The story begins in 1944 on a fictitious German-occupied Greek island during World War II. The narrative focus is split between an eccentric group of Allied prisoners of war in a concentration camp and a local Greek resistance militia led by Zeno (Telly Savalas). The camp's commandant is Major Otto Hecht (Roger Moore), an unorthodox and cynical Austrian officer. Far from being loyal to Hitler’s ideology, Hecht is more interested in exploiting the prisoners' artistic expertise to excavate priceless ancient Greek artifacts from a mountaintop monastery, smuggling them to Switzerland to secure his own personal wealth.
Tactical planning and political intrigue shift toward a mass breakout plan when a pair of stranded American stage performers, Charlie (Elliott Gould) and Dottie (Stefanie Powers), are thrown into the camp. Alongside Professor Blake (David Niven), a brilliant British archaeologist, they devise a wild tactic. Using intelligence from Zeno, the prisoners realize that beyond hunting ancient gold, the Nazi high command has installed a secret V-2 rocket base beneath the monastery, primed to destroy an oncoming Allied naval fleet.
The success of the film is bolstered by the bold decision to present Major Otto Hecht as a highly cultured, opportunistic, yet sociopathic antagonist regarding his military duties. Hecht is portrayed not as a cold-blooded villain, but as a flamboyant art lover willing to betray his own country for material gain and personal survival. Roger Moore delivers this German officer character with a unique accent and his trademark James Bond-esque elegant charisma, creating a strong comical contrast when he is forced to negotiate and eventually ally with his own prisoners for mutual benefit.
Nazi military ambition and internal betrayal culminate in the final third of the film through an intensely executed and adventurous action sequence. Director George Cosmatos masterfully coordinates large-scale combat choreography through the narrow streets of an old Greek town, including a spectacular motorcycle chase. The climax features a commando-style raid on the steep Mount Athena monastery, where the infiltrators must race against time before the German rockets are launched, delivering highly entertaining cinematic suspense.
The audio aspect of the film also plays a crucial role through a musical score crafted by legendary composer Lalo Schifrin. He blends traditional military march arrangements with the iconic sounds of the Greek folk instrument, the bouzouki. This accompanying music succeeds in breathing life into the local atmosphere while maintaining a satirical comedic tempo amidst a dangerous war setting. This dynamic use of music provides the perfect weight of pop-culture entertainment, complementing the visual beauty of the blue Aegean Sea and the majestic rock cliffs.
However, the stark contrast of genre blending between a serious war drama and silly slapstick comedy became a double-edged sword that drew criticism at the time of its release. Some critics felt the film tried too hard to please everyone; scenes of civilian executions by the brutal SS felt jarringly at odds with the casual jokes cracked by Elliott Gould's character in the very next scene. For purist viewers seeking an accurate and tactical war history film, Escape to Athena was deemed too absurd, sacrificing narrative tension for pure commercial entertainment.
Overall, if you are looking for a dark military espionage film filled with heavy political intrigue, this movie might feel too relaxed and juvenile. On the contrary, if you want to unwind and enjoy a classic late-1970s war adventure film full of nostalgia, packed with massive stars who clearly had fun with their roles, and beautiful Greek scenery, this film is a highly enjoyable pop entertainment masterpiece to watch.