Firebirds

Staring: Nicholas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, Sean Young

Review by The Ranting WolfCastle

     I know you're probably saying "Fire what?" right now, but long hours in a video store with absolutely no idea what you want to rent will lead you to make strange choices.  So back off.  This is a helicopter movie, in the same spirit as "Top Gun" and "Iron Eagle" only with helicopters.  Are you following so far, my condescending friend?

     Cage stars as a hot shot prodigy helicopter pilot.  Some of his teammates were destroyed by a single enemy pilot.  He's pissed and wants revenge.   The US army decides to take this punk enemy out.  Cage gets on the team and has to learn how to fly a different kind of chopper.  Most of this movie is him training and having difficulty, mainly with his eyesight.  But Tommy Lee Jones' character helps him out, and off they go to kill the bad guys.  As you may have guessed...they succeed.  I hope I didn't ruin it for you.

     A film like this leaves much to be desired.  It's the same old story, but this time they fly helicopters.  Right on!  The cast is good, Cage, even in the eighties, has this way with making bland lines funny.  And Tommy Lee Jones plays his usually character.  The strong leader that don't take shit from nobody!  Aside from these guys, everything else sucks.  The story meanders on, and for what?  A dragged out dogfight between good and evil.  What a gyp.   You know when you first pop this in the VCR what's going to happen, considering you are conscious.  I didn't really like the helicopter battles, it's puzzling as to what's happening.  First the good guys have the bad guys in their sites, then all of the sudden the good guys go down in a ball of fire.  It's confusing to say the least.

     Cage and Jones are the only good part to this movie.  I rate it two stars because each deserves one.  Don't rent this movie unless you want a less complicated "Top Gun" with no emotional appeal and different flying machines.  Helicopters dude!

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