36 ore all'inferno

Another reviewer described this Italian WW2 movie as 'exciting' but I'd have to disagree; despite containing plenty of action, particularly during the second half of the narrative, 36 HOURS OF HELL feels like quite a boring and plodding little movie, let down by pedestrian execution and a general lack of tension which becomes apparent in the lazy dialogue scenes.

The setting is the Pacific theatre this time around, and a jungle island the basis of the action. Richard Harrison is the rugged captain who arrives on the island with a squad of men and must make his way from one end to the other, clearing out any remaining Japanese soldiers en route. Inevitably everything doesn't go according to plan, and a fight to the death between both sides ensues.

I thought it was a pity that 36 HOURS OF HELL isn't a better film because the setting and set-up is a decent, if predictable one. There's barely any action in the first half but this really should be an exercise in tension as the soldiers pick their way through the sweaty jungle confines. The second half is better, featuring some good ambush scenes as well as soldiers falling foul of jungle perils and traps. But the scenes in the Japanese camp drag the pace down - the enemy would be better left unseen - and the inclusion of the female nurse is an unnecessary distraction. In the end, 36 HOURS OF HELL is just routine rather than watchable.