One of the great French films of the 1950s was "The Wages of Fear". This tense movie was at heart an attack on capitalism....and this caused a predicament for American studios. They wanted to remake the film....after all the main plot is dynamite! But they didn't want to make the film an attack on capitalism. So, they came up with a ruse....the entire plot all rests on chemicals that are needed for the rocket industry and the rocket industry is needed to protect America. So, it's a film with patriotism and anti-communism in the American version...whereas the French could easily be seen as a pro-communist picture! Unfortunately, by changing the plot, the risk to the drivers' lives made less sense...as there SHOULD have been soldiers/cops along the route to ensure the safety of the drivers. They also should have checked the route thoroughly to make sure it was passable. They also should have thoroughly checked the drivers to be sure they weren't deranged--as one of them clearly is yet they let him drive the rocket fuel!
So, aside from being more illogical than "Wages of Fear", is the movie any good? Yes and no. The story is modestly engaging and the actors try their best...but much of the tension seems more muted and the flashbacks throughout the film seem like filler. Overall, an okay film remake of a much better movie.
