Flight Of The Phoenix [Blu-ray]

Nothing to dislike film for all family

Love this film. Very cheap on blue Ray. Basically plane goes down in the Gobi desert and no one knows where they so it’s make a plan and get out or due! Brilliant story, acting - Dennis Quaid is brilliant and the rest of the crew.

I really, really enjoyed this movie. For me the measure of a successful movie is that it be entertaining as well as being well crafted, and also one that I will choose to watch again, and again, and still be freshly entertained. Some reviewers have been dismissive but I can't find their problem. All of the actors were all eminently watchable, their characters develop with the story, and remain distinct individuals. There were no straw men. John Moore's direction and scene craft was superb. On the basis of this movie alone I will seek out his other work. I know I will be choosing to watch this movie as the years pass when others with more fanfare have long since faded from memory.

Not as good as the first one with James Stewart !

A pretty reasonable remake of the James Stewart classic with a more up to date approach.You will love it if you have never seen the original but for me, the first one is king.

Great remake..but not as good as the original.

This was an ok film really. Like the Zak Schneider remake of George A Romero’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’ the film opens with a superb Johnny Cash song that sets the mood for the action. But having seen the sublime original version of ‘the Flight of the Phoenix’, with its mega-strong cast including James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, George Kennedy and the excellent Hardy Krüger, it’s impossible to fall in love with this version, which is inferior in every respect. Dennis Quaid has none of the magical qualities that made James Stewart the perfect Frank Towns, and Tyrese Gibson doesn’t come close to matching the Super performance of Dicky Attenborough as Town’s side kick. How could he though? Because Attenborough was outstanding as jimmy Stewart’s Navigator. This version is merely a disaster movie with more special effects (notably in the sand storm scene), but with no Soul. And as with many remakes this one cuts one of the best parts from the original film out, the closing exchange between Towns and the Model aircraft designer. Watch the original film several times before you watch this one and I think you’ll agree with me.

I'd read the reviews so I only have myself to blame - but I thought I'd give this movie a chance and let it stand on its own laurels. I'd also resisted the temptation to compare this production with the original. So, I must say, on its own laurels, that this is a truly appalling movie. Full of movie clichés and tired old stuff, the dialogue is so naive that it could make you wince so hard you'll pull a muscle. Indeed, the movie is so bad I'm moved to write extensively on it to warn you off and save you money. Kevin Quaid will make you squirm with embarrassment. In his attempt, I guess to be `edgy' he comes across as a violent oaf. He is confused, contradictory, illogical and emotional yet he is the hero that is adored and respected by the neo-extras which make up the rest of the cast. The director shows a grim ignorance of human nature. Quaid is always in the right place to display his heroic skills and mostly the other actors are relegated to the role of speaking scenery. His face is set in one grim expression, hard as rock, like the tense six pack he displays for our delectation. At one point he shoots two guys with a hand gun at 50 metres, or so, in the dark while one of them sprays automatic fire at him. This is around the time one of his amigos spots and recognises a wrist watch worn by a Mongolian baddie at the same distance in the same light. Quaid clearly didn't do one gram of research into his character. He has no idea of the characteristics of the average passenger captain nor his obligations and duties to his crew and passengers. Instead we got the awful sky cowboy we've seen and despised so often before. As with most American movie stars, I'm afraid to say, he plays one character over and over again and this character is shoe-horned into the story line. Indeed, the story seems to have been re-written around him alone. For goodness sake, so much money must have been put into this production that a little could have been devoted to research into the auto reflexes, training and situational awareness that aircrew (flawed and human as they may be) will possess in this situation. Where were the signal fires, smudge (smoke) pots and ground displays that would have been first priority? As for any kind of character development amongst the others, the director resorted to a shallow dysfunctionality amongst them. Miranda Otto was superfluous and unbelievable and at one time the redoubtable Hugh Laurie says `We're all going to die out here' and I could see in his eyes what he actually meant. All of them did.As for the original tense, gritty, atmospheric and well acted movie and story, Hollywood took it, applied the Hollywood `magic' (along with the usual contrived petrochemical explosions) and produced something that has no flavour nor any merit.Do not buy this movie unless you are a student of cinematography and you need some lessons involving bad, don't, squirm and cringe.