Overview
A group of skilled mercenaries embarks on a perilous mission to rescue a kidnapped woman, only to uncover deeper truths along the way.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- sardonic
- rugged
- classic western night
- action movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, exciting, well-directed western whose strong pacing, action set pieces, cinematography, and ensemble performances compensate for a comparatively thin script.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The hired professionals discover that the reported kidnapping does not straightforwardly match the client's story.
The four specialists accept a commercial contract but confront revolutionary loyalties and their own principles.
The Mexican borderlands and desert journey frame large-scale escapes, explosions, and tactical movement.
Rico's team combines leadership, combat ability, survival expertise, and explosives knowledge for the rescue mission.
Films like The Professionals, and why
The Wild Bunch
shared revisionist western atmosphere, Mexican setting, professional mercenary ensemble, and morally complicated rescue mission
Vera Cruz
shared Mexican Revolution backdrop, charismatic outlaws, action spectacle, and shifting loyalties
The Magnificent Seven
shared desert western setting, hired guns, rescue dynamics, and reflective camaraderie
Duck, You Sucker!
shared adult western tone, revolutionary politics, explosive action, and conflicted male protagonists
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Brooks
- Release Date
- 1966-11-01
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (360)
Cast
- Burt Lancaster
- Lee Marvin
- Robert Ryan
- Woody Strode
- Jack Palance
- Claudia Cardinale
- Ralph Bellamy
- Joe De Santis
- Rafael Bertrand
- Jorge Martínez de Hoyos
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads
- 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 Professionals about?
- Four elite soldiers of fortune cross the Mexican border to retrieve a kidnapped woman, only to find their contract compromised by buried loyalties and a deceptive client.
- What is The Professionals like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Professionals as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Professionals violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Professionals as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Professionals?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, exciting, well-directed western whose strong pacing, action set pieces, cinematography, and ensemble performances compensate for a comparatively thin script.
- Which films are like The Professionals?
- Films with a similar feel include The Wild Bunch, Vera Cruz, The Magnificent Seven, and Duck, You Sucker!.
- How long is The Professionals?
- The Professionals runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Professionals?
- In United States, The Professionals streams on Netflix, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads.
