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The Fourth Protocol Photos

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Movie Info

British spy John Preston (Michael Caine), recently demoted by his boss for a well-intentioned but unsanctioned mission, stumbles onto a covert plot by KGB agent Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan), who is attempting to build and detonate a nuclear bomb on British soil and blame it on the Americans. With the support of the ailing MI5 director, Preston, who is still at odds with several of his superiors, attempts to uncover and thwart the plot before it's too late.

Rating:

R
Genre:

mystery and thriller
Original Language:

English
Director:

John Mackenzie
Box Office (Gross USA):

$12.4M
Runtime:

1h 58m
Production Co:

Fourth Protocol
Sound Mix:

Surround

Cast & Crew

Michael Caine
John Preston

Pierce Brosnan
Valeri Petrofsky, James Edward Ross

Joanna Cassidy
Irina Vassilievna

Ned Beatty
Borisov, Pavel Petrovic

Betsy Brantley
Eileen McWhirter

Peter Cartwright
Jan Marais

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News & Interviews for The Fourth Protocol

Pierce Brosnan’s 10 Best Movies

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Critic Reviews for The Fourth Protocol

All Critics (19) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (5)

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.

January 26, 2006 | Full Review…

Wally Hammond
Time Out
''The Fourth Protocol'' is an entertaining, better-than-average variation on a format that has long since stopped offering anything new.

May 20, 2003

Janet Maslin
New York Times
An engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of the bestselling spy thriller by Frederick Forsyth. n engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of the bestselling spy thriller by Frederick Forsyth.

January 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Rita Kempley
Washington Post
"Protocol" is espionage as exhilarating as the better Bond but with less of the winky camp. This is deadly stuff: We see just how easy atomic terrorism would be.

January 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Desson Thomson
Washington Post
The Fourth Protocol is first-rate because it not only is a thriller, but it also pays attention to its characters and shows how their actions grow out of their personalities.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Caine, as always, is a joy to watch, whether grimly tracking his man, telling off his supercilious boss, or, sloshed on New Year's Eve, blowing a wall safe in a posh London pad.

November 5, 2019 | Full Review…

Richard Freedman
Newhouse News Service
The Fourth Protocol not only does what a good spy movie should do, twist and turn through treachery and deceit to the inevitable surprising conclusion, it also does what any good movie should do, entertain by telling a good story well.

October 10, 2016 | Full Review…

Cathy Burke
United Press International
A competent, if unremarkable, espionage thriller that is enjoyable while it lasts and forgotten moments after the credits roll.

August 12, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide
Quote not available.

July 19, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
A captivating, well-performed picture

May 12, 2005 | Rating: 2/5

Caffeinated Clint
Moviehole
Quote not available.

June 10, 2004 | Rating: 3/5

Sarah Chauncey
Reel.com
Above-average spy thriller, with Brosnan making a great baddie.

November 6, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)

View All Critic Reviews (19)

Audience Reviews for The Fourth Protocol

Jan 17, 2011

A lot more action orientated than the Frederick Forsyth novel that it was based on and Michael Caine's character is, equally, far more of an action hero. Whilst it may have been deemed necessary to beef up the action to make a more exciting film, it loses some on the book's logic, depth and flow.

The S Super Reviewer
Dec 26, 2009

ome comments on this film have stated that there are unnecessary killings of agents or witnesses, this is done to show the politics of the film and how there must be no trace back to those who planned the operation, whilst also portraying that petrofsky is a lethal killer, and as Caine says in the film "the best". A great story, and very believable, spies that remain hidden from each other and no excruciating scene where the bad guy reveals his plot to the good guy. Would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the operation had turned out differently, or the ending for that matter! Of course one of the best things about this film is the acting as previously stated by other people. Caine brings his character to life and is very believable in the role of John Preston, the agent who cares, and will "bend" the rules to make sure things get down. Brosnan is similarly good, his character will stop at nothing to complete his mission, he is a stone cold killer and this is portrayed well, he doesn't let anything get in the way of the mission. All in all a very good little film, much better than some of the tripe we get from Hollywood and with one of the finest British casts i've seen in some time.

Cassandra M Super Reviewer
May 23, 2009

Brilliant cold war thriller with the very young Brosnan acting as a baddy russian spy.....Quality.

Barry L Super Reviewer
Apr 03, 2008

Remember this film being better than it is. Very dated now and it looks like a lot of it was done on the cheap but it's good to see a spy thriller where the lead actor actually does some spying and investigating. Keeps the interest and Caine and Brosnan are great (Caine especially seems to enjoy stepping back into the Harry Palmer type of role. He would do the same thing a few years later with 'Blue Ice') but not a classic.

David S Super Reviewer