The Dirty Dozen

Twelve convicts turned into a hit squad. Tell me that's not a hell of a pitch.

This is the kind of war movie that doesn't follow the rulebook, and that's exactly why it works. You're not watching square-jawed heroes do their duty. You're watching guys who'd be hanged next week if they weren't useful, and the movie milks every drop out of that setup.

Start to finish, I had a blast.

Lee, Ernest, Charles, even Jim Brown. Everybody showed up. Brown in particular turned in something stellar, and the whole ensemble just clicks. You believe these guys could be killers because, well, the movie's told you they are.

The major's plan is the engine of the whole thing. I was locked in from the moment he laid it out, just sitting there waiting to see if it'd actually come together or fall apart in their faces. That kind of anticipation is the good stuff. It's what makes a movie fun instead of just watchable.

And fun is the word. Start to finish, I had a blast. It stuck with me after the credits, too, which is more than I can say for most things I throw on the TV.

Not for everyone, I get that. But if the concept hooks you the way it hooked me, you're in for a ride.