetriq (mirabegron); Astellas Pharma US, Inc.; For the treatment of overactive bladder, Approved June 2012, Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System); UCB; For the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome, Approved April 2012, Stendra (avanafil); Vivus; For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, Approved April 2012, Votrient (pazopanib); GlaxoSmithKline; For the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma, Approved April 2012.

Nephrology/Urology: Afinitor (everolimus); Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; For the treatment of renal angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous sclerosis complex,Approved April 2012, Inlyta (axitinib); Pfizer; For the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, Approved January 2012, Myrbetriq (mirabegron); Astellas Pharma US, Inc.; For the treatment of overactive bladder, Approved June 2012, Omontys (peginesatide); Affymax; For the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease, Approved March 2012, Stendra (avanafil); Vivus; For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, Approved April 2012, Voraxaze (glucarpidase); BTG International; For the treatment of toxic plasma methotrexate concentrations in patients with impaired renal function, Approved January 2012.

Neurology: Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil); GlaxoSmithKline; For the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, Approved June 2012, Lyrica (pregabalin); Pfizer; For the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury, Approved June 2012, Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System); UCB; For the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome, Approved April 2012, Subsys (fentanyl sublingual spray); Insys Therapeutics; For the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain, Approved January of 2012.

Obstetrics/Gynecology: Natazia (estradiol valerate and estradiol valerate/dienogest); Bayer HealthCare; For the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding, Approved March 2012, Perjeta (pertuzumab); Genentech; For the first-line treatment of HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, Approved June 2012.

Oncology: Afinitor (everolimus); Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; For the treatment of renal angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous sclerosis complex,Approved April 2012, Erivedge (vismodegib); Genentech; For the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, Approved January 2012, Inlyta (axitinib); Pfizer; For the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, Approved January 2012, Perjeta (pertuzumab); Genentech; For the first-line treatment of HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, Approved June 2012, Picato (ingenol mebutate) gel; LEO Pharma; For the treatment of actinic keratosis, Approved January 2012, Subsys (fentanyl sublingual spray); Insys Therapeutics; For the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain, Approved January of 2012, Votrient (pazopanib); GlaxoSmithKline; For the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma, Approved April 2012.

Ophthalmology: Zioptan (tafluprost ophthalmic solution); Merck; For the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure, Approved February 2012.

Otolaryngology: Dymista (azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate); Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc.; For the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, Approved May 2012, Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) nasal aerosol; Teva Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, Approved March 2012.

Pediatrics/Neonatology: Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) nasal aerosol; Teva Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, Approved March 2012, Sklice (ivermectin) lotion; Sanofi Pasteur; For the treatment of head lice, Approved February 2012, Surfaxin (lucinactant); Discovery Laboratories; For the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants, Approved March 2012.

Pharmacology/Toxicology: Voraxaze (glucarpidase); BTG International; For the treatment of toxic plasma methotrexate concentrations in patients with impaired renal function, Approved January 2012.

Pulmonary/Respiratory Diseases: Dymista (azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate); Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc.; For the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis,Approved May 2012, Kalydeco (ivacaftor); Vertex Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of cystic fibrosis with the G551D mutation in the CFTR gene, Approved January of 2012, Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) nasal aerosol; Teva Pharmaceuticals; For the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, Approved March 2012, Surfaxin (lucinactant); Discovery Laboratories; For the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants, Approved March 2012.

Rheumatology: Stendra (avanafil); Vivus; For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, Approved April 2012.

Trauma/Emergency Medicine: Lyrica (pregabalin); Pfizer; For the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury, Approved June 2012.

I hope you find this list useful and informative.

Treatment and Cure for Pancreatic Cancer

The husband of my wife's second cousin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He had the whipple surgery and as of today, he seemed to be healthy and enjoying life. I have another friend who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last March. He lasted only for six weeks. This illustrates that survival from this dreadful disease could vary depending on the stage and location of the cancer.

Treatment will also depend on your overall health, age and personal preferences. Treatment and cure include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of the three. Here's an article about pancreatic cancer from the Mayo Clinic newsletter for your information and reading pleasure.

