A violent war film, and a great action-adventure entertainment...

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2000)

Robert Aldrich seemed torn between American heroism or to indulge in a celebration of violence with an intriguing angle on combat in World War II adventure...
A dozen dangerous criminals (thieves, murderers, rapists, psychopaths) - serving life sentences - offered a chance of pardon if they take part in a hazardous commando mission... They are trained to kill on a different level under the leadership of an insubordinate major, very short on discipline, and dropped in parachute near Rennes in Brittany to destroy a large fortified château used as a rest center and a conference place for general staff officers...
The initial tension between Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) and the convicts quickly collapses while Aldrich's ability was building considerable tough action scenes...
Aldrich didn't neglect the character development of his superb cast offering some insights into the personalities of this unusual recruits... His believes that self-interest is the motive of all human conduct... Aldrich filled the sense of outrage of his characters, a sense so brave and different in "Attack," in 1957.
The claims about capital punishment and the anti-militarism spirit were quickly discarded in favor of the terrific and cruel action scenes: the bloody climax which has a considerable number of German officers with the benefit of female companionship, all trapped in a bomb shelter...
Marvin and Oscar Nominee John Cassavetes stand out among the cast...
Lee Marvin creates the most interesting and influential violent hero: the sardonic major!
The game of death is played at its best in a powerful man's picture...
"The Dirty Dozen" formula was held later in André De Toth's "Play Dirty" in which a group of ex-criminals led by Captain Michael Caine, destroy a German oil depot in the North African campaign in World War II.