The Wild Geese 4K 1978

This is the kind of movie they hardly ever make anymore. Three living legends Richard Burton, Richard Harris, and Roger Moore share the screen, and each of them is clearly having a blast in the company of the others. Burton carries the whole thing on his shoulders with that weary dignity he did best. Harris is explosive and unpredictable. Moore casts an ironic eye on everything that’s happening and it works.

The first hour is a leisurely recruitment and training sequence, but it never gets boring: the characters are well-developed, the dialogue is lively, and you start rooting for these people even before they enter the fray. When the action kicks in, it’s raw, gritty, and CGI-free which is a definite plus. The ending hits you in the gut without Hollywood sentimentality, truly bitter.

The film’s politics are controversial in places, and the spirit of the era is palpable in every frame, but that’s precisely what makes it a document of its time. A must-see for fans of classic 1970s action films.