When an oil well in Northern Africa catches fire, a team gather to drive two trucks of explosives to the site, crossing a desert full of dangers.

No wonder that filmmakers keep coming back to Georges Arnaud’s classic novel; the nail-biting premise is good enough to overcome the most slapdash of adaptations.

In this case, the film begins with second-rate action that has you expecting Jason Statham or Gerard Butler knocking down a door any second now. That might’ve helped; this one struggles to overcome its mediocrity.

2024-France. VOD. 104 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Julien Leclerq. Screenplay: Hamid Hlioua, Julien Leclerq. Novel: Georges Arnaud. Cast: Franck Gastambide (Fred), Alban Lenoir (Alex), Sofiane Zermani (Gauthier), Ana Girardot (Clara), Bakary Diombera, Astrid Whettnall. 

Trivia: Original title: Le salaire de la peur.