Force 10 From Navarone (1978)

In this sequel to the eternal 1961 classic The Guns of Navarone, two of the same characters return to join a new mission and a new squad into enemy territory.  The result doesn't carry the same punch or weight as the original, but still puts Force 10 From Navarone into the realm of the semi-classic Saturday afternoon fare.

Of course that's partly due to the replacement of Peck and Niven in the roles of Mallory (Robert Shaw) and Miller (Edward Fox).  But hey, it is 16 years since the original, so what do we want, right?  The leader of this mission is Lt. Col. Barnsby, played by the newly-made-famous-as-Han-Solo Harrison Ford.  And unfortunately, he's just merely average here.  Also along for the ride (literally in the sense of the film) is Carl Weathers as Sgt. Weaver.

The mission?  They're to assassinate, er, sorry, eliminate a traitor who sold them out the first time around.  But things are never that simple, and after getting captured, and escaping, and going back and freeing the rest of the gang, they discover the real mission of Force 10:  To destroy a key bridge so the Germans can't advance into this part of Yugoslavia.  That figures!

Long story short, the bridge is destroyed, the traitor is really a German spy, and is subsequently eliminated anyway.  Yeah its about that simple.  Of course nothing goes off like its supposed to, and that's part of what makes the movie fun, is how the team overcomes the curveballs thrown at them.

What surprised me though is the poor marks this picture generally receives.  I don't know, I actually didn't find that much to really gripe about.  It's a fun action picture more than anything, and in that respect its really quite good.  Sure its not all that accurate in most respects, and it doesn't need to be.  There are a lot of humorous bits thrown in to boot, most revolving around the ever-irreverent Sgt. Miller and the wayward Sgt. Weaver.

Also appearing is Richard Kiel as the imposing native German collaborator Capt. Drazak.  You might remember him better as James Bond's nemesis Jaws... and Michael Byrne as the German Commander, who would later pair up again with Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as, well, another German Commander type.

All-in-all, Force 10 From Navarone makes for a good Saturday, nothing-else-to-watch, popcorn muncher, but don't go looking for any profound statements on war and the duality of man or really any deeper meaning at all.

Technorati Tags: war movie reviews, force 10 from navarone, 1978, harrison ford, edward fox, robert shaw, richard kiel, world war ii 2

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Description

Robert Shaw (The Deep, Jaws) and Harrison Ford (The Fugitive, Air Force One) star as fearless World War II commandos in this thrilling follow-up to The Guns of Navarone. Directed by Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger) and adapted to the screen by Robin Chapman (screenplay) and Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* Carl Foreman (screen story), it's a large-scale action-adventure saga with "remarkable special effects" (Los Angeles Times), a powerful cast and "one hair-breadth escape after another" (Newsweek). In the darkest days of World War II, Hitler's armies are storming through Europe, annihilating all opposition in their path. But US Colonel Barnsby (Ford) plots to strike a crippling blow to the brutal Nazi forces. To succeed, he'll need the help of the most skilled and lethal soldiers in the world: the Force 10 squad, fresh from itstriumphant mission at Navarone. *1957: Adapted Screenplay, The Bridge on the River Kwai

Generally underrated by critics, this 1978 sequel to the famous Guns of Navarone finds a miscellaneous group of commandos and spies trying to hinder the Nazis by destroying a bridge between them and the partisans. The story (based on a novel by Alistair MacLean) has nothing to do with the first film, but it is a tightly woven and entertaining piece with sharp performances and delightful character alliances. Director Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger) brings his trademark eye for handsome vistas to the canvas as well, so this is hardly the shoddy and dull knockoff many reviewers have previously suggested. No classic, perhaps, but a lot of fun. --Tom Keogh

DVD Information

Binding: DVD
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Brand: Sony
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Original Release Date:
Actors:

• Robert Shaw
• Harrison Ford
• Barbara Bach
• Edward Fox
• Franco Nero

Reviews

Related posts:

1. The Guns of Navarone (1961)
2. Air Force (1943)
3. Inglorious Bastards (Quel Maledetto Treno Blindato, 1978)
4. The Road to World War II (1978, 2011)
5. Gray Lady Down (1978)
6. The Deer Hunter (1978)

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 5:53 am and is filed under 1970s, Reviews, World War II Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.