SummaryChicago Police Lieutenant Jim Brannigan is sent to the U.K. to escort organized crime boss Ben Larkin back to the U.S., but Larkin's hitmen prepare an ambush for Brannigan.
Directed By:Douglas Hickox
Written By:Christopher Trumbo, Michael Butler, William P. McGivern, William W. Norton
Brannigan
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
User score
Generally Favorable
6.3
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
14% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
86% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
75
Still, with everything working against him, the Duke manages to be an old-school badass and stick it to those fancypants Brits.
60
Amiable thriller merging Fabian of the Yard with Dirty Harry. [21 Mar 2004, p.91]
50
In Brannigan, John Wayne carries on his new career as an urban cop with all the ease of a corraled mustang. [14 Apr 1975, p.92]
50
Unfortunately, Mr. Wayne's first film trip to London doesn't appear to have been necessary. He and his busy company only serve to make Brannigan a commonplace crime caper.
50
Car chases, booby traps, etc round out the formula plot turns.
50
Basically a formula film with all the usual car chases, knock-downs, booby traps, etc. If you like John Wayne, you'll love Brannigan. If you just think he is...well, only all right, you'll be better off reading a book. This is not one of the Duke's best.
50
Brannigan isn't great, but it's a wellcrafted action movie and, besides, it's got John Wayne in it.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.3
50% Positive
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
50% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Jul 20, 2024
5
Brannigan was a flawed experiment, but also an interesting enough character piece part and parcel with the stylings of the rest of John Wayne's career. The timing is great (except of course for the effects), with plenty of one-liners and quick-cutting action, but the overall effect still falls flat. The tropes played for humor have been retired in the 21st century, but they had to be pretty tired at this juncture in the 20th too. The same critique /should/ apply to the film's values. Somehow basic /and/ off-base. The character who feels the least fluid, vital, and interesting is the protagonist, who gracelessly shoulders the burden of interacting with otherness (humorous) for long enough to hammer as many nails as he can (exciting), without ever bothering with the chemistry which should be defining of the buddy cop genre. I think on TCM they mentioned a few casting alternatives for the lead that sounded like they would bring more out of the movie -- John was the same old carpenter, derby hat notwithstanding.
