First off, let me just say that The Dirty Dozen: Double Feature does not contain the original film that made this series so popular. Instead, it contains two made-for-TV movies: Dirty Dozen: Deadly Mission and Dirty Dozen: Fatal Mission. Dirty Dozen: Deadly Mission is actually pretty damn good, with nice locales and appropriately rousing war music. Sometimes, however, the music sort of took over and felt a bit too happy for the setting. The basic premise is this - a hard-nosed general takes it to the Nazis with a group of rag-tag criminals with nothing to lose but their lives. In exchange for undertaking the deadly mission, if they make it back alive, they receive a get-out-of-jail-free card.

So, although it's been years since I saw the original Dirty Dozen, I could swear that Telly Savales was one of the criminals. However, in these two movies, he plays Major Wright and does it well. Ernest Borgnine reprises his role as General Worden. Basically, the Nazis have rounded up the best scientists and their families in an attempt to force them to create a deadly nerve gas that will be used to attack the U.S. It's up to the 12 to rescue them and save the day. Although this movie doesn't have a lot of stars aside from the aforementioned two, the acting is well-done and believeable and I really, really enjoyed this movie. Although initially disappointed that I was going to be watching a TV flick, the production quality and acting was good enough to overcome this stigma.

As good as Dirty Dozen: Deadly Mission was, Dirty Dozen: Fatal Mission was lacking. The plot surrounded a group of Nazis hand-selected by Hitler himself that were traveling on the Orient Express to become the 4th Reich and continue the Fuhrer's reign of terror. The Dozen are sent to stop it in any way possible. Unfortunately, although Savales and Borgnine are back, the excellent character of Joe Stern from Deadly Mission is played by Hunt Block instead of Gary Graham and he doesn't nearly do the role justice. Other notables include Erik Estrada, Heather Thomas, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Ernie Hudson and Jeff Conaway, although the performances were just uninspired for the most part.

Basically, if you are a fan of the Dirty Dozen in general, you might want to add the Dirty Dozen: Double Feature to your collection as Deadly Mission is good. Fatal Mission, while not terrible, just isn't all that good.