Killer Commando - Per un pugno di diamanti

Watching Killer Force makes me think that the folks who security at South African diamond mines ought to be the ones running our Homeland Security. As typified by Telly Savalas they are a ruthless but shrewd lot. It wouldn't say much for our civil liberties though, but would we ever be secure from terrorists.

Peter Fonda plays one of the security men at a diamond mine in the Kalahari desert who's given an assignment to go undercover and find some folks who are rumored to be planning a big heist. To do so he has to be caught stealing himself which he is. But when the guy giving the assignment is killed and his ever so lovely handler Marina Christelis is killed Fonda is out on a limb. Time to reassess the situation.

Once the situation is reassessed the heist is on and the last 40 minutes or so is non-stop action. Other members of the heist team are Hugh O'Brian, Christopher Lee, and O.J. Simpson. Most don't make it, but they go oh so spectacularly.

Killer Force is not bad entertainment, but everyone in the cast has done better.

The plot outline sounded much better than the execution of it, but this largely forgotten on-the-cheap drive-in 70s adventure heist joint is worthwhile just for the cast alone and that it was directed by Val Guest. The setting is unique, a South African diamond mine located deep in the desert is targeted for a daring hit (Hugh O'Brian, Christopher Lee and a smirking O.J Simpson) and Telly Savalas in menacingly oozing form plays the company's security chief trying to prevent it. A cynically scruffy Peter Fonda is a field security officer who gets caught up in it all, when he agrees to go undercover; stealing a diamond and escaping capture to get the attention of an insider who they believe is smuggling diamonds/and who is also helping prepare a heist. However no-one else knows about this job, including his girlfriend (the radiant Maud Adams) and the security chief.

The knotty, if absurd plot offers a neat array of dangerous twists and unrelenting turns, which keeps the rhythmic story moving and constantly interesting. It really does pick up things in the back-end, as the plans are set in motion and the rough nature breaks out. The character interactions remain dynamic, especially the scenes when Fonda's character meets the heist group. Mechanically directed, but it consists of fun biting dialogues, all-out no-bull violence, well-shot locations and many big egos trying to mug every shot they're in. Backing this up is a titillatingly groovy soundtrack which simply makes you want to boogie. It does.

I would have expected something much better from Val Guest , to put it other way I would have never expected such a senseless film from someone who during the 50's managed to direct "Hell is a city" ( with the great Stanley Baker ) or excellent sci Fri flick "the day the Earth caught fire " .

To be honest this films fails on almost every aspect imaginable. Plot is somewhere between ridiculous and absurd. Seems that the 70's didn't make him any good to his career.

A band of mercenaries (which included O.J Simpson and Christopher Lee ) plans to heist a diamond depot placed somewhere in the African desert . There are many aspects that are horrible in this film , which go from the acting (meaning Peter Fonda, Teddy Savallas and C.Lee are all capable of delivering good acting but here they are so bonded by a ridiculous script that everything they say sounds laughable ) , plot dialogues and action scenes are simply lame , as they would have been taken from the A team outtakes .

Acting didn't escape from the burn , sad to see Christopher Lee playing the role of a ruthless mercenary , I would have never expected to see him in such a lame role he's the Prince of Darkness for god sake Don't drag him into o this embarrassing situations .

Only positive comment would be that the end is as ridiculous as the rest of the film, so at least you can find a trace of coherence here ..sadly it the sole you'll find

Many titles that are on my must-see list are there because I blindly added them for names in the cast, without necessarily knowing what the plot is about. "The Diamond Mercenaries", aka "Killer Force" is a prime example of this habit, since it unites cult icons Telly Savalas, Christopher Lee and Peter Fonda! What more do you need to know in order to see a film? And it's gets better, since it's also co-starring Bond-beauty Maud Adams and it was co-written and directed by one of Hammer's greatest talents; - Val Guest ("The Quatermass Experiment", "The Abominable Snowman").

In fact, "Killer Force" is a gift that keeps on giving, because it's a fantastic mid 70s action/thriller with a terrific heist-plot, an original setting, a fascinating cast of characters and plenty of bloody awesome execution sequences! The mighty Telly Savalas (and his uniquely flamboyant wardrobe) plays one of the coolest roles of his career as the obsessive head of security at a diamond mine in the godforsaken middle of the African desert. A supportive character asks him: "Where were you when they handed out feelings?". Savalas' answer: "Probably out somewhere chasing a diamond thief". He feels that someone is planning a major diamond heist, and he's right. Five former Vietnam mercenaries, with the help from someone on the inside, have a master plan ready, but it's not without risks. The first half of "Killer Force" is unnecessarily convoluted, as Fonda's role is quite ambiguous, but it's always compelling and especially the second half is non-stop exhilarating. All male characters are arrogant machos with ginormous egos, but notably Christopher Lee and Telly Savalas seem to be battling for the "who's the most sadist" character of the film. "Killer Force" simply embodies why I worship vile and nasty exploitation cinema of the 70s; - it's great sardonic fun and comes highly recommended!

KILLER FORCE is one of the many action movies of the 70s on a "bad guy" perspective and a low budget, with a sand dune setting and lots of funky disco which made these great. It stands out best for its intrigue. Don't expect much from top-billed Telly Savalas (who rips the dress off of Maud Adams!), but do follow Peter Fonda's point of view as he joins an army of force attempting to rob the valuables from a diamond mine. This is a chance to see O.J. Simpson in his glory days as one of the heist members going out to seize an electric fuse, a plot that leads the men into the facility. The action sequences look mild but they remain exciting to this day as with other Italian-made productions. Try not to think but understand that KILLER FORCE was made on European soil with an American cast (other than Christopher Lee) driving auto vehicles on the passenger side. Definitely worth a find if you crave for late-night intrigue. Nice color.