Not great, but entertaining

Rating: 7/10 (25 November 2014)

A good, but not great movie. However, despite its flaws it is quite entertaining.
Interesting idea: Allied POWs in WW2 get to play a soccer (/football...) match against the Germans. As a sub-plot, the soccer match is going to be used as a means to escape.
Escape-from-POW Camp movies are not a novel idea. However, the Allies vs Germans soccer match adds quite an original twist to the concept.
Plot is OK, but not entirely waterproof and does feel quite contrived at times. The good guys vs bad guys stereotypes are laid on rather thick, though Max von Sydow's character adds a bit of balance.
Performances are varied. Many of the actors are actually soccer stars (eg Pele, Bobby Moore - basically the entire Allied team except for Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone) so not there for their acting abilities (except in the penalty area...).
Caine gives a solid performance in the lead role. Stallone is his usual monosyllabic, one-dimensional self. The soccer players probably give better performances than him...
So, overall, has a trite and hammy feel to it. Nowhere near John Huston's best works as a director. However, flows well, never loses momentum and is quite entertaining.