Juggernaut

A terrorist seizes a transatlantic cruise liner and makes a blunt demand for a gigantic ransom in exchange for information about how to disarm seven deadly bombs he has hidden aboard. A multinational crew scrambles to locate the devices and stop a catastrophe, while authorities outside the ship wrestle with the ransom offer and the clock that keeps ticking down. The tension comes from the human elements on board as various officers and passengers react under pressure, and from the escalating stakes as the saboteur reveals more about his plan. The tale compresses the fear of modern terrorism into a dryly procedural chase that echoes real incidents, without surrendering to pure spectacle.

Directed by Richard Lester, Juggernaut released in 1974 with a screenplay credited to Richard Alan Simmons and Alan Plater. The story, inspired by real life maritime incidents, blends tense procedural plotting with an ensemble cast and brisk action.

Juggernaut helped define a late seventies wave of maritime thrillers that mix geopolitics with compact ensemble drama. Its star ensemble Harris Sharif and Hopkins gave the project a prestige sheen, while Richard Lester's brisk direction kept the shipboard crisis tightly focused and visually engaging for fans of genre cinema.

Critics at the time noted Juggernaut for its efficient pacing and solid performances, foregrounding leadership under pressure and moral ambiguity in the face of terror. The film treats greed, duty, and teamwork as competing forces, delivering a lean thriller that leans on character rather than spectacle.