The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 22, 2015

Hollywood wasn’t shy about their lust for a James Bond-style success. Many spy parodies and knockoffs were issued after Ian Fleming’s character became a pop culture sensation and a box office powerhouse, leaving it only a matter of time before Clint Eastwood would attempt to create his own version of Bond (after reportedly declining the role). 1975’s “The Eiger Sanction,” based on the best-seller by Trevanian, strives to recapture the Sean Connery 007 years, issuing a no-nonsense lead character who slaps around brutes, spanks women, and is generally one step ahead of every villain he encounters. Utilizing exotic locations and story that provides layers of conspiracy and uncertainty, “The Eiger Sanction” doesn’t feature much of a mystery, with Eastwood’s dry, unhurried directorial style at odds with the demands of the superspy genre. It’s a tepid thriller, best appreciated as a travelogue with periodic bursts of violence.

An art history professor at a California college, Jonathan Hemlock (Clint Eastwood) is content to live a quiet life, enjoying comely students and his black market art collection. A retired assassin for the U.S. Government, Hemlock is called back into duty by photosensitive albino, Dragon (Thayer David), who offers the ex-killer a fortune to complete two hits, with the second target responsible for the murder of Hemlock’s dear friend. Informed that his mission will require him to join an international climbing party preparing to scale the Eiger Mountain in the Alps, with one participant his objective, Hemlock turns to Ben Bowman (George Kennedy) for training, getting back into shape for the dangerous event. Faced with pressure from Dragon, temptation from lover Jemima Brown (Vonette McGee), and threat from rival Miles Mellough (Jack Cassidy), Hemlock is caught up in a dangerous game, tasked with surviving the climb long enough to take out his target, offering his trust to a fellow hunter of men.

“The Eiger Sanction” isn’t shy about its Bond envy. The screenplay is quick to establish Hemlock as a confident man, greeted in mid-lecture where he presides over a room filled with adoring women, with one student willing to do anything to achieve a passing grade. Despite being a murderer, Hemlock isn’t about to subject himself to academic corruption, sending the student off with a slap on the behind. It’s not long before we’re introduced to Dragon, who resides in a controlled room that keeps light and warmth away, comforting the albino as he conducts work. Hemlock rubs Dragon’s goon, Pope (Gregory Walcott), the wrong way, and he doesn’t have patience with his former boss. However, the leader of secretive organization C-2 requires the professor’s special touch, dragging Hemlock out of retirement for one last complicated mission. The only element missing from “The Eiger Sanction” are gadgets, finding Hemlock more comfortable fisting beers than pulling triggers, playing up Eastwood’s specialized screen brawn as it’s stuffed into the demands of a spy movie.

Hemlock is tasked with joining a climbing party, with plans to study fellow mountaineers Freytag (Reiner Schone), Meyer (Michael Grimm), and Montaigne (Jean-Pierre Bernard), deducing which one is the man responsible for his friend’s murder. Before the trip to the Alps begins, Hemlock undergoes a rigorous training schedule, with Bowman helping the assassin get back into climbing shape. Montages ensue, but “The Eiger Sanction” runs most efficiently in preparation mode, offering salty banter between Bowman and Hemlock, while additional incentive is provided by George (Brenda Venus), a silent runner who uses her exposed breasts to keep the man interested in his mission. The production is confident enough to allow scenery to take over, with gorgeous Monument Valley locations conquered by Hemlock and George, leaving long passages of the movie to exploration and increasingly dangerous heights.

To be fair, “The Eiger Sanction” was made in the 1970s -- a time when discussions concerning race and sexuality were blunt, unwilling to handle sensitive topics with care. The movie is quite dated at times, with Jemima more of a pancake punchline than a character, while threat surrounding Miles is diluted by his mincing behavior, caught leering at young men while owning a dog named “Faggot.” Oof. Hemlock’s no saint, openly pawing women, teasing racism, and sleeping with anything that moves, with Eastwood inhaling Connery fumes as he strives to strip the heroism out of the protagonist.

Likability is in short supply here, and this is perhaps the picture’s largest problem. The production shows little interest in character, only attitude, rendering needed escalation inert. Once Hemlock begins working his way up the Eiger, the film is no longer about the story, only the spectacle, leaving little interest in life or death situations. The third act does a fine job with perilous climbing events, with Hemlock growing to depend on the dubious members of his party, and cinematography challenges are respectable, giving the effort a few moments of shock and awe before its back on the ground with Bowman, who’s handed a few ill-conceived moments of comedy, barking at tourists who want to peek into the telescope he’s hoarding to watch the climb.

The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation follows Universal's history of catalog title treatment. Filtering is present throughout, leaving the movie without an encouraging filmic appearance. Fine detail isn't wiped out, but it remains muted, leaving close-ups to impress, along with mountain textures. Colors are satisfactory, benefiting from the feature's bright, outdoorsy look, which provides a hearty read of greenery and desert landscapes. Skintones are natural. Delineation is poor throughout, with solid black levels transforming scenes with minimal lighting into shadow play. Some haloing is detected. Print remains in decent shape, with minimal speckling.

The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is actually quite encouraging at times, with strong atmospherics to help expand the mountaineering sequences, delivering a sense of depth and distance. Dialogue exchanges are secure, with crisp emphasis and emotion, while crowd activity is managed adequately. Scoring is clear and purposeful, supporting when necessary, but also filling up the track when called on to lead the scene. Climbing particulars, including metal clinking and ice chipping, are defined to satisfaction.

The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:41, SD) is included.

The Eiger Sanction Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Eiger Sanction" is only compelling in short bursts, when Eastwood settles into the spirit of the picture and allows it expanse and tension. However, Eastwood is a bit out of his league with this material, trying to capture the spirit of James Bond with his deliberate Malpaso Company pace and permissiveness, often relying on his own brawn to carry the weight of the spy game, falling short of blockbuster standards.