I remember wanting to enjoy this as a kid because of its great title and concept but being underwhelmed by it. It remains underwhelming, with a great title and concept.
Brian Trenchard Smith was apparently flown to New Zealand for a day to keep director David Hemmings in line. It's a shame Trenchard Smith couldn't take over because he'd have brought the right light touch that this needs. Hemmings' work is fairly ordinary.
Brian May's score feels brooding and the playing isn't there. Donald Pleasance is ideal in the Walter Brennan part, and George Peppard camps things up as he's been asked to. Ken Wahl is a good looking guy with some charisma but isn't quite right here - he's a bit lumbering or something. (At times I wished Peppard was playing Wahl's role and Hemmings was playing the villain). Lesley Ann Warren feels wasted - I get she's meant to be a good girl who gets a bit naughty but she lacks a scene that's hers; a bathtub moment or an action scene or something.
The plot is fairly simple - Peppard chases the gang of three. It could've done with a twist like the betrayal of a friend or a death or some other reversal - like the government being involved, or a widow of one of the dead pilots coming along or something. I guess Pleasance is captured but that doesn't feel too major.
The scenery is stunning, there's some awesome camera work. Bruno Lawrence pops up as Peppard's henchmen. It is a film that just wants to entertain you, I'll give it that.
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