Pancreatic Cancer is very difficult to diagnose for the following reasons: 1. The pancreas is hidden behind the stomach and cancer cells are hard to detect. 2. Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of epithelial cells, which are both external skin cells and cells that cover internal organs. Cancers of epithelial cells are called “carcinomas” and more difficult to detect than other forms of cancer and 3. To diagnose pancreatic cancer, a tube must be inserted into the stomach to take a picture of the pancreas. With no symptoms, such an invasive procedure cannot be justified in routine preventive health care. By the time symptoms appear, it is usually too late for surgery or successful chemotherapy.

“ The first goal of pancreatic cancer treatment is to eliminate the cancer, when possible. When that isn't an option, the focus may be on preventing the pancreatic cancer from growing or causing more harm. When pancreatic cancer is advanced and treatments aren't likely to offer a benefit, your doctor will help to relieve symptoms and make you as comfortable as possible.”

Surgery may be an option if your pancreatic cancer is confined to the pancreas. Operations used in people with pancreatic cancer include: Surgery for tumors in the pancreatic head. If your pancreatic cancer is located in the head of the pancreas, you may consider an operation called a Whipple procedure (pancreatoduodenectomy).

The Whipple procedure involves removing the head of your pancreas, as well as a portion of your small intestine (duodenum), your gallbladder and part of your bile duct. Part of your stomach may be removed as well. Your surgeon reconnects the remaining parts of your pancreas, stomach and intestines to allow you to digest food.

Whipple surgery carries a risk of infection and bleeding. After the surgery, some people experience nausea and vomiting that can occur if the stomach has difficulty emptying (delayed gastric emptying). Expect a long recovery after a Whipple procedure. You'll spend several days in the hospital and then recover for several weeks at home.

Surgery for tumors in the pancreatic tail and body. Surgery to remove the tail of the pancreas or the tail and a small portion of the body is called distal pancreatectomy. Your surgeon may also remove your spleen. Surgery carries a risk of bleeding and infection.

Research shows pancreatic cancer surgery tends to cause fewer complications when done by experienced surgeons. Don't hesitate to ask about your surgeon's experience with pancreatic cancer surgery. If you have any doubts, get a second opinion.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to destroy cancer cells. You may receive radiation treatments before or after cancer surgery, often in combination with chemotherapy. Or, your doctor may recommend a combination of radiation and chemotherapy treatments when your cancer can't be treated surgically.

Radiation therapy usually comes from a machine that moves around you, directing radiation to specific points on your body (external beam radiation). In specialized medical centers, radiation therapy may be delivered during surgery (intra operative radiation).

Chemotherapy uses drugs to help kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be injected into a vein or taken orally. You may receive only one chemotherapy drug, or you may receive a combination of chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy can also be combined with radiation therapy (chemoradiation).

Chemoradiation is typically used to treat cancer that has spread beyond the pancreas, but only to nearby organs and not to distant regions of the body. This combination may also be used after surgery to reduce the risk that pancreatic cancer may recur. In people with advanced pancreatic cancer, chemotherapy may be used alone or it may be combined with targeted drug therapy.

Targeted therapy uses drugs that attack specific abnormalities within cancer cells. The targeted drug erlotinib (Tarceva) blocks chemicals that signal cancer cells to grow and divide. Erlotinib is usually combined with chemotherapy for use in people with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Again, as in other types of cancer, survival will entirely depend on the early detection of this disease.

