Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

BeSummers Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Michael_Elliott Wolf Lake (1980) *** (out of 4)War buddies Charlie (Rod Steiger), Wilbur (Jerry Hardin), George (Richard Herd) and Sweeney (Paul Mantee) head up to Canada for a weekend getaway like they do every year. This year they notice that the cabins are being taken care of by David (David Huffman) and Linda (Robin Mattson). It doesn't take long for Charlie to start messing around and picking on David but things turn much darker when the men find out that David dodged the war.WOLF LAKE is a film that not many people saw when it was originally released and I doubt too many people have seen it since. In fact, had I not stumbled across it during a sale then I probably would have missed it as well and that's really too bad because it's a rather interesting, if flawed, thriller. What makes the film work and especially in today's times is its views on how people should treat their country and we also get some fabulous performances.It should go without saying that it's Steiger who steals the picture with yet another wonderful performance. The actor really has to show off pain and anger and he does so wonderfully. The way Steiger mixes both the anger and pain to explain why his character is the way he is really helps sell the film. The supporting players are all extremely good as well and that's especially true for both Huffman and Mattson. The film basically starts off as a weekend getaway picture before turning much darker once the friends learn about David's past. Even then there are some interesting ideas being floated around about what it means to serve your country and love it. I do think things take a turn for the worse during the final third of the picture when we basically have everyone lose their mind and so some things that I just didn't believe would happen. I'm not going to ruin anything but Charlie basically makes the three other do a very criminal act and I just didn't believe they would have gone through with it.With that being said, it's really too bad WOLF LAKE isn't a better known movie but it's certainly a gem that needs to be rediscovered.

Scott LeBrun Rod Steiger typically ratchets up the intensity in this interesting revenge thriller from director Burt Kennedy, a filmmaker who mostly made Westerns. Kennedy also wrote this one, about a quartet of WWII veterans who gather for an outing at a hunting lodge. Soon after they arrive, they learn that the regular caretaker is away, and taking his place is a young man (David Huffman), who turns out to be a Vietnam War deserter. Naturally, this doesn't sit well with group leader Charlie (Steiger), a former Marine who lost his son Danny in Vietnam. Things get very ugly before long.I think it's way too bad that some viewers will feel put off by an admittedly slow first half. It's good that Kennedy and company take their time to allow us to get to know these characters, and to not paint them in only broad strokes. Even David, a character whom some in the audience will feel inclined to despise, is not rendered merely one dimensional. You do, however, feel the incredible tension in the environment slowly getting worse and worse, and know that there's going to be Hell to pay as Steiger gives Huffman more than just a piece of his mind. In a sense, the film is largely predictable, but it's compelling nevertheless, and in the end there is not just murder in the cards, but rape as well. David has a sweet, sexy girlfriend named Linda (played by Robin Mattson, who did her share of exploitation features in the 70s and went on to become a soap opera regular).It's all very sobering and very sad, with a grim feeling of inevitability hanging over the entire proceedings.Steiger is great, and gets some opportunities to really sink his teeth into his material and dialogue. Huffman is fine as well. A trio of top character actors - Jerry Hardin ('The X-Files') as worry wart Wilbur, Paul Mantee ("Robinson Crusoe on Mars") as the macho Sweeney, and Richard Herd ("Trancers") as the amiable George - round out the minimal acting ensemble.Although set in Canada, it may surprise some to learn that the film was actually shot in Mexico!Eight out of 10.

lazarillo A trio of American World War II vets take a hunting trip in the rural Canadian woods where they find out the American caretaker of the place they are staying is a Vietnam deserter (David Huffman). Thanks to a lot of alcohol and the influence of the embittered, flag-waving leader of trio (Rod Steiger), what starts out as a mere "generation gap" political disagreement, quickly escalates into a violent, armed conflict.Rod Steiger is excellent as the vicious leader of the veterans whose blind patriotism and narrow-minded prejudices leave almost everyone in the cast dead by the end. His more weak-willed friends are only along for the ride at first, but they too are quickly caught up in the escalating violence. And adding no small amount of fuel to the fire is Robin Mattson, as the Huffman character's sexy girlfriend. Playing an only slightly more sympathetic variation on the malicious tease she played in her most famous film "Bonnie's Kids", her character takes her showers outdoors, even with all the drunken, dirty old men lingering about, and when she catches Steiger staring at her bra-less chest, she tauntingly lifts up her shirt to give him a better look at her yummy breasts. This is not to say she deserves what happens to her--the tragedy here is that all the characters are actually sympathetic to SOME extent, even if only Huffman approaches ever really being too likable.With several gun battles, a gang rape, a wilderness chase, and lots of explosions, this works pretty well as a violent action movie. But it is one of those dark, cynical 70's ones like "Deliverance", "Southern Comfort", or "Who'll Stop the Rain?" that show only the ultimate futility and stupidity of violence. Definitely recommended, especially to fans of Rod Steiger, Robin Mattson, and/or downbeat 70's-era action fare.

Space_Lord Don't you just hate those peace loving, bleeding heart liberals that aren't fit to live in that great land America, let alone serve in her army just to desert? Why, that's like wiping your @$$ with the American flag!!!! Or so thinks Charlie, a patriotic, war-hardened, mysogynistic bully who was a sergeant in WWII and Vietnam (a completely over the top performance from Rod Steiger).Charlie doesn't have much time for David, the minder of the hunting lodge Charlie and his army buddies (cronies) are staying at. David happens to be a deserter and that makes Charlie mad. Mad enough to KILL! This movie is pretty much given away in the first scene, and confusing cut away scenes throughout it also detract from an otherwise OK tale about a guy who just wants to be left alone vs a psychotic old army guy.