The Dogs of War
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Christopher Walken, Colin Blakely, Hugh Millais, Paul Freeman, Tom BerengerBrand: WALKEN,CHRISTOPHER
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-11-20
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of The Dogs of War
Movie Review: Who's the villain
Summary: 5 Stars
This film stands out because, unlike most action movies, the plot drives it. It's a portrayal of the life of mercenaries, pawns in the larger global game of power and profits, seen through the experiences of the character played by Christopher Walken. Its specific focus is a coup d'etat in Africa that must be executed by a clandestine force, necessarily commissioned outside the official channels of government. From its earliest stages, all aspects of the mission are rife with mortal danger, a typical reflection of the political forces vying to maintain their own interests. A veteran of several similar assaults, Walken's character is contacted to organize and implement the project. For him, it should be just another assignment, but this one is different. We see a grizzled, jaded soldier of fortune who is well-trained and honed for the task, but who is nonetheless hoping that this particular job may be his last, providing just enough of a pay-off to enable him to leave the life and pursue a more normal existence. Through the course of events, we therefore get not only a story of conflict but one that is personal as well.
The other film's strengths are its aversion to stereotypes and straw men. This is not the stuff of Chuck Norris or Sylvester Stallone. We are not subjected to distorted combat scenes where the hero wins the battle with one hand and the enemy is a stupid, sub-human dreg. Rather, we get a sense of the uncertainty of survival, of the brutal reality of life and death under unusual and exceptional circumstances. Within that context, the lines between good and evil, hero and villain, are blurred. Questions concerning loyalty and principle are posed. Who, in fact, is right? Who should win- and does it matter? Can the employer be trusted or even the other men in the unit?
This is as good a movie as there is in this genre. Walken's performance is compelling, bolstered by an excellent supporting cast(including an unexpectedly good showing from Tom Berenger). Fine direction of vivid action scenes ensures that the tempo does not drag, but balanced against that is suprisingly cutting, insightful and sensitive dialogue. This film thus succeeds at several levels and, while disturbing in tone, still makes for great entertainment.
Summary of The Dogs of War
Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction) is a brutal mercenary who must fight the ultimate battleagainst his own consciencein this powerful action thriller with a "heart-thumping tempo" (The Hollywood Reporter). The Dogs Of War is a spectacular adventure that brilliantly captures the gloryand horrorof war. Jamie Shannon (Walken) is a cynical warrior-for-hire who feels truly alive only in the heat of battle, and now he's aboutto take on the most challenging assignment of his career: to invade a corrupt African dictatorship and shift control to the "puppet" of a powerful British corporation. To prepare, Shannon masterfullytrains and equips a squad of deadly mercenaries with the latest and most destructive tactics and military hardware. But as their explosive assault begins, Shannon finds himself embroiled in an internal conflict of his own: Will this be his greatest triumph or has he sold his soul along with his battle expertise?Back before Christopher Walken became a caricature of himself, when he was still considered a rising actor based on his Oscar® for The Deer Hunter, he made this graphic, exciting action film, about a group of professional mercenaries. Walken leads a band of soldiers of fortune, who are hired to overthrow a dictator in West Africa (think Idi Amin). But when their mission is compromised by political and monetary forces, Walken returns to the United States, disillusioned, battered, and not sure the high life of lawyers, guns, and money is really for him. Still, vengeance is sweet, as his partner, Tom Berenger, keeps whispering into his ear. A better film than it's generally given credit for, The Dogs of War features the kind of cool, detached performance Walken used to be capable of, before he began believing both the hype and ridicule about his over-the-top style. --Marshall Fine