Russian film star Alexey Makarov plays the male lead in "Countdown" - Major Smolin of the Russian Federal Security Service. "Countdown" tells the story of Smolin being captured by terrorists and escaping from the enemy's lair with the help of a Western journalist (played by British actress Louise Lombard). The terrorists were very angry about Smolin's escape, so they hijacked a circus, where Smolin's daughter and her classmates were going to watch a performance. In this incident, the terrorists kidnapped more than 800 spectators. Under Smolin's leadership, the special forces of the Federal Security Service launched an attack on the terrorists, killing many terrorists and without any hostage casualties. In the climax of the film, several stubborn gangsters under the command of the terrorist leader escaped and stole a large amount of plutonium, attempting to detonate them on a plane flying to Rome for a NATO leaders' meeting. After a desperate fight, Smolin eliminated the gang of terrorists and saved the whole world. Audiences saw the FSB officers in the film as heroes, and critics saw it as a sign of the cultural reforms being promoted by President Vladimir Putin, who has called for strengthening Russian patriotism.