I have never even heard of Juggernaut until catching it recently on Screenpix. That is surprising because I would have been 12 when it came out and would think to have seen it at a theater or the movie of the week been then. It appears to have almost disappeared for decades. Perhaps, given the cast, it was more popular in the UK.
The premise of the film is certainly promising. A cruise ship is crossing the North Atlantic in gale conditions that are ruining the social activities and making everyone miserable. There is, of course, an affair between the married socialite and the captain, some comic relief, and a variety of passengers with their own issues. Oh, yes, and a number of powerful bombs just to add to the misery. Think the Love Boat meets Shock Wave.
Clearly this was meant to be a blockbuster. The cast is all-star, albeit mostly British. Here you have Richard Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Ian Holm, David Hemmings, Jack Watson, the legendary Freddie Jones, along with Omar Sharif (as a British ship captain!) and Shirley Knight. Roy Kinnear and Clifton James add some lighter humor. All of this is thrown into some great visuals of the North Atlantic. The insertion of the bomb disposal team by air is especially worth watching.
Unfortunately, the overall film is rather slow and predictable. There are the overdone scenes of tension as the RN goes to work on the bombs while back in the UK Scotland Yard is looking for the rather obvious bomber. There are a few twists, but not enough. And all along we get loads of personal drama and soliloquies on the meaning of life. The suspense could have been a lot tighter and tauter. The ending is a let down. In the end you have an A movie cast and picture quality, but only a B movie plot.
The premise of the film is certainly promising. A cruise ship is crossing the North Atlantic in gale conditions that are ruining the social activities and making everyone miserable. There is, of course, an affair between the married socialite and the captain, some comic relief, and a variety of passengers with their own issues. Oh, yes, and a number of powerful bombs just to add to the misery. Think the Love Boat meets Shock Wave.
Clearly this was meant to be a blockbuster. The cast is all-star, albeit mostly British. Here you have Richard Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Ian Holm, David Hemmings, Jack Watson, the legendary Freddie Jones, along with Omar Sharif (as a British ship captain!) and Shirley Knight. Roy Kinnear and Clifton James add some lighter humor. All of this is thrown into some great visuals of the North Atlantic. The insertion of the bomb disposal team by air is especially worth watching.
Unfortunately, the overall film is rather slow and predictable. There are the overdone scenes of tension as the RN goes to work on the bombs while back in the UK Scotland Yard is looking for the rather obvious bomber. There are a few twists, but not enough. And all along we get loads of personal drama and soliloquies on the meaning of life. The suspense could have been a lot tighter and tauter. The ending is a let down. In the end you have an A movie cast and picture quality, but only a B movie plot.