"The Fourth Protocol" is a solid conspiracy thriller starring Michael Caine as a British MI5 agent, John Preston. Preston catches wind of a false flag plot that a KGB agent is planning to carry out atomic attack on a U.S airbase located on British soil, which would effectively dissolve NATO.

There's not a whole lot to say about this film. If you like conspiracy/spy movies then this'll more than hit the mark. However, it does absolutely nothing to reinvent the genre and aside from a couple of neat set pieces, "The Fourth Protocol" is a fairly benign affair.

The film features an excellent performance from Pierce Brosnan as the KGB agent. He's an absolute cold-hearted bastard in this film and it's great, it's clear to see that this role would latter influence how he approached his early Bond performances.

Again, this is nothing spectacular but it makes for a fun, lazy Sunday afternoon flick.

The rogue KGB plan in this is almost the same as in OCTOPUSSY. Okay, fine, there isn't a troupe of sexy babe jewel thieves and Michael Caine doesn't dress up as a clown, but it's basically the fuckin same, jeez.

Hey this was pretty good! For the way these films go, anyway. A real sweet spot hitter. Plus you get a nice dollop of early Pierce Brosnan hurt acting right before it ends.

The Fourth Protocol is a dry and talky spy film, but provides sufficient Cold War tension to not be a drag. It's really well shot for something so perfunctory and that helps. Plotwise it's more haphazard as so much relies on chance. Scenes in Russia where everyone speaks English and has Western mannerisms are particularly strange too. Michael Caine is an odd lead, having none of the energy of a spy like Bond, nor the professionalism of a spy like Smiley. He's like a bland middle-aged British father in spy form, which is hardly a compelling middleground. In a more interesting role is a young Pierce Brosnan as the main villain, despite his character being saddled with some puzzling subplots. The Fourth Protocol may be a strange film in many ways, but ultimately it's actually quite safe and just a decent spy film disguised as something that should be more interesting.

This movie has its moments, but it’s mostly a mess with some meh action and a meh story. Michael Caine randomly has a son in this and it adds nothing to his character. The movie has no stakes and honestly thinks it’s better than it actually is. Some books just aren’t meant to be adapted.

Part cold war revisionism (complete with Michael Caine pretty much playing a middle-aged Harry Palmer), part an exercise in eurocentrism nostalgia. Director John Mackenzie has a nice touch that allows it to never bogs down too much on the excessive overplotting, the film becomes a very serious comedy about two extreme competent man of action trying to finish there missions unaware of the multiple machinations of a large power structure set on try too perpetuate itself despite Perestroika, only one that nevver forgets that tense ticking clock at the center of it. There's lots of good meaty acting particular by Joanna Cassidy. Also Brosnan has rarely been better. Co-written by George Axlrod (his last screen credit).

30th Anniversary of The Fourth Protocol today. Another film that I've never seen (the day is full of them, save one). And this was decent. It's more of a slow burn spy thriller with two good leads in Pierce Brosnan and Michael Caine. The late John Mckenzie directs this in almost a procedural way. And it's got a very mid-80's, height of the Cold War plot involving the Soviet Union and nuclear proliferation agreements. My only complaint against this film is that it's a little too dry and long at nearly 2 hours. This was an adaptation of the 1984 novel of the same name.

How beige was the eighties? None more beige. Despite the unfortunate ensembles, Pierce is smoking hot here as a KGB agent with all of Bond's sociopathy but fewer high end toys - he builds a bomb out of bits in his fridge. Largely set in East Anglia and Mayfair, it's not exactly M:I or Bourne, but that's kind of welcoming. Sir Michael apparently found it too talky and slow, however my overstimulated brain rather appreciates the chit chat and procedural bits.

It's peak Dad cinema, and I mean that as a compliment. Lots of competence porn here; practically no female characters (though Joanna Cassidy does great with what little she gets). Features a surprisingly steamy scene which does for WMDs what Ghost did for pottery wheels.

An entertaining spy thriller based on Frederick Forsythe’s novel, starring Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan, in which a secret agent races to prevent a sinister plot by rogue Russian forces. It has an excellent British cast and several twists and turns, although the violence is a bit too much at times and the story vaguely improbable, I enjoyed it.

Entertaining suspense spy thriller which has Pierce Brosnan as a KGB operative facing off against British agent Michael Caine.

How beige was the eighties? None more beige. Despite the unfortunate ensembles, Pierce is smoking hot here as a KGB agent with all of Bond's sociopathy but fewer high end toys - he builds a bomb out of bits in his fridge. Largely set in East Anglia and Mayfair, it's not exactly M:I or Bourne, but that's kind of welcoming. Sir Michael apparently found it too talky and slow, however my overstimulated brain rather appreciates the chit chat and procedural bits.

It's peak Dad cinema, and I mean that as a compliment. Lots of competence porn here; practically no female characters (though Joanna Cassidy does great with what little she gets). Features a surprisingly steamy scene which does for WMDs what Ghost did for pottery wheels.

Really solid. No showboating or flashiness, just straight ahead, efficient filmmaking, effective storytelling. Caine's really enjoyable. Not in the same league as Day of the Jackal, but Forsythe spins a good yarn.

They raised the shit out of C&A for the wardrobe here and it really makes the film. Some high end jackets on display.

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. (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. It is effective not simply because it's a thriller but also because for long stretches it simply is a very absorbing drama.

Cold war drama fails to go off with a bang

Decent Cold War thriller doesn't have a great deal in the way of originality, but moves along at a fair old clip and has an excellent cast...

The rogue KGB plan in this is almost the same as in OCTOPUSSY. Okay, fine, there isn't a troupe of sexy babe jewel thieves and Michael Caine doesn't dress up as a clown, but it's basically the fuckin same, jeez.

Good thriller

Only a partial rewatch, as I missed the first half hour or so. Still only a middling spy thriller, but I do like the atomic bomb stuff (obviously!).

Engaging spy thriller. It tells an interesting story and it's well-made with some good cinematography, but otherwise it struggles to stand out. Though I did enjoy my watch and the two hour runtime flew by.