The Dogs of War (1980)

Watched 2/11/24 (Prime Video)

The violence! The vengeance! The drama! The victory! The champagne! And, as advertised on the banger of a poster, the XM-18E1R projectile-launcher!

Am I a bad person for liking this movie? Probably, yes. Does this movie go hard as fuck? Definitively, yes.

Can’t say there is a sliver of morality in what is essentially High Plains Drifter or Outlaw Josey Wales (honestly any of those old Clint westerns where he gets wronged and decides to take no prisoners) updated via a wicked, bombastic ‘80s men-on-a-mission tweak. But that’s okay.

Walken is tremendous as mercenary Jamie Shannon, a guy who people keep fucking with and predictably get killed by. Let me tell you, if I met an ex-military wetwork guy who looked like Christopher Walken and whose name was Jamie Shannon, I certainly would not fuck with him. Natural selection if you do.

To lead his coup of Zangaro, Shannon brings in tow such familiar faces as a mustached Tom Berenger of Major League(!) and the not-often-enough-seen Paul Freeman of Belloq/Indy fame. Good ensemble that’s completely devoid of character or motivation. But Jamie is so captivating as their pissed-off leader that it’s cool just to watch him assemble this team of cardboard cutout scumbags to overthrow an African dictator who did not anticipate just how many grenade launchers Jamie would come back with after being deported.

Why they deported Jamie instead of just whacking him right there is never really answered outside of a few odd throwaway lines by Jamie’s reporter friend, but it all culminates in such a thrilling finale with so much satisfying “justice” that it’s worth all of the plot holes in the world. 

Excited to revisit this one with friends. Highly recommend.

8.25/10