Juggernaut (1974) 6.6
A blackmailer demands a huge ransom in exchange for information on how to disarm the seven bombs he placed aboard the transatlantic liner Britannic. Director:Richard Lester |
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Juggernaut (1974) 6.6
A blackmailer demands a huge ransom in exchange for information on how to disarm the seven bombs he placed aboard the transatlantic liner Britannic. Director:Richard Lester |
|
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Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Richard Harris | ... | ||
Omar Sharif | ... |
Captain Alex Brunel
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David Hemmings | ... |
Charlie Braddock
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Anthony Hopkins | ... | ||
Shirley Knight | ... |
Barbara Bannister
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Ian Holm | ... |
Nicholas Porter
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Clifton James | ... |
Corrigan
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Roy Kinnear | ... |
Social Director Curtain
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Caroline Mortimer | ... |
Susan McLeod
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Mark Burns | ... |
Hollingsworth
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John Stride | ... |
Hughes
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Freddie Jones | ... |
Sidney Buckland
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Julian Glover | ... |
Commander Marder
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Jack Watson | ... |
Chief Engineer Mallicent
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Roshan Seth | ... |
Azad
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Some unknown maniac is threatening a navigation company to blow up one of its luxury transatlantics, the "Britannic", now in high sea with 1200 passengers. He is asking for a £500,000 ransom, otherwise the 7 bombs aboard will explode. An experienced anti-bomb squad is sent to the "Britannic", but although all the bombs are located, a very high skill level will be necessary to dismantle them. Perhaps that task is impossible... Written by Luis Carvacho <lcarvach@lascar.puc.cl>
Not to say there are no thrills in this 1974 British offering for the jumbled genres of action and disaster so prevalent in this particular decade, because there are more than enough for it to warrant entry into both genres. Although the sum of its parts is a simple Good Vs Evil axis the film has the bonus {and important trait} of characters that are thoroughly believable, be it Richard Harris's stoic Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Fallon, or Roy Kinnear's Social Director Curtain, both men poles apart on a social level but crucially; both men that exist in the real world.
The film follows a predictable format of character building because the type of film demands it, if people are going to be in peril then we want to care about them, or at the very least know about them. Juggernaut does this very well, so that when the second half of the film kicks in, when the brave bomb disposal guys are putting life and limb on the line, the film has our undivided attention. It's then a case of hold your breath as the tension rises, and it's all played out with some delightful dialogue from the lead players in the film. This is good honest film making in a much criticised genre and it certainly is worth a look at least once for those interested in quality suspense without the end of the world being at stake. 7/10