Fearless action from some of the 60's toughest character-actors.

Rating: 6/10 (2 May 2007)

What better way to fight a war than with people crazy enough not to care much whether they live or die? This was one of the first tough guy(s) against the odds setup, but it worked well enough to spawn a host of descendants that carried on the formula. It's reasonable to assume, for example, that without the success of this back in the day there would have been no "A-Team" for me to enjoy as I was growing up.
Not even in the latter example however did they manage to enlist such a high quotient of acting talent. It's more fun to go along with the brawn and brute force when you have dab hands of their trade dishing it out for you. Lee Marvin and Telly Savalas are a couple of standouts, but my personal favourite is the unpredictable screen presence of Jim Brown.
In the early part of the film it's fun to see these bunch of reprobates clash with unyielding authority. Once we get to the heart of the mission however this playful tone disappears almost completely to be replaced by a nihilistic attitude, allowing us to see just why these 12 individuals got their filthy reputation. It'll be a tough switch for some, no doubt, but at least there are no punches pulled. If you're looking for mercenary, uncompromising battle, then this is the daddy that without doubt taught the likes of Rambo and Co. a few tricks!