Film Review: Wild Geese II (1985)

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Films don’t need to be atrocious in order to cause major embarrassment to people involved in their production. Few details in merely subpar film can be enough for create such effect. An example for that can be found in Wild Geese II, 1985 British action thriller directed by Peter Hunt, which is considered one of the more obscure works in its stars’ and director’s filmographies.

The film represents sequel to The Wild Geese, immensely popular 1978 war film about small band of mercenaries conducting spectacular rescue mission in Africa. This film, like the original, is based on the novel by Rhodesian writer Daniel Carney. Following the prologue, that quickly rehashes events from the original film, the plot begins in 1982 London. Alex Faulkner (played by Edward Faulkner), former British Army officer and brother of the mercenary leader from the previous film, is brought to the offices of American television network where its director Robert McCann (played by Robert Webber) offers huge amount of money for spectacular but extremely dangerous rescue mission. The target is Spandau Prison in West Berlin where Rudolf Hess (played by Laurence Olivier), former deputy of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, serves life sentence as the last remaining man convicted at Nuremberg Trial. McCann’s idea is to have Hess set free in order to give interview where he would, hopefully, tell all kinds of dirty secrets about shady diplomatic dealings before and during Second World War. Since Spandau, jointly controlled by four Allied Powers, happens to be the most guarded prison in the world, McCann initially refuses but recommends his old friend, Lebanese American former soldier and mercenary John Haddad (played by Scott Glenn) for the job. Haddad takes the contract and goes to West Berlin to scout and plan operation, but his activities are noticed by various parties like British intelligence, Soviets and local neo-Nazis, which have different ideas whether Hess should be free or remain in prison.

Wild Geese II is sequel to The Wild Geese only in broadest of terms. Two films have different protagonists and belong to different genres, with latter being closer to more subdued spy thriller than war spectacle. Reginald Rose, scriptwriter of the first film, does rather uninspired work in the second film, burdening director Peter Hunt and the audience with extremely complicated plot that would be hard to comprehend for viewers unfamiliar with Second World War or its Cold War aftermath. Film, on the other hand, tries to exploit exotic settings of Berlin, divided city where Spandau, its sole prisoner and complicated system of joint Allied Powers control gave the sole reason for Cold War adversaries to pretend that they were still allies. Unfortunately, the script drowns in too much exposition, which is followed by complicated and often incomprehensible Cold War intrigues and usually uninspired action scenes. Scott Glenn does solid job as stone cold mercenary, but he lack chemistry with the rest of the cast. Edward Fox, who was cast as replacement for Richard Burton, star of The Wild Geese who had died shortly before the start of production, tries to bring little levity to proceedings and act as some sort of comic relief, but he appears too little in the film to have such impact. Barbara Carrera in the role of television producer supervising the operation has exotic looks, but lacks chemistry with Glenn in obligatory (and not very convincing) romantic subplot.

The most interesting member of the cast is Olivier, acting legend near the very end of his career, who is quite convincing in portraying Hess as a frail and broken man, burdened with conscience, unable and unwilling to enjoy offered freedom. This is actually the most problematic part of the film, where fiction runs contrary to historical record of real life Hess (who committed suicide in Spandau two years after the film) as unapologetic Nazi and anti-Semite. This fiction was, on the other hand, necessary for the audience to root for protagonists who, in essence, directly or indirectly, cause deaths of many people in order to help convicted war criminal escape justice. But it wasn’t well-thought fiction, because it disregarded real life considerations of its basic concept and the scriptwriters never bothered to explain why would even the most powerful television network executive risk criminal prosecution and advertisers’ boycotts over the scoop about events that happened decades ago. Although it had few interesting scenes, the problematic premise and derivative nature made Wild Geese II easily forgettable for anyone involved. Patrick Stewart, who briefly appears in the role of Soviet general, later described his role as the most embarrassing in his career. Those willing to believe Stewart’s opinion could easily spare themselves from two hours of disappointment.

RATING: 4/10 (++)