Dark of the Sun is a 1968 movie directed by Jack Cardiff.
A band of mercenaries travel across a hostile stretch of the Congo to steal 50 million dollars’ worth of diamonds. Greed and infighting foil the mission and leads to deadly consequences. Rod Taylor plays the grizzled but charismatic Captain Curry and Jim Brown is the cool, idealistic Sergeant Ruffo. Peter Carsten rounds out the cast as the scheming, vicious Captain Henlein. The movie boasts terrific action scenes throughout, highlighted by a train station shootout and two combat scenes featuring Taylor and Carsten.
THE BEST – Chainsaw Fights and Hand Grenades
The Nazi sympathizer Henlein wields a chainsaw against Taylor, which is a prelude to their wild chase and vicious brawl that ends the movie. Even more impressive is Taylor and Brown’s attack on a hotel full of native rebels.
THE WORST – A Very Complicated Emotional Relationship Among Mercenaries
The movie is fairly simple – or at least it should be. There’s a ton of action and Taylor and Brown are super cool leads. Mercenaries are hunting a diamond stash in the Congo, yet we hear Brown’s Ruffo getting way too deep on Taylor’s Curry: “He won’t give you that extra part of himself…..but he’s worth it.”
Ummmm……okay. So about those diamonds.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 3.75/5
Dark of the Sun is a fun action movie featuring two solid leads. Unfortunately, the movie stumbles over its clumsy ideas of conscience. Yet, it’s still worth a watch.
