This French film was re-made for English-speaking audiences in 1980 with the title, "Sorcerer," and I've watched that film a half-dozen times. It's excellent and, frankly, a far more interesting movie than this one.
That is not to say Wages Of Fear is not without merit. It's just that most of the first hour of this film is wasted. It has little meaning. At least in the 1980 version, it showed how four men from around the world got to where they were and why they took the chance they did. here, even tough the pre-journey intro is much longer, it's vague with too many scenes that mean nothing. Once the action starts - the two-truck, nitroglycerin-filled 300-mile trip through rugged terrain - this is an interesting film as well. Then it paints a better picture of the personalities of the four men while keeping good suspense. That general suspense story is the same in both movies but the obstacles along the way of the treacherous journey are different and the fate of the men a bit different.
There is some excellent black-and white cinematography in this film and a big reason for me to see it again, this time on DVD. However, I might skip some of that first hour.
That is not to say Wages Of Fear is not without merit. It's just that most of the first hour of this film is wasted. It has little meaning. At least in the 1980 version, it showed how four men from around the world got to where they were and why they took the chance they did. here, even tough the pre-journey intro is much longer, it's vague with too many scenes that mean nothing. Once the action starts - the two-truck, nitroglycerin-filled 300-mile trip through rugged terrain - this is an interesting film as well. Then it paints a better picture of the personalities of the four men while keeping good suspense. That general suspense story is the same in both movies but the obstacles along the way of the treacherous journey are different and the fate of the men a bit different.
There is some excellent black-and white cinematography in this film and a big reason for me to see it again, this time on DVD. However, I might skip some of that first hour.