09 April 2010

Vigilante Force


United States - 1976
Director - George Armitage

I don't know much about this film apart from the synopses I've read various places. Sounds like a reactionary film with a vengeance. Vietnam Vet Kristofferson (a role he will reprise) recruits his bored combat vet buddies to crack down on some liberal labor types. This turns out to be largely unsubstantiated as virtually none of the characters are given any development with the exception of the three leads, Kristofferson Jan Michael Vincent and Bernadette Peters, so we get virtually no explanation of who or why.

The top poster is from Wrong Side of the Art,
this one is from IMP Awards.

I haven't been able to find Vigilante Force on DVD or VHS, but at the moment you can watch the whole movie at IMDB which is what I did. Reviews there and elsewhere describe it as exceptionally harsh and unforgiving, and Kristofferson's Aaron character as ruthless and brutal. I found none of the above to be true. It seemed like an hour and a half long episode of The Dukes of Hazzard with a little more violence and no shitty comedy. If like me you're a Vietnam completist, this might be worth watching for Kristofferson's villainized veteran, but otherwise, the posters are the best part.

1 comment:

Samuel Wilson said...

Vigilante Force shows up occasionally on the This cable channel, with commercials. It's not the most flattering presentation, but I saw enough to see that it's overrated.