Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- propulsive
- witty
- irreverent
- action movie night
- 1970s film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film energetic and stylish, with ferociously staged action and lively leads offset by a thin, implausible script and an overreaching finale.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Shockley discovers that police authorities entrusted with protecting him and Mally are actively working against them.
The alcoholic detective and aggressive, highly educated witness begin in mutual hostility before relying on each other during the escape.
Shockley hijacks a bus, welds steel plates onto it, and drives through concentrated police firepower.
The police escort requested by Shockley becomes part of the conspiracy seeking to silence the witness.
Films like The Gauntlet, and why
Dirty Harry
shared laconic detective protagonist, police corruption, propulsive pursuit, and hard-edged 1970s action style
The French Connection
shared buddy-cop friction, cynical law-enforcement perspective, comic violence, and New Hollywood grit
The Gauntlet
shared imperiled witness, institutional betrayal, escalating chase structure, and morally ambiguous crime thriller tone
Sorcerer
shared armored-vehicle siege, overwhelming firepower, and suspenseful survival-through-a-gauntlet premise
Movie Details
- Director
- Clint Eastwood
- Release Date
- 1977-12-17
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (630)
Cast
- Clint Eastwood
- Sondra Locke
- Pat Hingle
- William Prince
- Bill McKinney
- Michael Cavanaugh
- Carole Cook
- Mara Corday
- Doug McGrath
- Jeff Morris
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Gauntlet about?
- A disgraced Phoenix detective and a combative witness battle mobsters and corrupt police in an improvised armored bus.
- What is The Gauntlet like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Gauntlet as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Gauntlet violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Gauntlet as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Gauntlet?
- Critics broadly found the film energetic and stylish, with ferociously staged action and lively leads offset by a thin, implausible script and an overreaching finale.
- Which films are like The Gauntlet?
- Films with a similar feel include Dirty Harry, The French Connection, The Gauntlet, and Sorcerer.
- How long is The Gauntlet?
- The Gauntlet runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Gauntlet?
- In United States, The Gauntlet is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
