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Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, Ramon Bieri, Peter Capell ... see more see more... , Frederick Ledebur , Chico Martinez , Gus Allegretti , Amidou , Jean-Luc Bideau , Anne Marie Descott , André Falcon , Jacques François , Frank Gio , Karl John , Gerard Murphy , Joe Spinell , Randy Jurgensen , Nick Discenza , Ray Dittrich , Friedrich von Ledebur

The plot of William Friedkin's suspense thriller originated with the same Georges Arnaud novel that inspired Henri-Georges Clouzot's French suspense classic The Wages of Fear (1953). Roy Scheider, Bru... read more read more...no Cremer, Francisco Rabal, and Amidou play four men who, for various reasons, cannot return to their own countries. They end up in a dismal South American town where an American oil company is seeking out courageous drivers willing to haul nitroglycerin over 200 miles of treacherous terrain. The four stateless men have nothing to lose -- and, besides, they'll be paid 10,000 dollars apiece, and be granted legal citizenship, if they survive. The suspense is almost unbearable at times, even outdistancing the tension level of The Wages of Fear in certain scenes. Sorcerer had all the earmarks of a moneymaker, but this picture bombed for a rather odd and silly reason: its glaringly inappropriate title. Fans of Friedkin's The Exorcist may have gone home disappointed that not one sorcerer ever rears its ugly head. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

79% liked it

2,710 ratings

Critics

71% liked it

21 critics

PG, 2 hr. 1 min.

Directed by: William Friedkin

Release Date: June 24, 1977

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DVD Release Date: November 17, 1998

Stats: 212 reviews

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Bruno Cremer Bruno Cremer Sorcerer
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Flixster Reviews (212)

  • axadntpron
    December 1, 2011
    axadntpron
    Being an immense fan of the Clouzot's Wages of Fear, coupled with knowing Friedkin's hubris, made me not to thrilled to give this movie a whirl. However, my love for Scheider got the best of me and I finally spent some time with the film. And man am I glad I did.
    Does Friedkin ra... read moretchet up the suspense that makes the original feel stodgy? Never. But he does come pretty damn close and some scenes are pretty impressive to watch.
    While he misses capturing the desperation that is the focus of the original, Friedkin still focuses on greed as the prime motivation for these men. Unfortunately, he gives few captivating moments of how American economic exploits are tearing apart this Nicaraguan town and misses what I think were many good opportunities to really drive his point home. Yet, he seems less determined to make a statement and more intent on just taking the audience on one hell of a thrill ride. Sadly, this also means that we are kept at a distance from getting emotionally involved with these characters, even though Friedkin takes the time to give us a detailed backstory for most of them.
    On the whole, the film takes a different route than the original. It forgoes a message about economic greed and corporate domination, and really tries to give us a solid thriller. While his vision doesn't make for a breathtaking film, it is still a strong effort from Friedkin.
  • pier007
    March 2, 2011
    pier007
    As the characters in the picture, maybe William Friedkin was doomed from the instant he decided to tempt providence going back to H.G Clouzot's masterpiece. His most ambicious project was, from early stages, development hell, plus a terrible distribution date that condemned it to... read more be a flop, but worst things happened when the studio re cut it, and took away a lot of important footage, that's why from the moment this group of expendables aboard their vehicles and start their ordeal the rhythm of storytelling feels broken, with not enough interaction between them as in the original film.
    Nevertheless, it does justice to the original. some sequences are impressive, the suspense reached is almost unbearable, and Friedkin's trademark gritty documentary style suits the story perfectly.
    Tangerine Dream's soundtrack is classic, and Roy Scheider performance as a psychotic, world-weary fugitive is simply badass.
    One of those remakes done with passion and enough originality to be taken into account, rescued from obscurity.
  • kenstachnik
    July 16, 2007
    kenstachnik
    Wicked underrated
  • nuheart
    January 18, 2007
    nuheart
    This movie is universally panned, but I kind of liked it.
  • binky013
    April 13, 2006
    binky013
    One of the best "tough guys," no one sweats better on the way to winning or losing than Roy Scheider. This great movie, an American reworking of the Yves Montand thriller LE SALAIRE DE LA PEUR, highlights Scheider's knack for playing characters who live life moving from one do-o... read morer-die scenario to the next. A feel very similar to THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. Thinking about this movie, and ones like JAWS, MARATHON MAN, and THE FRENCH CONNECTION, I just have to say that Scheider should have had a bigger career. Well, flixster friends, he ain't dead yet. Who knows what he might accomplish before he's done. Scheider is always worth watching, no matter what the overall quality of the film may be. And fans know, he's definitely made his share of B's and lower.
  • cacutshaw
    April 27, 2008
    cacutshaw
    Awesome, gritty, tough as nails remake that is better than the original. Everyone is great in this and the storytelling and suspense are perfect. It had to open on the same day as Star Wars though, and thus faded into obscurity.
  • KassandraVictoriaOrgasm
    June 8, 2011
    KassandraVictoriaOrgasm
    In this remalke of the French, The Wages Of Fear, Roy Sheider is on the run from the mob and takes a job driving nitro trucks in a Latin American hell hole. Gritty and exciting.
  • TurkishStain
    March 10, 2009
    TurkishStain
    Shamefully ignored because of that Star Wars throwaway filth, Friedkin's remake of a classic is intense and involving with a great performance from an underrated Roy Scheider.
  • engrymfilm
    December 24, 2008
    engrymfilm
    Friedkin's remake is more straightforward even after the introduction of the four main characters absent from the original. But he makes up for it by cutting out the obvious things the audience can put together. A great remake, maybe holds tight on the same level as Clouzot's and... read more most surprisingly, it keeps the tension and the suspense that which made the original a masterpiece.
  • bradwest
    November 10, 2008
    bradwest
    This was the defining moment in 70's film history. In the summer of '77 you got this film, a trippy remake of 'The Wages of Fear' and on the other end the original Star Wars. Apparently greed is good.

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Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel
May 20, 2011
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

The new movie is handsomely shot and crisply edited. Why, then, does one rather distantly respect it instead of just plain liking it? It is an odd, disappointing feeling to take away from a summertime... Full Review

Variety Staff
May 16, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

William Friedkin's Sorcerer is a painstaking, admirable, but mostly distant and uninvolving suspenser based on the French classic The Wages of Fear. Full Review

May 20, 2011
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Friedkin's Sorcerer is just as gripping and spine-tingling an adventure film as The Wages of Fear and, at times, surpasses the original film with breathtaking photography and a superb use of sound Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
September 25, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Friedkin's maldit analysis of The Wages of Fear retains Clouzot's perverse punchline and adds plenty of its own Full Review

Cole Smithey
July 20, 2009
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

It's rare that a remake lives up to the original upon which it was based, but "Sorcerer" is that exceptional movie. Full Review

Urban Cinefile Critics
October 18, 2008
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

Sorcerer is simply riveting cinema, one of the most enthralling, suspenseful and heart-stopping films I have ever seen. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Friedkin hints at political themes, but the film suffers most from condescendingly over-emphatic direction, and a generally tedious, relentless grimy realism in the opening half hour. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
December 10, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The film could never shake the dark cloud that hung over its head. Full Review

Dan Jardine
August 21, 2005
Dan Jardine, Cinemania

A damned riveting film, from start to finish Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Though not a patch on the Clouzot movie, it is still rather gripping, the photography is superb, there is an excellent use of sound and an eerie electronic score by Tangerine Dream. Full Review

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Sorcerer Trivia

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