Review of The Dirty Dozen

by . .

war
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
Directed by Robert Aldrich
Full StarFull StarFull StarHalf StarEmpty Star
What Does The Score "3.5" Mean? Solid: Above the bar. The good parts sizably outweigh any shortcomings. I'm glad to have watched it once.

The process of training the titular "dirty dozen" into uncouth, unorthodox, but dependable soldiers would be a mere montage in a lesser movie. Here it's half the running time or more. As the soldiers interact with each other, rebel against discipline and take justice into their own hands, I am reminded of The Wages of Fear, which benefits from spending thirty minutes dwelling on the characteristics and attitudes of ordinary men who, in an utterly naturalistic way, become extraordinary.