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Sorcerer (1977)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.2/10
Reviews Counted: 21
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 6

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 3
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 2,670

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Movie Info

The plot of William Friedkin's suspense thriller originated with the same Georges Arnaud novel that inspired Henri-Georges Clouzot's French suspense classic The Wages of Fear (1953). Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, and Amidou play four men who, for various reasons, cannot return to their own countries. They end up in a dismal South American town where an American oil company is seeking out courageous drivers willing to haul nitroglycerin over 200 miles of treacherous terrain. The

PG, 2 hr. 1 min.

Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

Directed By: William Friedkin

Written By: Georges Arnaud, Walon Green

In Theaters: Jun 24, 1977 Wide

On DVD: Nov 17, 1998

Universal/Paramount Pictures

Sorcerer Trailer & Photos

Cast

Roy Scheider
Jackie Scanlon/"Juan Do...
Bruno Cremer
Victor Manzon/"Serrano"
Francisco Rabal
Nilo
Ramon Bieri
Corlette
Peter Capell
Lartigue
Frederick Ledebur
Carlos
Chico Martinez
Bobby Del Rios
Gus Allegretti
Carlo Ricci
Amidou
Kassem/"Martinez"
Jean-Luc Bideau
Pascal
Anne Marie Descott
Blanche
Andr� Falcon
Guillot
Jacques Fran�ois
Lefevre
Frank Gio
Marty
Karl John
Angerman/"Marquez"
Gerard Murphy
Donnelly
Joe Spinell
Spider
Randy Jurgensen
Vinnie
Nick Discenza
Father Ricci
Ray Dittrich
Ben
Friedrich von Ledebur

Critic Reviews for Sorcerer

All Critics (22) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (6) | DVD (6)

The new movie is handsomely shot and crisply edited. Why, then, does one rather distantly respect it instead of just plain liking it? It is an odd, disappointing feeling to take away from a summertime movie.

May 20, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine

| Comment

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

William Friedkin's Sorcerer is a painstaking, admirable, but mostly distant and uninvolving suspenser based on the French classic The Wages of Fear.

May 16, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Friedkin's Sorcerer is just as gripping and spine-tingling an adventure film as The Wages of Fear and, at times, surpasses the original film with breathtaking photography and a superb use of sound

May 20, 2011 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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TV Guide's Movie Guide

Friedkin's maldit analysis of The Wages of Fear retains Clouzot's perverse punchline and adds plenty of its own

September 25, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

It's rare that a remake lives up to the original upon which it was based, but "Sorcerer" is that exceptional movie.

July 20, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Sorcerer is simply riveting cinema, one of the most enthralling, suspenseful and heart-stopping films I have ever seen.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile

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Urban Cinefile Critics

Urban Cinefile

Friedkin hints at political themes, but the film suffers most from condescendingly over-emphatic direction, and a generally tedious, relentless grimy realism in the opening half hour.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

The film could never shake the dark cloud that hung over its head.

December 10, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A damned riveting film, from start to finish

August 21, 2005 Full Review Source: Cinemania

| Comment

Dan Jardine

Cinemania

Though not a patch on the Clouzot movie, it is still rather gripping, the photography is superb, there is an excellent use of sound and an eerie electronic score by Tangerine Dream.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

while its narrative is slipshod, the dialogue is problematic and the drive is irresolute - one thing's for sure, the film's few golden moments of awe-inspiring action is simply that - white-knuckle classic thrills

November 20, 2002 Comment

Clint Morris

Moviehole

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Sorcerer

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Being an immense fan of the Clouzot's Wages of Fear, coupled with knowing Friedkin's hubris, made me not to thrilled to give this movie a whirl. However, my love for Scheider got the best of me and I finally spent some time with the film. And man am I glad I did.Does Friedkin ratchet up the suspense that makes the

December 1, 2011

Reid Volk

Super Reviewer

As the characters in the picture, maybe William Friedkin was doomed from the instant he decided to tempt providence going back to H.G Clouzot's masterpiece. His most ambicious project was, from early stages, development hell, plus a terrible distribution date that condemned it to be a flop, but worst things happened

May 5, 2009