Eureka Blu-ray Review

The Dogs of War (1980) • Blu-ray [Eureka Classics]

A mercenary, on a reconnaissance job to the African nation of Zangaro, is tortured and deported, but later returns to lead a coup….

Christopher Walken never served in the military, but he bears the thousand-yard stare of a man who’s seen war. His captivating performance in The Deer Hunter (1978) as a broken Vietnam soldier won Walken an Academy Award early in his career and, soon after, filmmakers wanted to capitalise on his piercing yet soulful profile. In 1980, Walken played another wounded veteran in The Dogs of War, but this time his character’s in a far darker battle.

Before we get to the battle, if one’s expecting an action movie this isn’t one. It may be described as an ’80s war movie but its sensibility isn’t that of Commando (1985). The Deer Hunter followed the ins and outs of Vietnam, contrasting the war-zone to home, but The Dogs of War has a more deliberate pace. It’s a contemplative thriller following one man’s belief in doing a job right. We’re practically part of the team as munitions are ordered, guns…