🪖 The Wild Geese (1978) – Uzi 9mm Before Terminator Made It Famous
When people think of the Uzi, they picture Terminator or Commando. But before Arnie made it iconic, this compact submachine gun took center stage in a lesser-known but cult-favorite film: The Wild Geese.
If you grew up in the UK like I did, this wasn’t just another war movie — it was a rite of passage. A gritty, men-on-a-mission action flick starring legends like Richard Burton, Roger Moore, and Richard Harris… and yes, the Uzi 9mm in glorious full-auto.
Let’s break down how The Wild Geese introduced this legendary firearm to cinema history — and why it still holds up nearly 50 years later.
🔫 Meet the Uzi – Israel’s Most Famous Export
Designed in the late 1940s by Uziel Gal, the Uzi submachine gun was officially adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces in 1954. Known for its:
- Telescoping bolt
- Magazine-in-grip design
- Compact size and ease of control
…it quickly became one of the most widely used SMGs in the world.
The version seen in The Wild Geese is the full-auto military model, likely with 25- or 32-round magazines and firing from an open bolt — as was standard at the time.
🎬 Uzi in Action: The Wild Geese Gets It (Mostly) Right
The film follows a group of aging mercenaries on a rescue mission in Africa, and the action scenes are impressively grounded — especially for 1978.
You’ll spot Uzis in multiple scenes:
- Clearing rooms and hallways
- Firing in controlled bursts
- Engaged by professionals with military training
In fact, these sequences arguably portray the Uzi more realistically than many films that followed.
The only slip? A heroic last stand where the medic fires more rounds than seems likely, with no visible mag change. It’s a minor issue, but worth noting.
💥 Caliber and Combat Use
Chambered in 9mm, the Uzi doesn’t deliver explosive Hollywood impacts — and that’s a good thing. In The Wild Geese, enemies fall realistically from short bursts. No flying bodies, no sparks off dirt, no grenade-level effects from a pistol-caliber weapon.
That grounded portrayal is rare — and appreciated.
And while grenades do get the typical over-the-top treatment, the gunfire remains surprisingly faithful to real-world ballistics.
🧢 The Mercenary Connection
The film is loosely inspired by “Mad Mike” Hoare, the infamous British mercenary. His exploits in Africa were legendary — and controversial. It’s no surprise Soldier of Fortune magazine thrived around the same time.
If you’ve got a memory of reading those gritty, real-world accounts back in the day, drop it in the comments. This era defined a whole generation of military gearheads.
📺 The Uzi’s First Big Screen Role?
Here’s the surprise: The Wild Geese might just feature the first on-screen appearance of the Uzi in a major motion picture. That’s right — it beat Terminator and Commando to the punch.
Later, the Uzi would show up everywhere — from Miami Vice and Scarface, to Die Hard, Robocop, and beyond.
And fun fact: in Hollywood, the good guys usually use the Uzi in war films, while the bad guys tend to carry it in crime flicks. Watch enough of them, and the pattern becomes clear.
👀 Want to See Our Scoring for The Wild Geese?
To see how The Wild Geese scored in terms of capacity realism, caliber effect, and tactical accuracy — as well as where the Uzi showed up in other films — be sure to watch the full episode.
🎥 Watch now:
