Windsor Protocol

The sequel to Jack Higgins' "Thunder Point", hits the ground with a narrative to introduce us to the "Windsor Protocol"; it is the last-minute Nazi plot to revive the Third Reich or set up a fourth. Mostly it is billions of dollars in unmarked accounts. The plot may hit home in strange ways. We are introduced to several characters and are forced to learn of their backgrounds slowly through the movie. However, it is more natural than Agatha Christie introductions.

We start with an economics summit in Montréal between the haves. It is being protested by the have-nots. There is a hostage situation. Retired special agent Sean Dillon (Kyle MacLachlan) is forced to quell the situation. There he learns something that starts the whole story in motion.

We get introduce to what seems to be Sean's new side-kick Lenny (Lisa Bronwyn Moore); her weapons seem to be a towel, a computer, and an antiquated pistol, in that order. Lenny is enthusiastic and clumsy but is capable of pulling Sean's bacon out of the fire.

This is an action-packed movie with TV props and feel.

Kyle MacLachlan played Paul Usul Muad'Dib Atreides in "Dune" (1984). Lisa Bronwyn Moore, on the other hand, seems to be a sort of mystery with very few pictures and a skimpy biography.

The Windsor Protocol, made in 1996, surfaces from time-to-time on TV networks' It is strongly recommended giving this dud a wide berth. The story penned by novelist Jack Higgins centres on the notion that a new dawn for the Nazi era will result in the coming of The Fourth Reich. This secret Nazi ring squirreled away "billions" to finance their forthcoming rise to power. The architect of the Arian movement is the dark, wizened man who goes by two names Gerhardt Heinzer / Albert Greenfield (John Colicos). Heinzer is a megalomaniac, letting no-one come between himself and the quest for world domination. The slightly mad plot thickens as he possesses a secret document – 'The Windsor Protocol' – apparently authorised by Hitler, to commence killing with abandon. The document also contains names and numbered bank accounts. One might assume that with "billions" in secret global accounts Heinzer would have armies at his disposal, but in this film, all his dirty deeds are conducted by one henchman.

Meanwhile, the Protocol plan is to install Senator Joplin Hardy (Alan Thickle) as the dark regime's puppet President. Through him they intend to control the world. Heinzer has a hold over the Senator, using blackmail, and unless he plays the piper's tune his financial misdeeds and hand in illicit black ops will be exposed. Heinzer also tells the Senator he must agree to his "unsuitable" leggy fiancé meeting with a terminal accident. The weak willed Senator agrees – apparently she is disposable. His desire for the Presidency being greater than having a new wife.

In steps the 'hero', a ruff, roguish British spy… agent Sean Dillion (Kyle MacLachlan). As is the norm with these sort of films we are led to believe only Dillion can save the day. There's little he cannot find out in two seconds flat: who the bad guys are, where they hang out, the very existence of the secret Windsor Protocol, endless information, all without effort (because his doting tech-literate secretary Lenny does it all!). To demonstrate his toughness Dillion is frequently beaten up, and causes mayhem wherever he goes. He follows Heinzer, supposedly in disguise but conspicuously in residential areas, amateurishly wearing dark glasses and leather jacket, standing out like a beacon – but manages to fail when his quarry walks around the first hedge and disappears! How incompetent for a hero. The story is incredibly muddled. Quite honestly, by this stage you may think lifelong catatonia is preferable to watching the rest of this movie.

None of the characters are engaging. Whilst they deliver their lines competently, speak clearly, are supported with unobtrusive music, the camera work is actually solid – nothing makes this film gel or take off. It hardly bodes well when the good guys fall dead and one thinks, 'oh good!' One farcical scene in the film involves the henchman chasing assistant Lenny into a cul-de-sac where the only cover is Dillion's van. Totting a gun and ready to shoot he looks inside, and under the vehicle but doesn't occur to him the only place left for her to hide is on the van's roof. He walks away and Lenny does a visible 'Whew'.

The honest conclusion is…. despite Director George Mihalka's filmmaking experience (40 films on his CV) – the direction of this celluloid nonsense is woeful.

Dillion personally outwits the baddies, resulting in the Windsor Protocol being burned for good measure. However, in a well told story all the loose ends should be tied up but no-one seems to care that those "billions" are not recovered. Well, if you catch this film you deserve them as compensation for watching this mindless pap! To movie buffs out there intent on catching this dud, please don't say you weren't warned.

Not the best book-to-TV production, but not the worst. My biggest beef is with casting-I don't have a beef with Kyle MacLachlin, but Sean Dillon (per Higgins' books) is not over 5'4", has sandy hair, and most importantly, AN IRISH ACCENT! Kyle has none of these, making this appear lower budget than it was.

This is not a very good movie at all. Some of the actors are familiar from TV and movies (Alan Thicke, Kyle McLaughlin), and they did the best with what they had I suppose. But what they had was absolute junk.

At no point while watching this did it have me interested. Even the basic premise of the movie, that a secret list of Nazis was released by Hitler at the end of WW2 or something, didn't make a lot of sense. The acting and direction seemed forced, and even the technical details didn't seem to work. A scene involving a press conference with the Vice President, for instance, didn't even seem to have enough reporters to make it seem credible. Suspension of disbelief was basically impossible throughout.

I felt the plot seemed interesting (although preposterous): the film seemed to have a good cast (although I admit not having heard of Macha Grenon before!), but the acting seemed disappointing, somewhat leaden, giving the general result of the film being a bit of a let-down for one's money!