Escape to Victory (1981)

Escape to Victory is a great movie with a very well developed storyline and a stellar cast. It's a very enjoyable film that takes place shortly after World War II as we see a group of POW inmates prepare for a football game that could win them their freedom, it's a very inspired and original sports film. One thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was way too light hearted, for a film in which Nazi's and war are a primary subject, we never really get a clear sense of the real danger and tough times that these characters are struggling with, there aren't enough tense moments to convey this. The cast is terrific, Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone shine in the lead roles, their styles of acting are very different, but it worked out perfectly and they made a great pair. Exciting and well acted, I would recommend Escape to Victory to anyone looking for a good drama or sports film. POWS in Germany compete in a football game against the Nazis that soon becomes a propaganda exercise. Best Performance: Michael Caine Worst Performance: Laurie Sivell

Escape to Victory is really a far out film trying to be a kind of movie they do not make anymore with a casting that requires some stretch of the imagination.Taking its inspiration from The Great Escape the film is set in a World War 2 prison camp. Michael Caine plays an ex England football international who receives a proposition from Max Von Sydow, a Nazi officer and a former German footballer for match against the POWs and the German Officers.Sylvester Stallone who takes on the Steve McQueen type role is the goalkeeper of the team and although some of the Allied officers think that the game will be a German propaganda victory they also see this as an opportunity to organise an escape.Film legend John Huston directed this film with some old fashion war spirit and he assembles a cast that not only sees Stallone and Caine but famous footballers such as Pele, Bobby Moore and some current soccer players of the era such as Ossie Ardiles.Its football, its escape from a prison camp, its a little bit of Rocky with music from Bill Conti and its a lot of fun, simply because you know you will never watch a film like this again.Film critics sharpened their knives when this film was released but years later its still very enjoyable hokum.

I quite enjoyed Escape to Victory. It is not one of John Huston's best, and it is not a perfect movie. It can get silly and implausible, the plot has its predictabilities and there is the odd cliché every now and then. That said, it was very enjoyable. The film looks good, and coming from a non-sports fan the football scenes are great fun to watch. John Huston's direction is memorable, the script was snappy and while the characters have their clichéd moments they are also somewhat credible. The acting is fine too, the cast do give it their all here and it shows. Sylvester Stallone surprised me in a good way and Michael Caine is always good value. All in all, an enjoyable and fun movie even with its problems. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Victory is one of those movies that you see sort of half-assed as a child but for some reason parts of it stick in your brain and you recall them vividly even a few decades later. I always remembered a move starring Michael Cain and Sylvester Stallone that had something to do with WW II and soccer, but I could never remember the name of it. Fortunately I stumbled across it in the "favorites" section at Family Video and I snatched it up, eager to see the film I had long recalled but never truly remembered. I was not disappointed. The movie felt like a classic war movie, A Bridge Too Far, The Great Escape, and Patton all came to mind. It had the classic cinema feel to it that seemed to bring it to life, and I am convinced that Sylvester Stallone could have been a serious actor had he stuck with films like Victory, rather than the action garbage like Cobra, and Rambo: First Blood Part 2.The Movie centers around a friendly game of soccer between the local German team and the allied prisoners of war. The planned game catches the attention of German propaganda officers and takes on a life of its own. Instead of a friendly local scrimmage, the game becomes an international showcase of the mighty German national team against the best allied prisoners of war in all of occupied Europe. I won't give away the ending, but I can say that it is not the typical Hollywood ending, it's more clever than that. I heartily recommend this movie to all fans of cinema.