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The Fourth Protocol (1987)

Director: John MacKenzie

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From Time Out Film Guide

This adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's espionage thriller is neither fish nor fowl. Brosnan, who plays the ice-cool and ruthless Soviet undercover agent sent to an East Anglian American airbase to execute a 'devastating' plan to destabilise Anglo-American nuclear cooperation, poses and pouts so much that there are hopes of the film developing into a Bond-like spoof. No such luck. Still, Caine - a kind of middle-aged Harry Palmer - is at his shambling best as the no-nonsense spy-catcher overcoming the deviousness or incompetence of his Intelligence bosses; and MacKenzie gives this home-grown blockbuster the requisite glossy, if predictable finish. What is missing is any real tension or psychological detail that might lend plausibility to all the hocus-pocus about East-West political and military intrigue.

Author: WH 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: John MacKenzie

Producer: Timothy Burrill

Cast: Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Ned Beatty, Joanna Cassidy, Julian Glover, Michael Gough, Ray McAnally, Ian Richardson full cast

Genre(s): Action/Adventure

Duration: 119 mins


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