Z/Web

This was interesting timing: right after I saw Argo, I found that my DVR had recorded this film. I read the Frederick Forsyth book about a year ago but hadn’t seen the film which was made in 1980 (and stars the always-awesome Christopher Walken). To my surprise, I found many similarities between this film and Argo — in this film the main character’s plotting a political coup of a small African nation, but he has to get in and out of the country with forged papers and such, and there was a lot of the same political tension. Very interesting.

The film follows the book in many key ways, but there is more action, at least at the end during the battle. There was some new stuff (like new characters and a relationship) that was distracting and didn’t quite fit, though it wasn’t bad. (I’m sure those who never read the book wouldn’t notice.) Though I liked the book for the most part, it was a little dry, and I think the movie’s probably more interesting for most people. Fans of the book are probably peeved at the differences, and though I liked that much of the movie is about the same logistical aspects of buying weapons and hiring mercenaries, the movie’s less tedious. Though dated, it’s worth watching.