Ken14

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

Emperor's New Clothes?

I'm not a film critic, film student, nor film aficionado. I just like to watch movies. And I simply can't understand all the rave reviews for this film.

I found the characters 2-dimensional, unbelievable, and sometimes downright stupid. In general, the acting was way over the top, awkward, and amateurish. (Apologies to James Stewart, Peter Finch, and the other well-known actors involved.) The dialog was stilted and unnatural. The musical score was horrendous – at times, it was incredibly loud, annoying, and in-your-face.

The movie seemed overly long – it needed some serious editing, particularly in the long middle act of the picture. The ending, on the other hand, seemed rushed and just a bit too short (especially given the lengthy nature of the rest of the movie).

I really wanted to love this movie. Perhaps I've totally missed something, but I found this movie below "average", at best.