The Wild Geese is a 1978 action-adventure film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris. The story is set in an unnamed central African country, where a corrupt president, Julius Limbani, has seized power and imprisoned the opposition leader, Amos, who is also suffering from cancer.
A British businessman, Sir Edward Matherson, hires a band of mercenaries to rescue Amos and bring him back to England for medical treatment. The mercenaries are led by Colonel Allen Faulkner, a retired British Army officer who is assisted by Captain Rafer Janders, a former member of the US Army Special Forces, and Shawn Fynn, a former South African army officer who now works as a pilot.
The team is composed of several veteran soldiers from different countries, including South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), the United States, and Ireland. Among them are Pieter Coetzee, a former South African paratrooper who lost his leg during the Angolan War, and Sean Finnegan, an Irish soldier who is an alcoholic.
After a rigorous training program in London, the mercenaries fly to Africa on a cargo plane piloted by Shawn Fynn. They parachute into the jungle near Limbani's palace and make their way to the prison where Amos is held. The team manages to rescue Amos and kill several of Limbani's guards. However, they soon realize that they have been double-crossed by Sir Edward, who has made a deal with Limbani to gain access to the country's diamond mines.
In the ensuing chaos, Colonel Faulkner is captured by Limbani's men and tortured. The rest of the team manages to escape with Amos but is pursued by Limbani's forces. They fight their way through the jungle, aided by a group of friendly tribespeople, and eventually reach the border with the help of Shawn Fynn's plane.
Back in London, the mercenaries confront Sir Edward and demand compensation for their services. The film ends with a climactic showdown between the mercenaries and Sir Edward's henchmen, during which several of the team members are killed. Colonel Faulkner dies of his injuries, but not before revealing that he had planted explosives in Sir Edward's office, which explode, killing Sir Edward and his associates.
Overall, The Wild Geese is a classic action movie that showcases the talents of its veteran cast. It features intense action scenes, witty one-liners, and a rousing score by Roy Budd. The film also raises ethical questions about the use of mercenaries and the exploitation of African countries by Western corporations.
