The film opens in 2013, with Edward Snowden arranging a secretive meeting in a Hong Kong hotel. Awaiting him are documentarian Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald, both eager to hear what he has to reveal. Snowden, calm but visibly burdened, prepares to disclose classified information about the National Security Agency’s (NSA) illegal mass surveillance practices. In the intimate confines of the hotel room, they discuss the scope of the revelations and the implications for global privacy. Poitras films the meeting, later releasing it as the documentary Citizenfour, which is used to frame key moments in the narrative.
Flashing back to 2004, a younger Snowden begins basic training after enlisting in the U.S. Army, driven by a sense of duty and a dream of joining the Special Forces. However, his ambitions are cut short when he fractures his tibia, leading to an administrative discharge. Though his military aspirations are dashed, Snowden is encouraged to serve his country in other ways, setting him on a path that will change his life—and the world—forever.
Determined to contribute, Snowden applies for a position at the CIA. During the rigorous screening process, his answers initially fall short, but Deputy Director Corbin O’Brian, recognizing Snowden’s potential, decides to give him a chance. Snowden is sent to “The Hill,” a high-security facility where he trains in cyberwarfare and intelligence operations. Here, he learns about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows warrant requests to bypass traditional judicial oversight, eroding the Fourth Amendment rights of U.S. citizens. Tasked with a challenging exercise to create, erase, and rebuild a covert communications network, Snowden outshines his peers, completing the task in an astonishing 38 minutes—an accomplishment that solidifies O’Brian’s confidence in him.
Amid his demanding training, Snowden meets Lindsay Mills through a dating website. Despite their starkly opposing political views, they quickly form a deep connection. Their relationship becomes a cornerstone of Snowden’s personal life as he navigates the increasingly complex and ethically fraught world of intelligence.
In 2007, Snowden is stationed in Geneva under diplomatic cover, with Mills joining him. There, he is mentored by Gabriel Sol, an experienced operative who exposes him to the morally ambiguous methods of electronic surveillance. When Snowden witnesses his superior setting up a target with a false DUI charge to extract information, he becomes disillusioned with the CIA’s tactics. Unable to reconcile his values with the agency’s practices, Snowden resigns and returns to civilian life.
However, his break from intelligence work is short-lived. Snowden takes a position with the NSA in Japan, tasked with developing a program called “Epic Shelter” to back up critical Middle Eastern data. He soon discovers the darker side of the NSA’s operations. The agency plants malware in computers across allied nations’ government and financial systems, creating a means to cripple them if they ever turn against the U.S. The weight of this revelation strains Snowden’s relationship with Mills, leading her to return to Maryland.
Months later, Snowden leaves his NSA post and reunites with Mills in Maryland. Their reconciliation coincides with Snowden taking on a consulting role for the CIA. During a hunting trip with O’Brian, Snowden learns of a new operation based in Hawaii, aimed at countering Chinese cyberattacks. Diagnosed with epilepsy, Snowden agrees to the transfer, believing the tranquil environment of Oahu might improve his health.
In Hawaii, Snowden takes a position in “The Tunnel,” a covert NSA facility. To his horror, he discovers that Epic Shelter is not merely a backup program but is actively used to gather real-time intelligence for drone strikes in Pakistan. Watching the devastating consequences of these strikes erodes Snowden’s faith in the mission he once believed in.
Haunted by the implications of his work, Snowden resolves to expose the NSA’s overreach. With meticulous planning, he smuggles a microSD card into the facility, concealing it in a Rubik’s Cube. Over several days, he transfers classified data onto the card. Claiming illness, Snowden leaves the office, advises Mills to return to Maryland, and sets his plan in motion.
In Hong Kong, Snowden meets Poitras, Greenwald, and journalist Ewen MacAskill, providing them with the files that will shake governments worldwide. On June 5, 2013, the first report is published, detailing the NSA’s extensive surveillance programs. Subsequent leaks reveal even more, sparking global outrage. As the story unfolds, Snowden’s life is thrown into chaos. The U.S. government revokes his passport, stranding him in Russia while he attempts to flee to Latin America. Forced to remain in Moscow, he is eventually granted temporary asylum, where Mills joins him to rebuild their life together.
In the film’s final moments, Snowden appears via remote interview, expressing his willingness to face trial in the U.S., provided he is guaranteed a fair hearing. The epilogue features real-life news footage of congressional debates and public protests, highlighting the sweeping reforms inspired by Snowden’s revelations. The camera lingers on a lone figure in Moscow, a man who sacrificed everything to reveal the truth.
