Warbirds is set during 1946 during the Second World War as America & Japan battle it out, female bomber plane pilot Max West (Jamie Elle Mann) & her all female crew & told to get ready to fly a B-52 across the Pacific ocean containing Colonel Jack Toller (Brian Krause), his men & a top secret cargo. While in mid-air a storm breaks & the bomber is forced to land on an island, with their plane badly damaged the stranded soldiers need to repair it & it just so happens that there is a Japanese presence on the island with all the equipment needed. However it also turns out that dozens of huge prehistoric flying monsters inhabit the island & like to eat humans. Once sworn enemies the Americans & Japanese have to work together to repair the plane get off the island before they become dinosaur food...
Written, co-produced & directed by Kevin Gendreau this is yet another Sci-Fi Channel 'Creature Feature' that they seem to have an endless supply of, however I thought Warbirds was slightly better than the average Sci-Fi Channel disaster. There is a smattering of intelligence here with a good World War II period setting, nice tension between the American & Japanese soldiers & a big moral issue at the end which plays on actual historic events but unfortunately the positive is more than matched with the negative as there's zero gore, an all female flight crew who after spending days on an isolated island still have bright red lipstick & perfect hair, a nonsensical plot which the prehistoric monster multiply very rapidly with no explanation, the idea that they only attack at night & for some reason only one at a time & the fact that not that much happens. Personally I don't think Warbirds is a total no hoper but with no gore & some silly clichés I can't really describe it as anything above average. The pace is alright & there are one or two decent moments particularly in the air as the monster attack fighter planes but alas they are few & far between. If you like Sci-Fi Channel films (if such a creature exists) then you might like Warbirds but if you don't then there's nothing here to change your mind.
The special effects vary, I actually thought some of the scenes set in the sky with the monsters attacking planes looked alright & better then expected for a Sci-Fi Channel film. There's absolutely zero gore, there's no blood & minimal death, disappointing. In fact some good gore scenes might have pushed Warbirds slightly above average rather than just below it. Also there's no way they could have lifted those barrels full of fuel, I have worked around those 200 odd litre barrels & when they are full they weigh a ton. Fact. The period equipment, costumes & general feel is quite good & the production values seem better than usual for a Sci-Fi Channel flick.
The IMDb reckons Warbirds had a budget of about $1,500,000 which probably went on the period setting & one or two half decent CGI computer effects. Apparently shot in Louisiana. The acting is alright but not brilliant from no-one I have ever heard of.
Warbirds wasn't as bad as I expected but still didn't quite make the grade for me, a total lack of blood & gore doesn't help nor does the failure to build on good ideas. Maybe worth catching on telly for free but don't spend anything on it.
Written, co-produced & directed by Kevin Gendreau this is yet another Sci-Fi Channel 'Creature Feature' that they seem to have an endless supply of, however I thought Warbirds was slightly better than the average Sci-Fi Channel disaster. There is a smattering of intelligence here with a good World War II period setting, nice tension between the American & Japanese soldiers & a big moral issue at the end which plays on actual historic events but unfortunately the positive is more than matched with the negative as there's zero gore, an all female flight crew who after spending days on an isolated island still have bright red lipstick & perfect hair, a nonsensical plot which the prehistoric monster multiply very rapidly with no explanation, the idea that they only attack at night & for some reason only one at a time & the fact that not that much happens. Personally I don't think Warbirds is a total no hoper but with no gore & some silly clichés I can't really describe it as anything above average. The pace is alright & there are one or two decent moments particularly in the air as the monster attack fighter planes but alas they are few & far between. If you like Sci-Fi Channel films (if such a creature exists) then you might like Warbirds but if you don't then there's nothing here to change your mind.
The special effects vary, I actually thought some of the scenes set in the sky with the monsters attacking planes looked alright & better then expected for a Sci-Fi Channel film. There's absolutely zero gore, there's no blood & minimal death, disappointing. In fact some good gore scenes might have pushed Warbirds slightly above average rather than just below it. Also there's no way they could have lifted those barrels full of fuel, I have worked around those 200 odd litre barrels & when they are full they weigh a ton. Fact. The period equipment, costumes & general feel is quite good & the production values seem better than usual for a Sci-Fi Channel flick.
The IMDb reckons Warbirds had a budget of about $1,500,000 which probably went on the period setting & one or two half decent CGI computer effects. Apparently shot in Louisiana. The acting is alright but not brilliant from no-one I have ever heard of.
Warbirds wasn't as bad as I expected but still didn't quite make the grade for me, a total lack of blood & gore doesn't help nor does the failure to build on good ideas. Maybe worth catching on telly for free but don't spend anything on it.