The Fourth War
Seen it?1990 | 91 min | Drama, Thriller, War
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- A natural pick for history and war-film fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. It puts you in the middle of the fighting, and doesn't let you forget the cost. If you loved The Manchurian Candidate or Touch of Evil, start here.
- The mood
- Tense, intense.
- The pace
- Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 1 hr 31 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Skip it if you need something light and fast tonight.
Cold War adversaries Col. Jack Knowles and his Russian counterpart, Col. Valachev, are stationed on opposite sides of the German-Czech border. Both men are responsible for a group of troops in their remote settings, and both have been shaped by their combat experiences and a shared aversion to their superiors' ways of doing things. After a defector is killed, things escalate into a full-fledged battle with serious geopolitical ramifications.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
64% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57 on Metacritic
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$1 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 12K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
The Manchurian Candidate
Friday Night FlickAlso from director John Frankenheimer: a critically acclaimed thriller.
Kandahar Weeknight WatchAnother thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Suburbicon
Monday Morning MaybeAnother thriller. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
The Secrets We Keep Weeknight WatchAnother thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Touch of Evil Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed thriller.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by John Frankenheimer
- Roy ScheiderCol. Jack Knowles
- Jürgen ProchnowCol. Valachev
- Tim ReidLt. Col. Clark
- Lara HarrisElena
- Harry Dean StantonGen. Hackworth
- Dale DyeSergeant Major
- William MacDonaldMP Corporal
- David PalffyGawky Soldier
- Neil GrahnNeedle-Nose Soldier
- Ernie JacksonKnowles Driver