One of the best films i have seen

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Picture this: Michael Caine in a spy movie involving a decades-old secret Nazi organization—and he doesn't even know how to shoot a gun! Usually, in his Harry Palmer films, or other similar spy movies, he's a former or current British agent and expertly handles the bad guys. In this one, he's caught unawares by everything and everyone; it's quite endearing.In The Holcroft Covenant, Michael has inherited $4.5 billion from his late father, a secret Nazi. Along the way to receiving his inheritance and trying to do good with the money, he's advised by Victoria Tennant, Anthony Andrews, Lilli Palmer, and Mario Adorft, but who can he really trust? The film is chalk full of exciting action sequences, and, as is sometimes unusual for action movies, there's some pretty good acting in it as well. Michael Caine doesn't just run around and shoot people; he puts himself in the moment of the character and lets the audience know he's scared, hurt, nervous, or plotting.My favorite scene is when he's held at gunpoint in a room full of villains. He manages to distract the gunman and turns the tables by pointing the gun at them, demanding that they do exactly what he says. Everyone's silent for a while, looking at him expectantly, until finally one woman asks, "What do you want us to do?" "The usual stuff," he replies, showing that even though he's holding a gun, he's really not a bad guy at heart.DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not your friend. Several times throughout the film, the camera is at a standstill and then tilts slightly with no warning, and it might make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!" Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to nudity, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

In some ways, this film is reminiscent of "North By Northwest" because it, too, is about an ordinary guy who is tossed into the middle of some sort of dangerous intrigue and he has no real idea who to trust or even what's going on during most of the film. I am NOT saying that the quality of this film even approaches the quality of the older Hitchcock film...just noting the parallel.When the film begins, there is a black and white prologue which is shocking to watch. Three Nazis are making some sort of a pack...after which the leader of the three kills the other two and then himself!! What IS this all about anyway? It was a wonderful way to pull in the viewer.Next, the film jumps to the 1980s. Some schmuck, Noel Holcroft (Michael Caine) is doing what any good 'ol American is doing-- working and enjoying life. However, he's soon approached by some weird folks who tell him a weird tale about Noel's Nazi father. It seems he and two other Nazis were disenchanted by the party and felt horrible about the war crimes. So, they siphoned off a few billion so that years later it could be used to pay for the damage done by the Nazis. It seems that Noel is now the executor of this agreement and the letter he's given indicates that he needs to find the sons of the other two dead men from the beginning of the movie in order to get to these funds which are locked in a Swiss bank account. But he needs to find them...and folks suddenly start dying all around them...and it seems highly unlikely Noel will live very long-- especially since he has no idea who to trust. He also has no idea if this convoluted story is even true.Because the story is MEANT to be confusing, I cannot fault the film for leaving me baffled repeatedly. What I can fault the movie for is having Noel behave so strangely. You would think if you were told this weird tale and folks started dying all around you that you'd go to the police or FBI or the local embassy. Yet, inexplicably, Noel gets pulled deeper and deeper in and even kills someone...even though he's not 100% sure if he's killing the right person! His weird acceptance of what folks tell him is mighty strange and is a shortcoming in the plot though late in the film he FINALLY starts to think. Additionally, I was totally confused by the casting of Michael Caine. After all, he was supposedly born in Germany but came to America as a young child and yet speaks like a Brit! And finally, in 1984 we are to buy into the idea of a new Fourth Reich!! This is a bit preposterous to say the least. So it sounds like I didn't love the film...and that certainly is the case. But did I like any of it or would I recommend you see it? Not really...but I didn't hate it either. I clearly see this as one of the great director John Frankenheimer's biggest disappointments and could say the same for Robert Ludlum since it's his story. Also while I love Michael Caine, he was wrong for this film. Watchable but nothing more...and you definitely would have expected more from this film.

I have not read the novel(though I'd like to, as well as other books by Ludlum), so I cannot draw comparisons, but I do understand that this adaptation does not stick that closely to the source material. And this continues my running tradition of me getting the lesser of the films that Frankenheimer directed. Seriously, Ronin, Reindeer Games, and now this... on the plus side, Ambush was awesome, and Path to War was excellent. This one is fine, not great. Editing and cinematography are reasonable, and this does have a couple of sophisticated moments. The plot is interesting enough. This is well-paced, and there are exciting and tense scenes. The music helps to ensure that the mood is established, and it arguably tries too hard at times, revealing itself to be manipulative. Caine is impeccable, as usual, and the acting in general is quite good. The dialog holds numerous well-delivered lines that are marvelous, memorable and worth quoting. There is moderate to strong language in this, a little disturbing content and some mild violence. I recommend this to the biggest fans of John and Michael. 6/10

Sot it's not really for the movie its self that you are watching it. It's to see Michael Caine, and in this case Victoria Tennant, and even Anthony Andrews. by now it's almost like a period Drama. The setting in Germany is interesting as is Geneva, and London. The sex parade and a whole neighborhood lends a kind of a kinky interest to the story. Now of course not believable, the story, but that is fine. You still don't know what is going on or who's in charge or who's on first, but eventually you know that will be found out. That is all that is necessary. The dialogue is fairly good and his mother is a good actress and there's always interest in the rise of Nazis in modern times.