Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Matho The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

GUENOT PHILIPPE I am perfectly aware that I watched a real gem here. A rare and interesting TV movie that not many people saw. A sort of political fiction adventure movie. A movie which is in the anti communist move, with many bitter accents in the meaning of this strange tale. We, of course, think of John Boorman's HELL IN PACIFIC, starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. Mako and Darren Mac Gavin are excellent. And, as another user said, I could have seen Steve Mac Queen in the lead character. A connection to Vietnam war is in the middle of this very interesting plot. There would be more features like this one.I love TVM for this reason, we find stories we can't purchase in more classic movies, released in theatres.Catch it if you can...

neal-57 Shown as an ABC-TV "Movie of the Week" in March, 197O, "The Challenge" has all but disappeared from view--yet it lingers in the memory of those who saw it then, and has acquired enough of a cult following to allow collectors to share amateur DVD and VHS copies of the film, usually made from the same red-tinted 16-mm print.(NOTE to ABC and 2Oth Century-Fox: none of us really wants to watch this film, or any other, on a "pirate" video. Release an authorized, good-quality "official" version and we'll jump at it. Think about it; I know you will.) Adding to the film's obscurity is the somewhat generic title "The Challenge," which is shared by at least half-a-dozen other movies of varying merit. The above-mentioned print shows the title "Surrogate," which doesn't exactly set off bells of recognition with potential viewers, but hits somewhat closer to the mark.The "surrogates" in question are Jacob Gallery (Darren McGavin in a rare performance worthy of his talent), an irreverent American mercenary, and Yuro (Mako), soldier in the army of an unnamed Communist country clearly modeled on Red China. They represent the "lowest common denominator" in warfare: two champions dueling on an isolated Pacific island to see whose nation will take possession of a nuclear payload-carrying-satellite that crashed in the ocean.Among a truly stellar supporting cast, James Whitmore is the American in charge (National Security Adviser?), big-voiced Skip Homeier plays the State Department rep who pushes for Gallery as the U.S. champion, Broderick Crawford is General Meyers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who'd rather send his own Major Bryant (an impossibly young Sam Elliot)in place of the unconventional Gallery, and the legendary Paul Lukas (in his last film role) is the U.S. expert on all things Oriental, who offhandedly predicts that Gallery will lose--and precisely how.(Incidentally, the highly individualistic Gallery, a court-martialed ex-officer, is one in a series of "nobly rebellious" characters created by writer Marc Norman--who, a quarter-century later, would win an Academy Award writing similar characterizations for Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow to play in "Shakespeare in Love.") The scene that sears the memory occurs when a wounded and dying Gallery sees that Bryant, in violation of all the rules (written and unwritten)has been sent in as a backup by General Meyers, and has the drop on Yuro. Ordered by Bryant to "Use your weapon. USE IT!" Gallery, nodding, damn well does-- --ON BRYANT, not Yuro! Shortly afterward, Gallery finds that Yuro has likewise eliminated his own backup, leaving the two badly wounded adversaries free to proceed to the concluding scene of their personal drama, an object lesson in futility.Released at the height of the Vietnam controversy, "The Challenge" no doubt ignited fires of its own, especially with the Bryant shooting scene, which apparently represents Gallery honoring a higher loyalty than patriotism--truth, perhaps? It's an attitude found more often among thoughtful patriots than among those flag-fondlers and bell-ringers who blindly chant "my country, right or wrong" in any and all circumstances. Besides being well-made and well-acted, "The Challenge" carries a message that cries out to be heard--now, even more than then.

davidecasteel I remember seeing this movie a long time ago, so it was probably when it first aired on TV in 1970. No one I've mentioned it to believes me that it existed--they all seem to think I'm talking about the Lee Marvin movie. I was fascinated by the twin sub-machine-gun used by Darren McGavin, like nothing else used in movies before or since. McGavin and Mako are superb in their acting and portray a very realistic duel between opposite camps. I, too, would very much like to get a copy of this movie, which does not seem to be published in either VHS or DVD (I could handle either). I'd be willing to pay any reasonable fee plus handling charges if anyone here can oblige me.

nitram578 I have been looking for this film for 25 years. It was on the old ABC Movie of the week several times and I have not seen it since. Everyone that I have ever mentioned this movie to just goes Duh I don't know, or they try and tell me it's a Lee Marvin movie (wrong flick).