I didn't think much of the film but the book is pretty good - well the first few pages were wobbly but then once the action started it didn't let up with the pursuer discovering a dead body, then another dead body then another, and figuring out stuff that's going on and taking action but still being behind... then the ship is hijacked.
In top MacLean style there's plenty of passages where the hero describes himself as being in pain and how ruthless and smart his enemies are, and excellently described fight scenes. The baddies do let the hero live when surely they would suspect him more.
A girl is allowed along on this one - the daughter of the owner of the ship who proves brave as well as beautiful and badgers the hero into marriage. There's also a doctor, the gruff captain and a ruthless baddy and his son... plus an atomic bomb. Lots of clambering around ships and people being thrown off the edge. The baddies do have quite a convoluted plan but they are effective enemies - smart leader, forty men.
I like the ending where they were hanging around waiting for the baddies to blow up in an atomic bomb. I also like how Carter, the hero, maintained an element of mystery. The ship stuff all feels real - MacLean loved his boats.
This should have made a better movie than it did.
No comments:
Post a Comment