Overview The Other Side of Heaven is about John H. Groberg's experience as a Mormon missionary in the Tongan islands in the 1950s. It is based on the book that he wrote about his experiences, In the Eye of the Storm. The movie focuses on Groberg's adventurous experiences and trials while serving as a missionary in the South Pacific. While portraying these events, the film discusses little LDS theology, focusing instead on the Mormon missionary experience. Plot The Other Side of Heaven is about John Groberg's mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Tonga. The movie takes place in the 1950s. John Groberg (Christopher Gorham) is playing in the band at a dance being held at Brigham Young University. Jean (Anne Hathaway) is his girlfriend; and she is also at the dance. John and Jean end up dancing with each other, and they leave the dance together. John's family in Idaho Falls receives his mission call. He learns that he is called to serve in Tonga. He says goodbye to his family and leaves from Idaho Falls to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, he boards a ship and gets to Fiji where he is detained in a Fijian jail. He is released and sets sail for Tonga. When he gets to Tonga, he meets his mission president. His mission president introduces him to Feki, his companion. Feki is a native Tongan who also speaks English. They are assigned to serve in a remote island of the mission. He expects a warm welcome from the people. Instead, he is greeted with contempt by the island people. He goes through culture shock as he adjusts to the Tongan culture. He has difficulty with the Tongan language. Also, a local minister has told the people not to listen to John or to his message. He begins by learning the Tongan language. He isolates himself and studies the Bible in both English and Tongan. He becomes more familiar with the language. John and Feki build a house for themselves on the island. One morning, John discovers that rats have eaten the soles of his feet. His fellow church members help him as his feet heal. They heal just in time for the Sunday church meetings, and he is miraculously able to walk. This astonishes the people, and they become more receptive to his message. One night, a group of men surround John and Feki to beat them up. They have been sent by the local minister. One of the men, Tomasi, breaks them up and sends them away. Tomasi saves John and Feki, because he was baptised into the church and is Mormon himself. Tomasi begins attending church meetings. A local woman, at the behest of her family, tries to seduce John so that she can have a "half White baby". The woman's mother becomes offended at John's rejection of her daughter. John tells her that he is saving himself for Jean, his girlfriend back home. The woman's mother is satisfied. A hurricane hits the island, and the island is heavily damaged. A supply ship is expected in a few weeks, but the ship is late. The people ration their food and water to survive. Many people on the island die. John is saved when the local minister approaches him, apologizes to him, and gives John his last ration of food. The supply ship arrives. John, Feki, and many others are saved. The local minister passes away and is given an honorable burial. The mission president authorizes John to form a congregation on the island. John is set apart as the branch president and calls two counselors. Feki is assigned to go back to construction. John and Feki part ways, and thank each other for their friendship. The new mission president visits the island and has concerns about the work there. Even though a lot of work has been done, the mission president has no records of the work. John quickly completes the required forms and turns them in to the mission president. The mission president apologizes to John and praises John for his work. He also puts John in for a six-month extension of his mission. While traveling to an outlying island, John and his two counselors are caught in a major storm at sea. All three are tossed overboard and must swim for their lives. John miraculously makes it to shore and finds that his counselors are also safe. Once John returns to the Tongan Island, he finds out the six-month extension is denied, and John concludes his mission to Tonga. The people thank him for all he has done for them, and John heads back home to the United States. Throughout his mission, John and Jean keep in contact by letters. Some of the narrative of the story is told through these letters. They remain faithful to each other and are married after John returns home. They have children and continue to serve in the church. They also visit the Tongan islands several times.

Lea Salonga singing I dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables Broadway Musical Les Misérables is an upcoming British epic musical drama film produced by Working Title Films and distributed by Universal Pictures based on the musical of the same name, which is in turn based on an 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo.

The film is directed by Tom Hooper, written by William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer, and stars an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, and Aaron Tveit also star. The film tells the story of Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who becomes mayor of a town in France. Valjean agrees to take care of Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine, and must avoid being captured again by Javert, a police inspector.

Development of Les Misérables began in the late 1980s. After the musical's 25th anniversary concert, producer Cameron Mackintosh announced that the film resumed development. Hooper and Nicholson were approached in March 2011 and the main characters were cast in 2011. Principal photography of the film commenced in March 2012, and took place in various locations in Winchester, London and Portsmouth in England, as well as Paris in France.

Les Misérables is scheduled to be released on 14 December 2012.

Obama is still on Track for Electoral Victory

In spite of the recent news on Health care (Obama Care), Immigration Reform, Same Sex Marriage that majority of Americans are not in favor of, President Obama is still predicted to win as of this writing date. Of course his win will depend on the up or down swing of the US economy.

Here's the latest news about his predicted victory. Obama still on track for electoral victory By Charles Riley (June 29, 2012):

President Obama is still on track for an electoral victory this November, according to a forecasting model produced by Moody's Analytics. But his advantage over Mitt Romney is narrowing. According to the model, which produces a state-by-state prediction based in part on the latest economic data, Obama is on track to capture 303 electoral votes. That's more than the 270 required for victory, but if economic growth slows further, the model could easily shift. In May, the economy added just 69,000 jobs. And revisions from previous months showed the economy gained 49,000 fewer jobs in March and April than originally thought.

