The domino principle

Year of release : 1977

 

Run time : 1h37min

 

Genre : Thriller / Mystery / Neo Noir

 

Cast : Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen

 

 

The movie is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Adam Kennedy,and was adapted for the screen by the author.

 

Roy, a Vietnam war veteran, is doing time in the San Quentin prison for murdering his wife's first husband,for being violent with her.

He is introduced by the warden to a mysterious man who tells him he can help him escape prison,if he does ,after, what they want him to, but they refuse to tell him what it is. The man and his associate,Ross Pine,who looks tired and about to fall asleep while standing all the time, tell him they work for a secret organization.

 

After refusing the offer, he reconsiders, and tells them he is in, only if they can take his cell mate with them, Oscar. Oscar warns him about these people being shady, grooming him to be an expandable hitman.

 

After they escape,with the help of the prison staff, the two men working for the organization,k1ll Oscar,and sweep Roy to the Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco. In the hotel room, he meets the general and other people working for the organization,who tell him they're going to take him to see his wife.

 

After meeting with his lawyer to find out what's going on, his lawyer ends up dead. The members of the organization let him know they did it.

They ,after ,take him to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where they took his wife! After spending some time with her, trying to get a citizenship, the members of the organization take him,put him in a helicopter, and ask him to shoot the cans they threw in the water. Seeing he shoots 10 out of 12, they take him to a secluded house, to shoot a man, and when Roy realizes they want him to k1ll a politician, he refuses.

This leads to them kidnapping his wife,threatening her life.

 

Roy realizes that's the only reason he was released from jail, and doesn't know what to do.

 

The movie had a good idea,but most of the time I didn't know what exactly was going on,as they don't reveal much, and at times I was wondering if they cut scenes out. There's a scene in which Roy beats a guy up,after he asks for someone to fix his air conditioner,and throws him off the stairs. Was that one of the bad guys, or just an unlucky fellow?

 

The acting was Ok, the actor who played Ross Pine always looked sleepy,moving in slow motion,like a tired person,it was annoying.

 

You can watch the full movie here, for free : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VII1FGBHfJg&ab_channel=CarnabyStreet

 

Rating : Could have been a contender!