The Fourth Angel (2001) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A grieving editor abandons failed institutions and pursues the terrorists and official conspirator responsible for a devastating hijacking.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Detour Into Terror

Jack redirects a family vacation to India, but a mechanical stop in Cyprus places the family aboard a hijacked airplane. The terrorists demand a massive ransom from the United States.

Key Events

• India Trip Replaces Corfu — Jack changes the family vacation from Corfu to India for reporting and family time. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: London
• Family Boards Flight — Jack and his family board an American airline flight bound for India. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: London airport
• Mechanical Stopover — A mechanical problem forces the aircraft to make an unscheduled stop in Cyprus. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: Limassol airport
• Plane Hijacked — The August 15th Movement seizes the airplane after passengers reboard. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Airplane
• Ransom Ultimatum — The terrorists demand fifty million dollars from the United States within one hour. Characters: Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Airplane

The Cyprus Massacre

Although the ransom is paid and passengers begin to leave, police fire prematurely. The resulting violence and explosion destroy Jack's family and leave the hijackers free.

Key Events

• Ransom Is Paid — The ransom demand is met, allowing the terrorists to begin releasing passengers. Characters: Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Airplane
• Women And Children Released — The terrorists start releasing women and children before the men. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Airplane
• Police Open Fire — A local police team fires when a front passenger door opens. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Limassol airport
• Passengers Flee Aircraft — Flight attendants open the remaining doors as passengers try to escape. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Airplane
• Terrorists Kill Passengers — The terrorists shoot passengers, and an explosion follows during the evacuation. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Limassol airport
• Family Tragedy Witnessed — Jack escapes holding Andrew and witnesses the deaths of his wife and two daughters. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: Limassol airport

Justice Denied

Back in London, Jack learns that the terrorists were secretly released. His legal efforts fail, and an embassy consultation offers no meaningful remedy.

Key Events

• Hijackers Escape — Loyvek and Maldic survive, escape, and retain the ransom after fifteen passengers die. Characters: Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: Cyprus
• Jack Blames Police Timing — Jack believes the massacre might have been avoided if police had waited. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: London
• Hijackers Secretly Released — Jack learns that the captured terrorists were secretly released and deported without charges. Characters: Jack Elgin, Ivanic Loyvek, Karadan Maldic Location: London
• Legal Justice Fails — Jack tries legal channels to obtain justice but achieves nothing. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: London
• Embassy Consultation — Jack asks CIA agent Henry Davidson for help and is told that little can be done. Characters: Jack Elgin, Henry Davidson Location: American Embassy in London

A Private War

Jack abandons official justice and works with Kate to identify the hijacking network. He turns the network's weapons against its participants while Jules investigates him.

Key Events

• Jack Chooses Revenge — After official remedies fail, Jack decides to act against those responsible himself. Characters: Jack Elgin Location: London
• Kate Provides Intelligence — Kate helps Jack locate people working with Loyvek and Maldic. Characters: Jack Elgin, Kate Stockton Location: London
• Jack Turns Weapons Back — Jack uses the associates' own weapons against members of the hijacking network. Characters: Jack Elgin, Kate Stockton Location: London
• Jules Tracks Jack — Jules investigates the killings and suspects Jack is responsible. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard Location: London
• Jules Joins Jack — Jules reveals his sympathy for Jack and agrees to help him. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard Location: London

The Hidden Payoff

Jules changes from investigator to ally, and Jack kills Maldic. Davidson is exposed as the mastermind, leading Jack and Jules toward the remaining conspirators.

Key Events

• Jules Joins Jack — Jules reveals his sympathy for Jack and agrees to help him. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard Location: London
• Maldic Is Killed — Jack kills Maldic as the revenge campaign reaches its first decisive result. Characters: Jack Elgin, Karadan Maldic Location: London
• Davidson Exposed — Davidson is revealed as the mastermind who arranged the hijacking for the ransom. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard, Henry Davidson Location: London
• Final Pursuit Begins — Jack and Jules set out to make Davidson and Loyvek pay for the deaths. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard, Henry Davidson, Ivanic Loyvek Location: London
• Accountability Pursued — The surviving conspirators face Jack's final campaign for accountability. Characters: Jack Elgin, Agent Jules Bernard, Henry Davidson, Ivanic Loyvek Location: London

Story Breakdown

• Family Journey — Jack attempts to combine professional ambition with a family trip to India.
  • India Vacation — Jack changes the planned destination from Corfu to India.
  • Cyprus Stopover — A mechanical problem forces the flight to land in Limassol.
• Airplane Seizure — The August 15th Movement takes control of the aircraft and imposes a ransom deadline.
  • Terrorist Command — Loyvek leads the operation with Maldic as his right-hand man.
  • Ransom Ultimatum — The terrorists demand fifty million dollars from the United States.
• Cyprus Catastrophe — A premature police assault transforms a negotiated release into a massacre.
  • Police Gunfire — Local police open fire when an aircraft door is opened.
  • Passenger Deaths — Terrorist gunfire and an explosion kill fifteen passengers.
• Broken Justice — Jack discovers that legal and governmental systems will not hold the hijackers accountable.
  • Secret Deportation — The captured terrorists are released and deported without charges.
  • Embassy Refusal — Davidson tells Jack that little can be done officially.
• Private Retribution — Jack builds an unofficial campaign against the people connected to the hijacking.
  • Kate's Assistance — Kate helps Jack track the hijackers' associates.
  • Weapons Reversed — Jack uses the network's own weapons against its members.
• Investigation Reversal — Jules's pursuit of Jack changes when he recognizes the larger injustice behind the killings.
  • Jack Under Suspicion — Jules suspects Jack is responsible for killing hijacking associates.
  • Jules Becomes Ally — Jules decides to help Jack pursue the remaining conspirators.
• Conspiracy Exposed — The revenge campaign reveals that the hijacking was enabled by an American official seeking the ransom.
  • Maldic Falls — Jack kills Maldic during the campaign.
  • Davidson Revealed — Davidson is identified as the mastermind behind the hijacking.
• Final Accountability — Jack and Jules direct their combined efforts toward Loyvek and Davidson.
  • Loyvek Targeted — Jack and Jules pursue the surviving terrorist leader.
  • Davidson Targeted — The pair seek to make Davidson pay for the deaths.

Directed by

John Irvin

Key Cast

• Jeremy Irons — Jack Elgin
• Forest Whitaker — Agent Jules Bernard
• Jason Priestley — Henry Davidson
• Briony Glassco — Maria Elgin
• Charlotte Rampling — Kate Stockton