In Robert Aldrich`s pulsating World War II thriller, Lawson (Cliff Robertson), an American naval officer specializing in Asiatic languages, is sent to the Pacific theater to assist a group of British soldiers (Michael Caine, Denholm Elliott, and Harry Andrews) in a seemingly simple mission--knock out the enemy s key transmitter. But the allied soldiers soon realize they are up against unsurpassable odds and that hopes of survival are sliver thin. Lawson takes charge of the group and devises a daring plan of escape. Robertson lends the film emotional depth with his portrayal of Lawson as a reluctant hero transforming himself into a leader as the suicidal nature of the mission grows ever clearer. In the tradition of Aldrich s earlier action-adventure extravaganzas THE DIRTY DOZEN and THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, TOO LATE THE HERO features a formidable cast, exotic sets, cataclysmic special effects, and an ever-tightening grip of suspense, making the film a worthy addition to the director`s canon of macho, white-knuckle forays deep into the lethal epicenter of war.