Hey folks, Valkor here. So what do you get when you get such actors such as Jeremy Irons, Forest Whitaker, and Jason Priestly together in a film about trackin down and killin some hijackers? You get a film that makes you think “Hmmm… if this film was done with other actors, I might just be more into it”? Get ready for “The Fourth Angel.
The Story of The Fourth Angel is fairly simple; Jeremy Irons plays Jack Elgin, a reporter who sets out to take his family (Wife, son, and two daughters) on a trip to India. But the plane suffers mechanical failure and when everyone re-planes, which is when the hijacking starts. But all hell breaks loose when the military attempts a rescue; guns ablazin, fires a-burnin and in the end 15 people die, including Jack’s wife and two daughters. And get this; the hijackers are deported rather than face trial or tossed in jail. This pisses Jack off. I mean, where’s the justice right? Enter Davidson, embassy agent, he hints that maybe, just maybe Jack can do something unofficially; use his resources to track down the hijackers and uhmmmm “do something”. And Jack does something alright; he starts trackin down the hijackers gather information, but then things get crazier when he starts poppin off a few of em. Enter Agent Jules Bernard (Whitaker), who wants it all stopped… or does he? This question and more are answered in the film, along with some not so riveting revelations, and a very tepid, and rushed ending.
Seriously, there isn’t much more to the film so why don’t we delve into the review shall we?
The Good
Ok the story isn’t much, but it’s a decent plot to say the least. It’s very straightforward, no real twists, with a bit of suspense for good measure. My favorite scene has to be when Jack goes after the first set of hijackers, sneaks into his warehouse hideout, starts snoopin around, picks up his first gun and starts poppin em off. It’s smart, very smart because it makes you say “hey what would I do if I were in that scene?” You can play right along and guess what he’d do at every turn; and that’s not a bad thing. I’m a big fan of Irons and Whitaker, but the surprise in this film has to be Jason Priestly. The years have been rather kind and he plays his role of Davidson rather coolly. That’s not to say that Irons and Whitaker did lousy jobs, these guys are A-actors, recognized by the academy for their excellence and it shows. Yea they might ham it up in a scene or two, but that makes the film that much more enjoyable.
The Bad
For starters the pacing in the beginning is too quick and everything is rushed for the hijacking. How can you care about Jack and his plight if we rush right to the action, without first getting to know the guy? Second, the suspense level for this dramatic picture is quite low. The only scene that’s truly suspenseful is the one mentioned above and that’s pretty much it. Even the ending isn’t all that great; the bad guys get killed before even a lick of suspension is built. Finally, going back to my first statement, other than Priestly, who I think did a fine job; I think Irons and Whitaker’s role could have been MUCH better if done by someone else. Like Liam Neeson and Cuba Goodings Jr., you know actors who really draw you into the picture.
The Ugly
N/A
The Fourth Angel is a “try before you buy” type film; Sure it has a pretty decent plot and some good actors, but that’s about all this film has going for it. The film might be good for some, but it’s just ok with me. And out of 5 TOV stars, I give “The Fourth Angel” a 2.5. Is Valkor the 5th Angel? Hey I’ve already have the wings.
