Firepower
Firepower
R | 27 April 1979 (USA)
Firepower Trailers

A mercenary is hired by the FBI to track down a powerful recluse criminal, a woman is also trying to track him down for her own personal vendetta.

Reviews
JohnHowardReid

This one has enough plot twists and action sequences for a dozen movies and although it commendably moves along at express speed, the screenplay has so many plot twists that it's difficult to keep track. Coburn has a double role, although the movie makes disappointingly little use of this device and the special effects when both characters are on the screen are rather obvious. Although attractively gowned, Miss Loren is not looking her best and with the hero, I found her changes of side somewhat bewildering. I kept waiting for Victor Mature's entrance – expecting him at every twist of the plot – but this proves a disappointment too. For those who like lots of destructive firepower with tons of elaborate explosions, stunts and action sequences, the movie is a must. And there are some great support performances among the villains too (including Franciosa). Locations were in Antigua and nearby Curacoa of all places. You'll enjoy hearing many of the players struggling to pronounce that one!

... View More
bkoganbing

Sophia Loren is out for revenge and the FBI wants to get one of the world's richest men who is a Howard Hughes like recluse. This guy put out a hit on her husband who was blown up in a laboratory with a mail bomb. What to do, but call in the FBI in the person of Vincent Gardenia. But getting the Hughes like gazillionaire ain't easy so the FBI calls in a consultation with the Mafia as represented by Eli Wallach. Lots of Firepower will be needed, but even more brains. The best guy for the job is independent contractor James Coburn who sets out to storm the rich guy's fortress on Antigua.The nice Caribbean location and the chance to see a few movie names are the only reason to see this ridiculous action thriller. Both Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson turned this one down and poor James Coburn was left holding the bag. Bronson, who worked with director Michael Winner on any number of projects, left this cold, so you know he was hearing the faint sounds of Thanksgiving.Even Anthony Franciosa, one of the most underrated players ever, looks ridiculous in this as the doctor feel good to the rich and reclusive. Add to that Billy Barty as a midget mob boss and you get the idea how ridiculous this one is.Unless you like all the stars like I do and want to see O.J. Simpson get what's coming to him, stay away from Firepower.

... View More
Kurohambe

'Fire Power' is typical of a lot of 70's thrillers which rely more on plot and character than the Jerry Bruckheimer extravaganzas that we get nowadays. In a nutshell, Sophia Loren's husband is murdered because he is a witness to the drug dealings of a powerful drug lord who lives in the Caribbean. Loren suggests that James Coburn, her former lover and bounty hunter, be the man to head down to the Caribbean to catch her husband's murderer. Along the way, there are lots of plot twists and turns- for example, whose side is Loren really on? And indeed, Who is really this mysterious drug lord? Michael Winner was a director of numerous 70's thrillers, most famously with Charles Bronson (The 'Death Wish' films). He is a competent director who was dismissed by critics because his films were overtly violent and straight forward in their execution. The film probably has too many plot twists and characters, with the action changing from the Caribbean to the U.S too often and confusingly. The film is certainly not boring and you do get the glamorous Loren and the always good Coburn on screen together which can't be a bad thing.Overall, a little too ambitious for its own good but if you are a fan of 70's films and thrillers in particular then this one is worth searching for. A Region 1 DVD release will hopefully appear some time in the near future.

... View More
nraok

This bomb shows that no number of recognizable stars or presumed acting talents can salvage a film constructed with a laughable script, grade- school directing, second-rate sound effects, and a plot with no credibility whatsoever. Spoiler - the last scene with an over-the-hill Victor Mature looking as greasy as ever in a ten second cameo no doubt had every unfortunate viewer reaching for the sickness bag.

... View More