McConaughey, with his flattop «do,
square jaw, and grim determination, is clearly giving his all here, as are Keitel (as Crew Chief Klough) and the others, but I couldn't
help thinking the film would benefit from less diving and surfacing and more exposition.
It's a good thing, too — Flynn's casual performance is
helped by Curtiz's ability to keep his star under constant threat from well - drawn villains (big heavy Bruce Cabot is
square jawed and smug; character actor / sidekick Victor Jory is the epitome of dumb, single - minded badness) and from civilization run amok (random gunfights popping up all over; children getting dragged through the street tied to horses).