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Poster for Too Late the Hero

Too Late the Hero

War. It's a dying business.

1970 · 2h 25m · GP Action, Drama, War
Directed by Robert Aldrich

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Overview

A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island. When a group of British soldiers are sent on a mission behind enemy lines, things don't go exactly to plan. This film differs in that some of the 'heroes' are very reluctant, but they come good when they are pursued by the Japanese who are determined to prevent them returning to base.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
73%
Tomatometer
Fresh

An okay World War II melodrama, featuring Michael Caine and Cliff Robertson as antagonists who come to respect each other in the course of destroying a Jaanese radio transmitter.

Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh

The action has its moments (with the patrol's paranoia fed by taunting messages from Japanese loudspeakers hidden in the jungle), and the bantering dialogue is often very funny.

Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Rotten

Although committed to the notion that war is an inclusive system of betrayals, the film subverts that notion and settles instead for some fashionable ironies and remarkably conventional jungle warfare displays.

Roger Greenspun, New York Times
Rotten

The most aggravating thing about Too Late the Hero is that Aldrich is a film maker of some accomplishment.

TIME Magazine

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