Moody's lowered its growth forecasts for the year as a result of the dour economy data. In the model, Obama's electoral vote‐weighted share of state popular votes dropped to 51.98%, down from 52.17% the previous month. According to the model, Obama is likely to hold onto the key battleground states of Virginia, Ohio, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada and Pennsylvania. But states like Florida (29 electoral votes) and North Carolina (15 electoral votes) are likely to turn from blue to red (Romney).

According to Moody's, Obama's lead is narrowest in Virginia and Ohio, where he is projected to capture 51.6% and 51.9% of the vote. Should those two states flip, Obama's electoral vote count would be released to 272 -- in other words, an extremely narrow victory. Of course, the model is likely to change as election day approaches and more economic data is included. CNN's own interactive electoral map,still rates Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Virginia, New Hampshire and Florida as "toss up" states.

Have You Heard of Dr Michio Kaku?

Michio Kaku (加来 道雄 Kaku Michio, born January 24, 1947) is an American theoretical physicist, the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics in the City College of New York of City University of New York, a co-founder of string field theory, a futurist, and a "communicator" and "popularizer" of science.b> He has written several books about physics and related topics; he has made frequent appearances on radio, television, and film; and he writes extensive online blogs and articles. He has written two New York Times best sellers, Physics of the Impossible (2008) and Physics of the Future (2011). He has hosted several TV specials for BBC-TV, the Discovery Channel, and the Science Channel. Here's another interesting video from several of Dr Kaku's videos.

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The Rock is a 1996 action film that primarily takes place on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was directed by Michael Bay, director of Bad Boys, and stars Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris. It was produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, producers of Top Gun and Crimson Tide, and released through Hollywood Pictures. The film is dedicated to Simpson,[2] who died five months before its release. This was the first film on which Cage and Bruckheimer worked together.

Plot: A group of rogue Force Recon Marines led by disenchanted Brigadier General Frank Hummel (Harris) seize a stockpile of deadly VX gas–armed rockets from a heavily guarded military bunker, reluctantly leaving one of their men to die in the process, when a bead of the gas falls and breaks. The next day, Hummel and his men, along with more renegade Marines (Captains Frye and Darrow who have never previously served under Hummel) seize control of Alcatraz during a guided tour and take 81 tourists hostage in the prison cells. Hummel threatens to launch the stolen rockets against the population of San Francisco unless the government pays ransom and reparations to the families of Recon Marines, (using money the US earned via illegal weapons sales) who died on illegal, clandestine missions under his command and whose deaths were not honored.

The Pentagon and FBI develop a plan to retake the island with a Navy SEAL Team, enlisting the bureau's top chemical weapons specialist, Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Cage), who initially thinks he's consulting the team, but soon learns that he has to accompany the SEALs due to his specialisation in chemical warfare. Goodspeed's confidence, already shaky as he received only minimal training in combat, is further tested when his fiancee Carla reveals that she is pregnant.

Recognizing that any surface approach will be seen by Hummel's men, FBI Director James Womack (John Spencer) is forced to turn to federal prisoner John Mason (Connery), a former MI6 Agent and SAS Captain who has been illegally detained for decades by Womack and his predecessors. Mason is the only Alcatraz inmate ever to escape through the prison's uncharted tunnels, doing so in 1963, one year after imprisonment.

Although Goodspeed manages to convince Mason to cooperate with the FBI in return for a pardon from the US Attorney General, Womack reneges on the deal. While in custody under the supervison of Special Agent Ernest Paxton (William Forsythe), Mason manages to escape to see his estranged daughter Jade (Claire Forlani), who is the only proof that he exists. Goodspeed arrives and reveals to Mason's daughter that he is aiding the FBI. Womack initially only wants Mason to consult the SEALs, as he confides to Agent Paxton that he does not want Mason loose, but the FBI have no choice but to let Mason accompany the SEALs since he has committed the maps to memory.

