Review of Marathon Man (1976) by Sidney S — 27 May 2012
An original though flawed story of a student (Dustin Hoffman) who gets involved in a sinister plot involving diamonds and a sadistic Nazi (Laurence Olivier), who wants desperately to claim what he feels is his.
This is a thriller inside and out, no questioning that, but the way the story is put together leaves a lot to be desired. There are tons of holes and the way the film ends is far from satisfying. Laurence Olivier turns in a terrifying performance as the dentist drilling psycho, while Hoffman, Roy Scheider, and William Devane all give admirable performances.
Director John Schlesinger has a dark, nihilistic viewpoint of New York City, and there are certain scenes in which this disturbing landscape adds a lot to the story. Sadly, his story needed more closure and less melodramatic acts to come across as completely convincing and worthwhile.
This review of Marathon Man (1976) was written by Sidney S on 27 May 2012.
Marathon Man has generally received positive reviews.
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