A British multinational seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa. It hires a band of (largely aged) mercenaries in London and sends them in to save the virtuous but imprisoned opposition leader.
Talky ‘men on a mission’ flick is distinguished only by it’s classical trained British cast. Richard Burton and Richard Harris steal the show with their chemistry, while Roger Moore shines in a non-Bond role.The direction by Western genre ace McLaglen ranges from impressive, in the early going, to boring during a blandly staged action climax. The film runs for 135 minutes and it takes nearly an hour before all the central characters are rounded up and the story switches from its UK setting to Africa where the final showdown takes place.
Traditionally shot and mounted production manages to occasionally garner excitement but ultimately falls victim to an overloaded plot and dull pacing. Burton and his co-stars’ presence brings a level of class to the B-Movie material. Some unexpectedly amusing (intentional?) dialogue adds much needed fun to the proceedings. A relic from a different era of acting styles and filmmaking. Not bad of its type but also not for everybody.
Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
Written by: Reginald Rose, Daniel Carney
Starring: Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris
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