Hell Commandos (1969)

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

HELL COMMANDOS is another dull DIRTY DOZEN rip-off made in Italy and shot in Spain. Genre regular Guy Madison is the only actor of note in this one. The story sees Madison and his troops going behind enemy lines to take out an enemy, but the fact that they're disguised as German soldiers means that most of them get accidentally killed, so Madison has to join up with some American soldiers to complete the job. This one has a lot of lacklustre action in it, but the lack of budget means that the sets are tight and the drama too small scale.

The best allied commandos are brought together to go behind enemy lines and stop a Dutch scientist from creating a vaccine for a deadly germ the Nazi's want to use in battle. Dropped behind enemy lines dressed as Nazi's all are killed but the commander by another squad of men who has to press them into service to complete his mission.I don't know if its the dubbing or the actual script but this film often plays as a rather bizarre comedy for all the wrong reasons (the lusty American soldiers are a bit much).I don't know who to blame but the film just never came together for me. The trouble begins with the opening which is done in such away that its not crystal clear that the the whole film is a flashback to events from after the war. It looks like the film takes place after the end of the war. After that the film seems to take these huge leaps of faith that put strains on the credulity of the whole affair as plot twist after plot twist push you as far as you can go and keep watching (though you are laughing). I didn't hate the film but it wasn't something I need see again. If you're like me and you get this as part of a multi-film set give it a shot, but as a stand alone spend your money elsewhere.

A typically unimpressive euro- war film of the seventies.American major trains a group of elite soldiers for a dangerous covert commando mission behind the lines. Unfortunately, as they're dressed in German uniforms, all but the major are killed in their sleep by another allied platoon lost behind enemy lines. The major has no alternative but to continue the mission with his new platoon.Familiar face Guy Madison stars in this very very average example of European war cinema. Everything is done with a very tight budget, hence no major effects and lots of cardboardy studio interiors. And as far as themes and message are considered, it's safe to say, that Hellcommandos if far from groundbreaking. Some unintentional comedy can be found, though.Released on video in Finland in the early eighties.