By Lee Pfeiffer
Fans of mercenary-themed action films like The Wild Geese, Dark of the Sun and The Dogs of War will be happy to know that the 1969 action adventure The Last Grenade has been released by Scorpion on DVD. Best of all, like most titles from this company, it is a Region 0 DVD, meaning it can be played on any system in the world. The film stars Stanley Baker as a tough-as-nails mercenary leader who we first see with a large contingent of his men as they await rescue in Africa after successfully completing a mission. When the rescue helicopter arrives, however, the men are largely mowed down by Baker's partner, played by Alex Cord. The double-cross is the centerpiece of the story, as Baker and his small band of surviving men plot to have their revenge. The opportunity comes when they are summoned by a British General (Richard Attenborough) to Hong Kong. Here, they are informed that Cord has allied himself with Communist terrorists who are trying to undermine British control of the territory. Because they hide on bases in mainland China, the British government can't officially pursue them, thus it's a job for mercenaries.
Baker and his team find out that Cord is not just deceitful, but also brilliant when it comes to outflanking them. He lures them into a series of traps with devastating consequences. Baker ends up in the hospital, but convalescence is somewhat eased by the fact that he starts a torrid affair with Attenborough's prim-and-proper wife (Honor Blackman). Nevertheless, this distraction doesn't deter him from doggedly pursuing his former partner, leading to a climax in which he sets off alone for a mano-a-mano duel to the death.Â
The Last Grenade is not of the caliber of The Wild Geese, which still stands as the Citizen Kane of betrayed mercenary movies. However, it is a consistently engrossing and highly exciting film (though a dash of humor might would have been welcomed, as it's a relentlessly grim affair.) Baker is a commanding screen presence and he is backed up by a fine supporting cast that also includes Andrew Keir, John Thaw and young Julian Glover. The weakest link is the casting of Alex Cord, who overdoes the kooky hippie routine - a move that is somewhat at odds with his character's reputation as a mastermind. The director, Gordon Flemying (who helmed a couple Doctor Who feature films) keeps the action well-paced and makes the most of the exotic locations. The movie has spawned a devoted cult following over the years and fans can take comfort in the fact that the DVD release boasts a very high quality widescreen transfer. The release also includes the original trailer as well as trailers for other Scorpion DVDs.(The box also refreshingly presents the terrific original poster artwork).
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