Kim Philby, infamous British intelligence officer who defected to the Soviet Union, arrives at a remote dacha for a meeting with the head of the KGB. No sooner has he stepped out of his car than he is murdered by a Soviet soldier. It should be noted that Kim Philby (1912-1988) was a real person who was still alive in Russia when this film was released.
Valeri Petrofsky (Pierce Brosnan) arrives at a Soviet base where he is met by the very soldier who shot Philby. The soldier introduces him to the head of KGB, who has a special mission for him. He is going to assemble an atomic bomb that the KGB intends to smuggle - piece by piece - into England. He will then detonate it next to a US Airforce Base. This was the plot of Octopussy (1983)!
Meanwhile, John Preston (Michael Caine) is busy ferreting out a traitor in London. He exposes the man but does so by ignoring the orders of his director (Julian Glover). This earns him a demotion to Ports & Airports duty. As luck would have it, a Russian sailor was hit by a truck while running from a security guard. He had an unusual metal disk that is an integral part for an atomic bomb. It is now a race to see if Preston can track down Petrofsky before he finishes the bomb.
Michael Caine is terrific. He can be charming, funny, or intimidating. His character is well-developed without beating the viewer over the head. A single glance at a picture of him, a woman, and his son explains that his wife is dead and he is a single father. Despite a demanding job, we see he makes time for his young son. Really, a well-written and acted role.
By contrast, Brosnan is bland. In every situation, he has the look of a guilty character. He spends his time glowering at everyone. Even when he goes drinking with an American (Matt Frewer AKA Max Headroom), he is stone-faced. Brosnan is an actor who is overflowing with charisma - Remington Steele had 5 season thanks to it - but here he is one-dimensional. What kind of spy just looks suspicious all the time?
Ned Beatty had a cameo as a Russian general. That was unexpected. There was no effort to do a Russian accent which made it odder still. Yeah, not buying him as a Russian general.
Ian Richardson was a stand out as Sir Nigel Irvine, a high-ranking secret service official who plays realpolitik with cool demeanor. His cold-blooded rebuke of a man who unwittingly betrayed the nation was great stuff.
Though it has a strong plot and good characters, it lacks action. There aren't a lot of thrills in this thriller. Still, enjoyable to watch and a must see for fans of Michael Caine.
