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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Tango Entertainment
Salesrank: 7287
Released: September 27, 2005 |
| Our Price: $9.64 |
| Used Price: $5.49 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Mixing action, humor, sentiment, and even a few righteous moral convictions, The Wild Geese is good, rousing fun. Released theatrically in 1978 (oddly, this 2005 DVD release is referred to as the "30th Anniversary Edition"), director Andrew V. McLaglen’s film depicts the adventures of a group of British mercenaries hired by a shady multinational corporation to free the benevolent leader of an African nation held captive by a ruthless dictator. Led by the caustic, no-nonsense Col. Allen Faulkner (Richard Burton), these soldiers of fortune are all stout fellows out to earn a big payday and restore a good man to his rightful place of power (the underlying message of universal racial brotherhood is effective, if somewhat simplistic), and they do their job swiftly and efficiently... at least until they're double-crossed by their venal, perfidious employers, at which point the film becomes a tale of survival and revenge. The cast, which also includes Richard Harris, Roger Moore, and a host of other fine veteran actors, is first-rate, the story-telling efficient, the dialogue entertaining (with occasional bursts of profanity), and the action reasonably exciting and not overly graphic. And even if the pace is somewhat leisurely by new millennium standards (we're nearly an hour into it before the actual mission starts), The Wild Geese is a very enjoyable ride. Bonus features include a profile of producer Euan Lloyd and commentary by Lloyd, Moore, and journalist Jonathan Sothcott. --Sam Graham
The Wild Geese (30th Anniversary Edition) Reviews:
Wild Geese 
2008-08-27 - My husband asked me to get this for him. He has watched it many times since we got it and has thoroughly enjoyed having it in our movie collection. Excellent!
Cheesy but entertaining 
2008-08-22 - A small band of mercenaries is sent into an unnamed country in Africa to snatch a political figure held prisoner. The operation is financed by a wealth English businessman who is looking to make a fortune with a change in government. Richard Burton leads the expedition, with Roger Moore (pre-James Bond) and Richard Harris along for the ride. Lots of old friends and associates are assembled and transported to Africa where the training of the largely 40-something men begins. The rescue operation goes smoothly until there is a change in plans by the financier and the mercs are abandoned on the ground to their own devices.
I hadn't watched this film in thirty years, then decided to take a look at it again after reading a bit about the Selous Scouts. This film is pretty much run of the mill Hollywood action/adventure type stuff of the 70s. For a modern audience, the action/violence is sanitized and highly stylized. There is certainly none of the drama or intensity in modern war films like Saving Private Ryan. In fact, I would characterize it as laughable tame (kind of reminds me of the Peckinpah film Cross of Iron). Richard Burton is way too old to play the role assigned to him in this film, he looks out of shape and ready to collapse. The mercenaries definitely don't come across as being all that tough. The African soldiers battling the valiant mercs are even worse. They blindly charge into machine guns to be mowed down in huge numbers until they push ahead based solely on sheer numbers. Really cheesy.
For all of its drawbacks though, this is still a decent film. The overall idea was very good. As a teen in the 70s when I first saw this film, I had virtually no understanding or even awareness of the real-life events in Rhodesia and elsewhere that inspired this movie. This film is valuable if for no other reason than it keeps the memory of the end of the colonial era in Rhodesia and elsewhere alive. While the West was fighting the Cold War, Africa was (and still is) tearing itself apart as it came out of it's colonial (and tribal) past. The training scene with Jack Watson as RSM Sandy Young is a classic. He is berating the out of shape mercs and reminding them that they aren't on the Queen's parade ground (i.e. there are basically no rules)! The prisoner (Julius Limbani) is supposedly an eloquent African statesman and deposed president of an unnamed central African country. During one part of the film, he is unable to walk and must be carried by one of the (white) South African members of the mercenary band. The dialog between these two as they are slogging through the bush about the institutionalism of racism and how whites and blacks can co-exist in Africa is outstanding. An entertaining film with some significant merits and significant drawbacks.
pawns in the game . . .
