Rent Terror on the Britannic (1974)

Action Classic. - Terror on the Britannic review by Steve

Nerve shredding action thriller which should be far better known. This sort of brawny, incendiary blockbuster was hugely popular in the seventies, often adapted from fat bestsellers typical of Alistair MacLean, or Hammond Innes. Juggernaut has an original screenplay, based on a real event on the QE2. It's the best of the decade.

Much of the credit goes to director Richard Lester's control of suspense. Actually, the plot is quite familiar. An anonymous terrorist has smuggled several massive bombs into the cargo of a luxury ocean liner and wants half a million from the company or else. A team of rugged bomb disposal specialists must defuse the explosive and save the 1200 people on board.

Meanwhile, back in London, the police attempt to track down the bad guy with a grudge. By the time we get to the red wire/blue wire climax, the tension is extraordinary. Kudos is due to Richard Harris for a terrific star performance as the fatalistic expert with the pliers. The location shoot on the turbulent ocean gives the hokum a touch of grey realism.

The set up is like a disaster film with a support cast of diverse character actors playing the frightened public and crew. But it becomes more about the co-ordinated action plan to stop the explosion. The cutaways to the panicky passengers are a slight weakness. There's far too much of Roy Kinnear. The real drama is back with the naval officer hunched over the anti-tremor mechanism.