The team infiltrates Alcatraz, through the underground tunnels with Mason's guidance. The SEALs however are surrounded and gunned down by Hummel's marines in a shower room after SEAL Commander Anderson (Michael Biehn) refuses to surrender (the fight is provoked by Marine Captains Frye and Darrow, later revealed to be following Hummel only for the money instead of honor), leaving only Mason and Goodspeed alive. Womack plans to abort the mission, but Paxton agrees to let them them continue saying that Mason and Goodspeed are their last hope. Mason attempts to leave the prison, but Goodspeed manages to convince him to help him defuse the rockets, since Mason's daughter is at risk from the rockets. Using Mason's knowledge of the prison, they quietly eliminate several small teams of marines and disable 12 of the 15 rockets, until Hummel threatens over the loudspeaker to execute a hostage if the remaining "Navy SEALs" do not surrender and return the guidance chips from the rockets. Only Mason surrenders to Hummel, trying to buy Goodspeed some time. Though Goodspeed manages to disable another rocket, the Marines capture him shortly thereafter. With the incursion team lost, the military readies a backup plan: an air strike by F/A-18's with Thermite plasma, which will neutralize the poison gas but kill everyone on the island including the hostages.

As Mason uses his unique experience to escape from their cells, he reveals why he was held there for so many years — for stealing a microfilm of the United States' most closely guarded secrets, including the Roswell UFO incident and the John F. Kennedy assassination (Womack revealed this to Paxton, earlier). Mason states he didn't return it, because he knew the FBI would "suicide" him, if he did. While Goodspeed and Mason search for the final two rockets, Hummel fires one of them but changes the coordinates at the last second causing the rocket to crash harmlessly out to sea. Facing Captains Frye and Darrow's (Gregory Sporleder and Tony Todd) frustration, Hummel explains that their bluff failed and that he refuses to harm innocent civilians. He orders them to exit Alcatraz with a few hostages and the remaining VX rockets to cover their retreat, while he'll stay, personally assuming blame.

Realizing that they will not be paid their $1 million apiece, Frye and Darrow, along with Sergeant Crisp (Bokeem Woodbine), decide mutiny against Hummel and his second-in-command, Major Tom Baxter (David Morse). With Mason and Goodspeed watching from afar, Crisp attempts to secure Hummel on Darrows orders, but fails as the General is able to hold the NCO at gunpoint. When Baxter is asked to take a side, he appears to side with Frye, Darrow and Crisp. The Major says what a privilege it was serving with Hummel, then fires at the three rogues. In the ensuring firefight, Crisp is killed by Hummel but Baxter is killed while Hummel is fatally wounded and pulled away by Mason. Darrow and Fyre proceed with the plan to fire on San Francisco. With his last breath, Hummel tells Goodspeed the location of the last rocket. As the jets approach, Darrow is killed when Goodspeed fires the last disarmed rocket into him, launching the Marine outside where he falls and is impaled on a fencepost. Goodspeed stows the last gas pearls from the warhead and takes a loose one, but is then attacked by Frye who begins to strangle Goodspeed to death.

Using the VX to defend himself, Goodspeed shoves the gas pearl into Frye's mouth and gives him an uppercut to the jaw, breaking the pearl and exposing both of them to the gas. Goodspeed injects himself in the heart with atropine as Frye dies from the VX gas. Goodspeed then lights green flares to signal that the threat is over, but only after one of the pilots fires, sending Goodspeed flying into the sea. The early detonation hits the back of the island and harms no one else.

Mason reappears to pull the unconscious Goodspeed to shore. When he recovers, Goodspeed tells Mason that Womack tore up his pardon, which Mason expected. When radioed, Goodspeed states that Mason is dead. Goodspeed tells Mason to go to his hotel room, take a change of clothes and $200 he stashed and run. Mason thanks Goodspeed, and gives him a note that holds the location of where he had stashed the microfilm. When the FBI arrives, Goodspeed is asked about Mason and says the man was "vaporized." Paxton simply grins, suspecting otherwise as he, too, sympathizes with Mason.

Goodspeed and his pregnant bride Carla (Vanessa Marcil) visit Fort Walton, Kansas, recovering the microfilm with a half-century of state secrets, including who actually killed John F. Kennedy.