‘Juggernaut’ now on Blu-ray

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's

 

From 1974, Juggernaut is one of the many disaster films that were entertaining audiences in that decade. This particular story is set in the mid-Atlantic ocean as a luxury liner is making its way from England to New York. What starts out as a rocky voyage, thanks to the rough seas, turns into a rougher voyage thanks to several bombs that have been stored on the ship.

Juggernaut is the name the terrorist uses when speaking to one of the heads of the liner. He says he wants $500,000 pounds in exchange for remotely diffusing the bombs. But will the company negotiate and give in to a terrorist? The government is firmly against it. But with 1200 lives on the line, it is a decision that is difficult. Weighing the option of giving into a terrorist or letting all the innocent people die is as rough as the seas.

Onboard the ship, Captain Brunel (Omar Sharif) is hoping the ransom is paid, while Police Superintendent McCleod (Anthony Hopkins) is torn between the government’s stand and giving in. His wife and two children are on the ship. 

Lt. Commander Anthony Fallon (Richard Harris), a bomb expert with a good track record, is flown out to the ship along with his team. Fallon is easy-going and optimistic he will be able to stop the bombs from going off. As he sucks on his pipe while looking over the situation, he knows he and his team will be successful. Unfortunately, some of his optimism begins to fade the more they learn about the bombs.

With the personal stories playing out on and off the ship, the majority of the story is aboard this luxury liner. The Social Director (Roy Kinnear) does everything in his power to keep the passengers upbeat while they are waiting for whatever comes. Their fates rest with Fallon and the powers that be.

It’s interesting to see the credits rolling in the beginning as Hopkins, a great actor by any standards, is not given a high billing. 

The 1970s was a time when disaster films filled the theaters. The Poseidon Adventure, Airport, The Andromeda Strain, The Towering Inferno, and The China Syndrome all captivated audiences. Juggernaut is not as well known and watching it viewers can see from the get-go that it is dated. Yet the cast is wonderful and even though it lacks a lot of action, the tense drama is what drives the film.

Juggernaut is rated PG and is now available on Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.