Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- grim
- paranoid
- political thriller night
- classic action cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film a tense but uneven political action drama, with Christopher Walken's performance and its depiction of corporate intervention earning praise despite mixed overall assessments.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jamie Shannon is recruited by British mining interests to assess and execute a coup that serves commercial objectives.
Zangaro's dictatorship and mineral wealth attract outside powers seeking to control its government and resources.
Shannon treats coups, reconnaissance, and combat as paid professional services while pursuing a private agenda.
The plot moves from scouting Zangaro to organizing a secret invasion and military takeover.
Films like The Dogs of War, and why
The Wild Geese
mercenary operations, political intrigue, and morally compromised military action
The Last King of Scotland
African political conflict, covert intervention, and bleak anti-imperialist themes
The Year of the Cannibals
corporate power, foreign exploitation, and tense revolutionary action
Movie Details
- Director
- John Irvin
- Release Date
- 1980-12-17
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (185)
Cast
- Christopher Walken
- Tom Berenger
- Colin Blakely
- Hugh Millais
- Paul Freeman
- Jean-François Stévenin
- JoBeth Williams
- Robert Urquhart
- Winston Ntshona
- Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- 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 Dogs of War about?
- A hardened British mercenary turns a corporate-backed coup in a fictional African dictatorship into a dangerous test of loyalty, power, and private ambition.
- What is The Dogs of War like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Dogs of War as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Dogs of War violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Dogs of War as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Dogs of War?
- Critics found the film a tense but uneven political action drama, with Christopher Walken's performance and its depiction of corporate intervention earning praise despite mixed overall assessments.
- Which films are like The Dogs of War?
- Films with a similar feel include The Wild Geese, The Last King of Scotland, and The Year of the Cannibals.
- How long is The Dogs of War?
- The Dogs of War runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Dogs of War?
- In United States, The Dogs of War streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
