Wild Geese II (1985)

Wonderful character development!

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

WILD GEESE II is a stand-alone sequel to the Richard Burton film; none of the cast return and the story is quite different here with different characters in a different situation. This is a men-on-a-mission film in which some mercenaries are tasked with springing notorious Nazi Rudolph Hess from a Russian-run prison in West Berlin, a task which is every bit as tense and difficult as it sounds.This is a largely criticised movie that suffers from having an overlong running time; around the middle part of the production the pacing really flags and half an hour could easily have been cut out to give it more pace and momentum. Saying that, the pacing problems are really the only problem the film has, as otherwise it's a solid thriller with interesting cast members and well-directed action from old-timer Peter Hunt.The story and execution reminded me of RONIN a little, although the Frankenheimer film is by far the better of the two. Scott Glenn makes for a taciturn hero although Barbara Carrera is a weak spot as the female of the piece, reduced to a screaming damsel-in-distress by the end. The best role goes to Edward Fox, riffing on his old DAY OF THE JACKAL character. Laurence Olivier's cameo as Rudolph Hess is a memorable one even if he gets little screen time, while Derek Thompson is also fine as a slimy IRA man. The supporting actors are all effective too. Once the pacing picks up, WILD GEESE II remains entertaining through to the end, and the action is stark and realistic; I liked it.

A very disappointing ending, I kept waiting for the reason WHY the people involved wished to "rescue" Hess! but this was never revealed, what a waste of good actors in my opinion. The ending was a bit rushed with no real conclusion. A pointless remake with the original far superior. OK acting with some good action but with no story as such. Nothing to really hold you except that you kept wondering why they wanted to "rescue" him and that by the end of the film you are still kept wondering. Actors were trying to make a story from the film but to no avail. Some good dialogue and reasonable tension makes it just about watchable.

This is a highly underated film. For those of you who love Hard action films , this is perfect. Peter Hunt gives the procedings a no frills, lean and mean pace. He brilliantly captures the tough World the characters live in. I loved the first film, this isn't as good but is entertaining enough. It is very much like 'Who dares Wins' in its uncinical approach to fast and heavy violence. The characters are not nice people so there is little love loss between them. Scott Glenn plays the lead Emotionless and I believe this is done on purpose.

As a fan of the original "Wild Geese," I couldn't help but be crushingly disappointed by this disjointed, boring "sequel." Scott Glen goes through the film as if on Prozac and Barbara Carrera is strictly no-talent eye-candy. Edward Fox looks bored in yet another of his Jackal-ripoff roles. As for Laurence Olivier as Hess, well, it looks like he thought he would reprise his embarrassing performance as Neil Diamond's father in the 1980 "Jazz Singer." This was just one more of the many child-support-and-alimony-payments-are-due roles that crowded the end of his otherwise distinguished career.