For me, this movie stands head and shoulders above almost anything I’ve watched recently. Honestly, it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in years.
1977’s Sorcerer was directed by William Friedkin and written by Walon Green, with uncredited rewrites by Friedkin himself. The film is based on Georges Arnaud’s novel The Wages of Fear. The film stars Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, and Amidou, all playing men living under assumed names while hiding from their pasts.
One of the thoughts that kept running through my head while watching Sorcerer was that this is a movie that simply could not be made today. The film opens with a series of prologues that introduce its central characters through bits of exposition. Instead of spelling everything out for the audience, it allows viewers to piece the story together themselves. Modern movies often repeat information endlessly because they’re designed for audiences who are half-watching while looking at their phones. Sorcerer does none of that. It doesn’t hold your hand.
In fact, it takes about 45 to 50 minutes before the central plot of the movie really kicks in. Yet everything that happens in that opening stretch is crucial to understanding the characters and the desperate circumstances they find themselves in.
Another aspect I really appreciated is how unapologetically adult the film is. The four central characters are not good people. One is a terrorist bomber, one is a church robber, one is a ruthless killer, and the other is a corrupt banker. They’re all fugitives from their past lives. Yet when they’re offered a chance to escape their situation by taking on an incredibly dangerous job, you find yourself drawn into their predicament.
You’re not necessarily rooting for them in the traditional sense, but you do start asking yourself what you would do in their situation. As the film progresses and the challenges become more dangerous, that question keeps coming back: could I handle this?
The production itself is also remarkable. Much of the film was shot in the jungle, and it was reportedly filmed across multiple countries. The stunts and set pieces feel incredibly dangerous and authentic. Everything about the film feels gritty, sweaty, grimy, and uncomfortable and that’s clearly intentional. None of the characters ever look comfortable doing what they’re doing, and given the circumstances, they shouldn’t.
The plot itself is actually fairly simple on paper. Four desperate men agree to transport extremely volatile nitroglycerin across roughly 200 miles of jungle in two trucks so it can be used to extinguish an oil well fire. That’s it. When you describe it like that, it sounds like a pretty straightforward adventure film. But the execution is what makes Sorcerer so compelling. The performances, the direction, the cinematography, and the atmosphere all elevate what could have been a simple premise into something far more intense and immersive.
Another standout element is the score by Tangerine Dream. At first, you might think an electronic score from 1977 wouldn’t fit a film set in lush jungle environments. But the pulsing, ominous synthesizers actually enhance the atmosphere tremendously. The music adds a sense of tension and dread that hangs over the entire film.
One track in particular — “Betrayal (Sorcerer Theme)” — is especially memorable. If it reminds you of the music from Stranger Things, that’s because the show’s score was inspired by Tangerine Dream.
I have to admit that I haven’t seen the 1953 film The Wages of Fear, which is the earlier adaptation of the same novel. Friedkin himself has said that Sorcerer is not meant to be a remake of that film but rather a more faithful adaptation of the original book. Since I haven’t seen the earlier version or read the novel, I can’t really compare them. What I can say is that Sorcerer stands on its own as a fantastic film.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this completely engrossed by a movie. I put the Blu-ray on, sat down, and watched the entire thing without checking my phone, getting up, or doing anything else. The film completely absorbed my attention from beginning to end.
This isn’t a movie you can half-watch. If you’re looking for a mindless action film where you can turn your brain off, this is not it. You have to engage with it and pay attention. But it’s not homework — it’s genuinely gripping cinema.
Sorcerer was not a box office success. I suspect that the film’s title may have hurt it when it was released. When people hear the title Sorcerer, they might expect a fantasy film. In reality, the title simply refers to the name painted on one of the trucks in the movie. The Wages of Fear is arguably a more intriguing title and probably would have given audiences more inclination to check out the plot line rather than instantly dismissing it as a genre film.
Regardless of its initial performance, Sorcerer is an incredible film and one I highly recommend seeking out. It’s available on Blu-ray, and there’s also a Criterion 4K release that I’ll definitely be upgrading to.
For me, this movie stands head and shoulders above almost anything I’ve watched recently. It’s honestly one of the best films I’ve seen in years.
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
