The National Security Agency is a covert organisation whose secret activities are protected by a state-of-the-art surveillance network operated by a team of first-rank techno-boffins. When a videotape proving their involvement in a recent political assassination falls into the hands of Washington DA Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith), the Agency do everything they can to encourage Dean's silence. But Dean is determined to reveal the truth, and teaming up with veteran anti-establishment surveillance expert Edward Lyle (Gene Hackman), he decides to play the government spies at their own game.