2008-08-15 - Hired by a British financier (Stewart Granger), the Wild Geese are a mercenary group, sent into Africa to rescue a political leader (Winston Ntshona) being held captive at a military post. The group consists of mostly experienced soldiers, led by Colonel Faulkner (Richard Burton), parachute drop into action, where they attack an army camp, free the prisoner, and make their escape with the army close on their heels. The Geese find that they are just pawns in a greater game, when their plans for escape go awry. With the enemy in hot pursuit, the group is forced to make a desperate bid for survival.
Once the preliminaries are out of the way, director Andrew McLaglen's film is a straightforward, violent and sometimes brutal tale, told in a familiar British cinematic style. The Wild Geese prove to be an efficient and deadly fighting force, with a genuine fondness for tossing grenades. Politics has a part in the proceedings, but there are no easy solutions, as sometimes sacrifices must be made, so that the hope for peace can continue. Even with health issues, Richard Burton manages to handle the demanding role of a combat leader. The supporting cast is very stout as well, with comrades-in-arms, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, Hardy Kruger, and Jack Watson.
The film has its flaws, but solidly delivers in the combat and warfare departments. Enjoy The Wild Geese for what it is. They don't make them like this, with actors of this stature, anymore. The extras for this epic include a feature on producer Euan Lloyd, and a warm, informal group commentary by Lloyd, second unit director John Glen (The Spy Who Loved Me/Moonraker), and Sir Roger Moore.
Great Action...Interesting History
2008-01-28 - The Wild Geese is a well made action yarn directed by Andrew McLaglen, son of the well known character actor Victor McLaglen. It is based on a novel of the same name and stars four big name stars of the day, 1970's, Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, and Hardy Kruger. It has a great supporting case, mostly British and South African, most notably Stewart Granger and Winston Ntshona. Filmed entirely in northern Transvaal, South Africa, the story is loosely based on events in the Congo, now Zaire, in the 1960's. Simply the rightful leader of an African country, held prisoner for many years, is rescued by a group of 50 or so mercenaries, recruited in the UK. But, things change quickly in Africa and now the mercenaries and the person they are rescuing are abandoned by the money boys back in Europe. I find the film interesting on many accounts, most notably I remember when mercenaries from all over the world were running up and down Africa fighting for both good and bad. The location backdrop is fascinating and overall the story is just a good yarn. The film makes reference to Rhodesia, which at that time was an outlaw state. (But, when one thinks of the thugs running Zimbabwe today I guess "outlaw" is a relative term.) It was about this time that many countries in the west passed domestic laws against their own citizens pursuing a career in the mercenary business. The time of the out in the open Soldier of Fortune is long past, but one suspects it probably still goes on. This film is loosely based on the life of Colonel "Mad" Mike Hoare, whose little band of men once tried to take over the Seychelle Islands back in the 1970's. In fact Mad Mike was technical advisor on this film. Also, this was the time of the Angola Civil War and one of the outcomes of that conflict was the trial of mercenaries who had fought on the losing side. The Wild Geese will give you a good introduction into that time in history. The film was made at the end of Richard Burton's life and his acting is much more relaxed and a joy to watch. If the film has a fault it is the 60ish Richard Harris acting like he is 18. The 30th Anniversary edition of The Wild Geese contains interesting extras. A documentary about the producer and one about the making of the film, as well as some factual background information on Moise Tshombe whose real life story inspired the book on which this film is based. This one is a recommended buy.
Dirty Tears 
2007-10-15 - Fans of war movies should catch it. If you aren't a fan of movies like "The Dogs of War", "The Dirty Dozen", and "Tears of the Sun" you may not appreciate it as much. A large mercenary group is hired to plan and rescue an African political leader to prevent his murder by a rival faction. When the business man funding the venture changes his side for his own interests he cuts their planned air lift out. The mercenaries must now trek across country to a friendly country to escape. Lots of killing and explosions. Not for the squemish. This is a raw war movie.
