Really Surprised!

How sad is this?

Good movie but grossly overrated

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is one of those movies with a mammoth "I did not see that coming" moment. The set up for this startling revelation is quite convincing, and Barry Newman's motivation for revenge is overwhelmingly strong. Unheralded character actor, Dolph Sweet, steals every scene he is part of. Ben Kingsley with hair takes some adjusting to, but his acting is solid. Unfortunately John Vernon was not convincing as the head bad guy, perhaps because I can't get by thinking of him as Dean Wormer in "Animal House". The movie itself is extremely uneven, with a grabber opening, followed by a prolonged car chase that seems like it was yanked right out of a "Smokey and the Bandit" movie. The actual plot is murky and difficult to follow, but is pulled together quite well in the showdown conclusion. Recommended for the unusual twisted plot and some solid performances. - MERK

WOW! I watched this adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel tonight and it is fantastic. Barry Newman stars as John Talbot, a drifter who ends up getting into it with the local police in a parish in Louisiana. He gets hauled before a judge but breaks out of the courtroom, taking oil heiress Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall) hostage in the process. What happens after that is gonna remain a secret for the element of surprise.This is a slammin' action film in reverse. The first half hour is comprised of an amazing car chase that is right up there with the likes of THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Seriously, this is one of the greatest (and unheralded) car chases of all-time (courtesy of VANISHING POINT's stunt coordinator Cary Loftin). After that, the film settles down to tell Talbot's complex story. Newman, also fresh off that other car chase epic VANISHING POINT, is quite good as the mysterious Talbot. Supporting turns include John Vernon (I wonder if he a good guy), Dolph Sweet and a weaselly looking guy in his film debut named Ben Kingsley. The stellar score is supplied by Roy Budd (GET CARTER).

I like Alistair MacLean's books, so I approached this film with a sense of dread. Could it be another MacLean book ruined on the big screen, like Bear Island, Caravan to Vaccares or River of Death? Fortunately, this is perhaps the best of all the MacLean's film adaptations. It begins with the most extraordinary car chase imaginable (far better than the much touted one in The French Connection) and never relaxes from that point on. To reveal much of the plot would be a spoiler, but suffice to say that the hero spends most of the film acting as the bad guy, trying to confuse some crooks that he's on their side so that he can get into their organisation and carry out his terrible revenge plan. Barry Newman is terrific as the hero, in a role similar to his Vanishing Point character. John Vernon is a mean villain, too, and Dolph Sweet has a short but pivotal role as a friendly insider. It's impossible to guess what will happen next, but the final scene brings everything together brilliantly, and leaves you quite literally gasping for air. See this soon!!

Fine actioner based on Alistair MacLane's novel holds a few surprises for those lucky enough to catch this underrated gem. An unorthodox and at times bitty script is held together by an amiable cast including a young Ben Kingsley (debuting with a full head of hair) surprisingly in his only film before his Oscar winning performance of 'Ghandi' ten years later.The screenplay is a crafty one, with Barry Newman ploughing through the first half of the film seemingly out of control and playing a role hauntingly similar to his one in 'Vanishing Point' keeping the viewer guessing what's going to happen next and why. After a slightly boggy, espionage filled middle act the film coolly builds to a dramatic nail-biting finale and it is only here in the film's dying moments do you actually discover the truth. Though the ending may not quite reach some viewers expectations, it does wrap things up succinctly, making the thrills on the way (including a fine car chase that bursts from a courthouse breakout) all the more worthwhile.