Grade: D+
Synopsis: A couple on the run from a London street gang stumble onto a secret military experiment.
The Damned (These Are the Damned in the US) starts out well enough. The always excellent Oliver Reed leads a very creepy street gang as they ruthlessly beat an American tourist, but after this dynamite start the film meanders and eventually drifts into an overwrought, preachy, sci-fi tale whose big twist you’ll see coming a mile away.
It’s not all bad, though. The cinematography is sharp, the performances, outside of the aforementioned excellent Reed, are all fine, and the ending is about the best you could hope for, given the story. Finally, there’s the uber-catchy “Black Leather Rock” song composed by James Bernard that’ll have you humming for days.
Bottom Line: While fans of 50’s sci-fi will probably love it, others should beware.
