Shortly after the end of WW1 a unit of French Foreign Legion troops is sent to guard an archaeological dig in the Moroccan desert. Leading the contingent is Major Foster, a tough, hard-nosed veteran of WW1. Their timing is not ideal: the local tribes, under their leader El Krim, are uniting and attacking French settlements.
On paper this film had the makings of a great Beau Geste-like adventure, complete with Gene Hackman in the lead role. In reality it is not great.
The plot is weak and clumsy, filled with sub-plots that add nothing, developments that seem contrived or predictable. The whole Terrence Hill-Catherine Deneuve sub-plot was dull and just serve to pad the script: very dull and pointless.
Plus, for a movie that seemed to promise much action, there isn't much. The battle towards the end is decent and a suitable climax to the film but even that gets undone by some silly developments.
Disappointing.
On paper this film had the makings of a great Beau Geste-like adventure, complete with Gene Hackman in the lead role. In reality it is not great.
The plot is weak and clumsy, filled with sub-plots that add nothing, developments that seem contrived or predictable. The whole Terrence Hill-Catherine Deneuve sub-plot was dull and just serve to pad the script: very dull and pointless.
Plus, for a movie that seemed to promise much action, there isn't much. The battle towards the end is decent and a suitable climax to the film but even that gets undone by some silly developments.
Disappointing.