jimel98 Let's get a few things out of the way first. For one thing, it has all the feel of a TV movie even a TV movie cast other than George C. Scott (one of the FINEST actors ever-NOT sarcasm) and Martin Sheen in his early career. Otherwise, this has made for TV all over it, even the credits have that second rate feel.Many things happen that are very believable but there are plenty of things that make you go, "Hmmm?" Just a quick example that could be considered a spoiler, when Scott leaves the hospital, WHERE DID HE GET THE CLOTHES? And if they wanted to keep him there, I have a hard time believing his wallet would be left for him.And why did he have to kill so many folks (a guard, two cops, at least one soldier) who were as responsible for what was going on as much as HE was? They had families but eh, screw that, "I HAVE A GRUDGE!" A righteous grudge or not, these folks didn't kill anyone, but now their families grieve. It took the hero out of it and made him a douchebag.OK, that's off my chest. Whew.I saw this movie when it came out in 1972 and I liked it. After I had seen "Patton" I couldn't think of a GCS movie I wouldn't like, and I don't recall seeing one either. This movie has its flaws but it makes a statement and makes it clear. If you must experiment with stuff, don't do it anywhere near innocent people and if you screw up, rush up to the nearest podium and scream, "We are VERY sorry. This was a MAJOR screw up and we are doing everything we can to rectify it!" Some would say don't do these experiments, but hey, this is the real world and this stuff, sometimes has to happen. Yeah, the REAL world where there are folks who hate us, want to kill us and will do whatever it takes, maybe like flying planes into buildings or potentially releasing gas that we really should now how to deal with.Politics aside, GCS's character, Dan Logan was angry, and very rightfully so. He was being screwed, figured it out, and went for revenge. He apparently knew he was dying so, why not REALLY get back at those who wronged him. I understand and almost applaud his actions. I stress, ALMOST (see above). No time for a law suit when you're about to check out, right? The photography was good, the script was actually quite good but lots of clichés. Scott, that guy couldn't turn in a bad performance if it was required of him. The supporting cast did a fine job as well, even his kid who for a good portion of the movie just had to convulse and bleed. He bled well and his convulsions were to die for.Bad joke, but I'm not deleting it.Overall, the scariness of the potential real life stuff is there and this movie really makes you think. I caught it for the first time in YEARS on YouTube last night and I was so glad I did. Now if I could only find some more of his classics that for some reason just don't get shown. "Oklahoma Crude"? Where ARE YOU?

kapelusznik18 ****SPOILERS*** Bravo performance by George C. Scott as sheep rancher Dan Logan who by finally realizing that him and his 12 year old son Chris, Nick Beauvy, as well as his sheep were exposed to the deadly MX3 nerve gas by the US Army while out camping that he takes matters into his own hands. That by going to war against the US military in the area not caring for a moment whom he hurts or kills, innocent or guilty, that he comes in contact with. Logan hospitalized with his son at a local military hospital are kept by the army doctor Major Hilford, Martin Sheen, from knowing the seriousness of their illnesses to prevent any panic from spading in the area but that soon falls completely apart. That after Chris dies and his father Dan Logan, who's been kept in the dark about his son's condition, finds out about it!Knowing that he himself doesn't have long to live Logan having nothing to lose goes berserk arming himself with an arsenal of weapons and explosive and heads for the facility that produced the MX3 nerve gas planning to wipe it, and those in it, off the face of the map. It's then that the US military stationed at Ft. Howard sends a complete combat unit supported by some half dozen attack helicopters to stop Logan and the carnage that he's creating! With an out of control and suicidal Logan that's not an easy task from them or anyone else who tries to get in his way.****SPOILERS**** As expected it was the MX3 nerve gas not the military who, despite all the damage he did, were reluctant to put him down that in the end did the guy in. Still Logan made his point by exposing what happened that caused heads to roll that allowed this disaster to happen and be covered up. Great man against the system film with George C. Scott, who also directed it, at his very best as the outraged father on the warpath against the US Government. Sadly a number of Logan's victims were totally innocent of the crimes committed against him and his son Chris and towards the end of of movie, by letting a trucker that he kidnapped free, he finally realized that. That was about the only right thing that Logan did in the entire movie but only after all the damage by him was already done.P.S Check out Richard Basehart as Logan's friend Dr. Roy Cardwell who tries to talk him out of taking it out on the US military for what it, by accident, did to him and his son as well as his sheep. Who in the end was himself almost shot, by US Army sentries, for trying to get the by then totally crazed Logan to surrender before he himself is shot and killed with in fact the MX3 nerve gas by shutting his respiratory system got to do to him first!

AaronCapenBanner George C. Scott both stars in and directs this melodrama, as he plays a rancher who, while out camping with his son, discovers that they were accidentally sprayed with an experimental gas, that has killed his son and livestock, and sends him to the hospital, where he learns that the military was behind it, and after being frustrated by their stonewalling, decides to take matters in his own hands, even though he has not escaped the effects of the poisoning...Though Scott gives a first-rate performance, and is ably supported by costars Richard Basehart, Martin Sheen & Barnard Hughes, this film ultimately fails because the father goes so far off the deep end with his revenge, killing the innocent, that he loses any sympathy, and the film ends inconclusively, and unsatisfactorily. A failure at the time, though can be seen on DVD from Warner Archive, for curiosity's sake.

Raegan Butcher ***THIS COMMENT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*** Maybe its me but there was something about this film that worked on my nerves like a tongue on a rotten tooth. It's based on a true incident in Utah in which an Army truck dropped a cannister filled with nerve gas and a butt-load of sheep bought the proverbial farm. But if the wind had happened to be blowing in the direction of Salt Lake City that day... George C. Scott (wearing what looks distractingly like fake eyebrows) directed and stars in this fictionalized account of a farmer and his young son who are accidentally poisoned with nerve gas by the Army. Perhaps its my own experiences at the hands of prison doctors that makes the many scenes of bloodless technocrats abstractly speaking about the opportunity to study nerve gas symptoms and blithely LYING with their every breath so quietly, eerily effective. After being lied to in the worst possible way by all responsible, George C. Scott's doomed farmer wreaks some almost Rambo-like revenge! I had heard about this movie for years and always wondered just what sort of havoc Mr Scott would wreak went he went into his RAGE... It was quite something to see him shooting security guards in the face and generally going postal. One can certainly understand where he is coming from. A film like this would never be made today, especially with a major movie star both directing and starring. George C Scott knows how to handle actors--this is probably one of Richard Baseheart's best performances--full of great conflicted emotions and heavy themes to wrestle with--and what a voice that man had! I think that one of the strengths of the story is the semi-documentary feel to the events. There is no giant conspiracy, just an average army-style Cover-Your-Ass situation, with those responsible already well insulated by their positions of power. The revenge enacted by Scott's character is as understandable as it is ultimately ineffective, a message nicely telegraphed by the final image, which I won't divulge here. Suffice it to say, this is one of those strange cinematic oddities from the 70's that has become, unfortunately, once again relevant. After all... if the wind had happened to be blowing towards Salt Lake City that day...