A mad general sets in motion a plan to incite nuclear war due to the monstrously conceived Communist plot known only to himself as 'fluoridation'

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2006)

It is a mark of quality that this film is perhaps as relevant today as it was when it was made. Even more remarkable that it has such power at all considering how silly it comes across, yet there is surely no other film that gets its message to the viewer in quite such a brilliant way. It is the fact that the characters are portrayed as so stupid that makes the message so powerful, alongside the pessimistic ending of the film. Peter Sellars proves what an exceptional actor he was by playing his various roles with aplomb. George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden back Sellars up with similarly impressive creations who last long in the memory. As for the late legend Stanley Kubrick, this - closely followed by Full Metal Jacket - is his true masterpiece. There is most certainly no other film like it and to attempt to make a film with such serious issues and film it as a farce is obviously a difficult thing to do successfully. Finally, every person in the world should see this film because it has the simple but effective message that politics of fear is a bad thing for the world, a message that still needs to made today, perhaps more than ever.