★ 6 / 10
I have to admit that when I was
CinemaSerf
I have to admit that when I was a child in the 1970s, I devoured "Biggles" books. The timelines of the stories were all over the place, but the exciting…
I have to admit that when I was a child in the 1970s, I devoured "Biggles" books. The timelines of the stories were all over the place, but the exciting adventures of himself and his loyal stalwarts made for fun, boy's own reading. Sadly, though, much of the writing of Capt. W.E. Johns required a child's imagination to make it work. Try to put in onto a big screen and it doesn't really succeed. This isn't really a film about "Biggles" so much as about the eye-candy "Jim" (Alex Hyde-White) who gets caught up in some time travelling escapades when visiting London that see him working for "Commodore Raymond" (Peter Cushing) and our eponymous hero (Neil Dickson) as they try to thwart a cunning Bosch plan to use a sonic weapon to devastating effect during the first world war. It's an adequate story this, with decent enough effects and plenty of dog-fights, but the attempts to drag these characters into the 1980s has only limited success. What works about the characters in the books seems almost parodied here, and despite a scene in a nunnery where the young "Jim" simply refuses to be parted from his ultra-velcro'd skimpy towel, the rest of the film is pretty unremarkable. I think it most unlikely that these stories will ever see the light of day now - they are hardly politically correct even in the most tolerant of households, so it is a bit of shame that this bland effort will be his only cinema outing. Even the presence of the genial Cushing cannot really lift this from the realms of, well, why?
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★ 7 / 10
Chocks away for adventures in time!!
cold_lazarou
In answer to the insistently-asked question in the theme tune - yes, i do indeed want to be a hero, as evidenced in my bravery in admitting that this is, and…
In answer to the insistently-asked question in the theme tune - yes, i do indeed want to be a hero, as evidenced in my bravery in admitting that this is, and long has been, a favourite film of mine.
This is a one of those films many people refer to as a "guilty pleasure", well - i feel no guilt or shame in declaring my love for this movie. It's simply brilliant fun. Great action adventure larks, with likable characters, a neat time-travel plot, a groovy '80s theme tune, and an appearance by genre legend Peter Cushing (in his final screen performance). Honestly, what more do you need? Oh, you need more, do you? OK, then: Francesca Gonshaw, the really cute barmaid from early seasons of 'Allo 'Allo, as a Belgian resistance fighter (i swear, if she's said "Listen very carefully, i shall say zis only once" in that accent, my mind - and indeed my pants - may have exploded). Also, for all of us watching Doctor Who in the mid to late '80s, roles for both James Saxon and Marcus Gilbert. How'd'ya like them apples?
Absolutely sublime nostalgic fun. To be watched with a few ales, alongside "The Living Daylights" or "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear". Bliss!
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oh thanx, I loved this movie when I was a kid