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Christopher Walken, Tom Berenger, Colin Blakely, Hugh Millais, Paul Freeman ... see more see more... , Jean-François Stévenin , JoBeth Williams , Robert Urquhart , Winston Ntshona , Pedro Armendariz Jr. , Harlan Cary Poe , Ed O'Neill , Isabel Grandin , Ernest Graves , Kelvin Thomas , Shane Rimmer , Father Joseph Konrad , Bruce McLane , George W. Harris , David Schofield , Terence Rigby , Tony Mathews , Christopher Asante , Thomas Baptiste , Jim Broadbent , William Cain , Erica Creer , Lawrence Davidson , Kenny Ireland , Olu Jacobs , Jean-Pierre Kalfon , Martin LaSalle , Jack Lenoir , Christopher Malcolm , Andre Penvern , Hugh Quarshie , John Quentin , Eddie Tagoe , Victoria Tennant , Ilario Bisi-Pedro , Diana Bracho , Jose Rabelo , Sheila Ruskin , Robert Berger

Christopher Walken stars in John Irvin's graphic adaptation of Frederick Forsythe's novel about a mercenary sent to overthrow the government of an African country. Walken is Shannon, an American soldi... read more read more...er of fortune who has staged incidents in Central America and Africa that helped topple governments. Shannon decides to take on one more mission when American businessman Endean (Hugh Millais), working for a large mining company wanting to move into an African country, hires Shannon to scout out the terrain of the country and see if the government is weak enough to be overthrown. Shannon assumes the guise of a photographer for a nature magazine and travels through the country, meeting a wide-array of people. But the government becomes suspicious of Shannon and throws him in jail, where, between torture sessions, he meets an imprisoned dissident leader. Through his imprisonment, Shannon comes to understand more fully the struggles of the African country. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

54% liked it

5,182 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

11 critics

R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: John Irvin

Release Date: June 1, 1980

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DVD Release Date: November 20, 2001

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Stats: 168 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (168)

  • kpn666
    August 8, 2006
    kpn666
    Classic and undderated! Noone gives this mercenary war movie enuff credit - it deserves heaps more! Christopher Walken is Shannon, the mercenary hired to subvert a small African nation for high paying executives - until his encounter as a prisoner and his morality takes charge i... read moren his firestorm war against the totalitarian government. WONDERFUL!
  • jam233
    July 14, 2009
    jam233
    Fair to above average film, good performances, especially JoBeth Williams, but it never rises much above ordinary. Well produced with a reasonably interesting story. Watchable but not particularly memorable.
  • bloodrootgraveyarddi
    July 14, 2007
    bloodrootgraveyarddi
    Anything with Walken is bound to take a twist. He plays the double edged, half psychotic 'hero' very welll.
  • soheilr2656
    June 29, 2007
    soheilr2656
    Chirstopher Walker is a badass, Fredrick Forsyth is a badass writer and better then Tom Clancy. This is a great adaptation of a novel and the perfect "how-to" guide for staging a coup. Just ask Mark Thatcher.

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Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Mr. Walken is unusually convincing in a difficult, hermetic kind of role. Full Review

Clint Morris
October 26, 2008
Clint Morris, Tsunami Magazine

A bonafide classic. Walken is terrific

Christopher Null
July 6, 2006
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

The Dogs of War is a guilty pleasure that is now old enough it sometimes actually pops up on Turner Classic Movies. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

This is just another weary hack job from a rootless British film industry in decline. Full Review

Brian Mckay
March 19, 2003
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com

Cry Havoc . . . and wake me up for the last 15 minutes. Not a bad film, but it is a bit of a mixed bag. I just wish that bag had held a higher body count. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 27, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Thomas Delapa
January 21, 2005
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly

No review available.

Carol Cling
February 20, 2004
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

James O'Ehley
August 4, 2003
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

No review available.

Nicolas Lacroix
December 14, 2002
Nicolas Lacroix, Showbizz.net

No review available.

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  • There's a secret war being waged in the homes and neighborhoods of Earth that the humans don't even know about; an eternal struggle between two great armies ***  Answer »
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