The Fourth Angel (DVD, 2003)

Have you ever seen anything BAD with Jeremy Irons in it? Or, for that matter, Forrest Whittaker? Granted, Jason Priestly's name is not exactly a hallmark of quality, but Charlotte Rampling tends to only do the good stuff.
So, here we have a lot of stars, the kind who will take on almost anythng as long as it is good, and they are in a shoot 'em up action thriller.

Well, it could be better, but it could be a lot worse. The first fifteen minutes, setting up the bad stuff that will have to be avenged later, are excruciating. You know something has to happen and has to happen soon, but you don't quite know when or how. Dread and tension build to the point that seeing a hijacking comes as a relief.

There is at least one loose end in this spys-and-robbers revenge bloodbath, or maybe Forrest Whittaker explained it away and I didn't believe him. He plays the role made familiar to many by Peter Falk's Columbo: shuffling, wondering, scratching his head while everyone else assumes he knows nothing at all, then, as you surely suspected, he knows quite a lot. He is more easily understood in his role, though, than the choice of suave Jeremy Irons as the outraged husband. Granted, he is supposed to be an unlikely avenger, and his character is considerably less stiff than, say Claus Von Bulow, but most Americans still do not think of him as Action Man.

It is pretty easy to guess why this one was not a real hit. Among other things, it runs only 95 minutes and at times it feels like they stretched it to that. There is no babe to sell, unless like me, you appreciate Ms. Rampling's mature charm. And the subtlety of exactly who the bad guys are is sometimes difficult to sort out. However, as a handy filler to keep on the shelf, this is good entertainment and well worth the time you'll spend on it.

AS I said at the beginning, these actors are well known for their skills. Without them, it may not have been much, but we have them, so this film gets a solid B minus.

One last note for you trivia buffs: Lois Maxwell, Miss Moneypenny of the Universal Export Company, plays the grandmother of the children whose deaths are being avenged.

An early film (2003) that stars some names that play in bigger roles
later in their career. The story of a journalist that seeks revenge
for the killing of his family and the action that surrounds that occurrance.
Really good acting here, makes a film that is entertaining for a nights
enjoyment. Most will like the suspense here also.