Wild Geese 2 [DVD]

When I first saw this film in theaters many years ago, I enjoyed the action on screen and rich use of locations, yet balked at the preposterous plot line. In retrospect, I have to give in that this is just a movie and the story line is actually quite interesting. A great "what if" story that neatly employs many aspects of Berlin's late 20th century history.Another great factor about "Wild Geese 2" is that it really serves as a time capsule for 1980s Cold War Berlin. As I have become very familiar with Berlin over the past few years and have noted its rapid changes, one cannot help but see that many of its Cold War relics have disappeared. Therefore, the use of authentic locations (such as Spandau Prison, which as been demolished) serve as a window on a key part of Berlin's historic past and can acquaint viewers who do not recall the Cold War, as they were too young to remember or were not yet born, with a time when the world was very different and when many of us accepted the tensions of that era as a fact of life that we thought may continue throughout our lifetime.As we approach the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, viewing "Wild Geese 2" not only provide an entertaining story line, it also takes the viewer back to the intrigue and mystique of the divided city, whereas the former WWII allied powers played their chess match in Germany while the ghosts of the Nazi era, embodied by Rudolf Hess, helped to shape that unique period.While this movie has little to do with its excellent predecessor, it stands admirably on its own. I have always admired Euan Lloyd's films and found then to be well cast, set in great and authentic locations, as well as thoroughly entertaining. It is a shame he did not continue to produce more fine, if underrated and underappreciated, movies.

This belated sequel to the Richard Burton/Harris, Roger Moore and Hardy Kruger "Mercenary" movie made in the seventies---this one though stars none of the above-instead stars Scott Glenn (so good in The Right Stuff), Barbara Carrea (looking lost throughout) and Edward Fox--who at least appears to be having fun as Burton's brother Alex).Starting on the premise that a "kidnap" is possible of Rudolf Hess--for younger readers, he was one of Hitler's inner-circle-whom flew to the UK in 1941 at the height of World War 2.After the war Hess was one of the few NAZI's spared the noose. He was sent to Spandau Prison to see out the last of his days. Eventually he became the sole prisoner at Spandau.Guarded by four nations.The movie proposes that a small mercenery force is put together to "spring" him.This though isnt enough for the makers of WG2-instead they build a eleborate and often pointless set of conflicting loyalties, that dont really gel. Lines given to various actors are often without reference to each other--Paul Antrim and Derek Thompson appear to be replaying "harry's Game" within the movie.Peter Hunt whom had debuted with (one of my favourite Bonds)"On Her Majesty's Secret Service"--appears lost here also. Did Hunt get failed by his production team/ Screenplay or producer--probably all of the above.After saying that WG2 is an entertaining, rainy sunday movie--and if cheap enough worth picking up

Only watched this last night, having never seen it before.Well, it's not even in the same league as it's forerunner, that's for sure. I couldn't really pinpoint much to like about any of it. The script is generally terrible, with some amazingly leaden dialogue and ham-fisted 'exposition' for those who don't get what is going on. (I imagine the rest of us wouldn't care....)Examples: the scene where Alex Faulkner (Fox) is being shown some newsreel footage of Rudolph Hess. Like 'Colonel Faulkner' wouldn't know who he was?! And to get over the incredulity that some might feel about this, the script has Fox saying "I know about this" and Carerra replying "We're just reminding you"!!!!!Or the ridiculously unbelievable sequence where Scott Glen is out for a jog and is happened upon by Carerra (on a bicycle!), who manages to tease out of Glenn all the backstory of his character (usual cliches: his family murdered in the Middle East, he becomes a cold and emotionless death machine, etc etc....yawn). He is interrupted by someone ostensibly shooting at them (we have seen some intercuts of a man looking through a telescopic sight....). BANG! It is revealed that a wild boar or something is dead and the man is just a gamekeeper. Nothing whatsoever to do with the plot - just a manufactured bit of tosh which shocks the Carerra character into clinging to Scott Glenn and leading to the inevitable bedroom scene between the two characters. Awful.There's plenty more rubbish to view, but I wouldn't want to spoil your fun. Some of the supporting actors are good, but they are given ridiculous scenes and dialogue (Kenneth Haigh's exit from the film is nonsense...)When I saw a preview of this film I thought it was all solid action, but the previews always contain the few segments of 'action' that there is. There is lots of talk and everyone explains away the plot very carefully in the dialogue, just in case you don't get it. I can only assume that someone else got their hands on the script after Reginald Rose wrote his first draft.Barbara Carerra looks great, as usual, but has a very small slice of the action in reality. The overdramatic way she delivers her lines suggests to me that either she never was much of an actress or - more likely - she, like me, realised what tripe the script actually was.Scott Glenn may be the biggest casting problem. A film like this needed someone of the stature of Richard Burton. Glenn has neither the screen presence or personality to carry off the role and as such the central character is just a vaccuum at the heart of the film - a mistake of gigantic proportions in my opinion.Not even Roy Budd really rises to the occasion in this one; a tired and very average score - certainly nothing approaching the excellence of the music he wrote for the first film.Sorry, but it really is fairly dreadful from start to finish.

Perfect memories of when I went to see it in the cinema

Not a patch on the original first film but if a fan of this genre or the actors in it then an ok watch but just ok but that is only my opinion.

Ok movie, maybe shouldn't be named as a sequel to an absolute classic, that's what let's it down. But not a bad movie just has the wrong title.

a bit of a dud in the cinema,certainly below first film,but ok for a viewing at home,this dvd release is very good in the picture and not bad mono sound dept,anything with Edward Fox in it gets my vote,he is really funny in some parts of this film,however a better script and higher up the food chain movie stars would have helped,also a bit long,give it a go if nothing else on.