Never really watched a lot of Clint Eastwood films in my movie viewing life, just caught a few here and there. But this one "The Gauntlet" was certainly a good one to watch and sure it's not one of Clint's tough guy westerns or his bad ass cop movies, still this movie has plenty of action and excitement and thrills even though his character is flawed. Eastwood is Ben Shockley a Phoenix, Arizona police officer who's also a "Jack Daniels" drinker and rugged looking guy who appears burned out and down on his luck. Yet it's his time to go to Las Vegas and pick up a witness to testify in a trial. And this is where things get complex his pickup is a Vegas hooker named Gus(Sondra Locke) and in the town of all odds the odds are against them both! Then the film takes off on a twisted path of betrayal and fast and furious excitement starting with blazing shootouts of bullets, flying helicopters, and crazed bikers and crooked police all round out the journey. Thru it all the story unfolds into a game of setup and police corruption tied into the world of the mob. And true the story and plot may not be strong or in depth this is still a treat for any Eastwood fan with it's action and fireworks, really it's a thrill ride of a watch and again the chemistry just like in so many of their early works is in top form between both Locke and Eastwood. Overall a nice watch and "The Gauntlet" in my opinion is an underrated classic.
Review of The Gauntlet
