Flight of the Phoenix (2004)

Flight of the Phoenix - Blu-ray Info

Version: U.S.A / Region A
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
MPEG-2 BD-25
Running time: 1:52:57
Movie size: 20,95 GB
Disc size: 22,52 GB
Average video bit rate: 18.06 Mbps
Number of chapters: 36
Subtitles: English / English SDH / Spanish / French

DTS-HD Master Audio English 4099 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 4099kbps (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 1536kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio French 448 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 448kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 448 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 448kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 224kbps

#Audio commentary with director John Moore, producers John Davis and Wyck Godfrey and production designer Patrick Lumb November 5, 2008

Rip off of a great movie

I won't give this one a long review. It doesn't deserve one. It is a rip-off of the great Jimmy Stewart-Hardy Kruger movie of the same name. This film doesn't even start to compare. Worse, in a time of a war against fundamentalist terrorism, this film tries to be politically correct...politically correct, that is, if you are a Hollywood Loonie Tunes.

Rather than the North Africa and torture by Arabic bandits this film is placed in northern Asia and the assault is by a large band of Mongol banditos which Quaid, I think it is, manages to shoot to pieces with one of those pistols that never need to be reloaded. In way of criticism, there are still Arab marauders in the deserts of North Africa. Mongol bandits are, however, an anachronism having disappeared rather thoroughly with the Communist regimes of the last 65 years or more.

The only good part of the film is that in which a Mongol raider has been wounded and taken prisoner. This represents a significant drain on limited resources. The computer nerd, I think from Long Beach, California, proves himself to be not quite such a nerd by shooting him dead while the other wrecked passengers are wringing their hands. Problem solved.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico August 17, 2008

Get The Original

Who needs character development when you can have special effects. Besides, character development takes time and requires a little attention span. I suspect the director plays a lot of computer games and is heavily influenced by such great works as Grand Theft Auto. May 5, 2008

RISING FROM THE ORIGINAL'S ASHES

Hollywood is far from done using the long dead bodies of old movies to recreate them into something original and different yet using the same story as before. The remake fever is upon them! In an effort to draw back movie goers who are flocking from theaters, Hollywood regurgitates movies they hope people will at least remember the title of. It works some times, and other not. This one does.

Dennis Quaid highlights the cast as a rough and ready pilot who works for hire. On a routine flight taking the crew and executives from an oil drilling that didn't offer what was expected, they encounter a freak sandstorm. Doing his best to avoid the storm at all costs, luck doesn't ride with the group. Major damage happens and the plane crashes in the middle of the desert.

At first the group hopes for the best, salvaging what they can and making the best of their situation. But knowing that the antenna was the first thing to be damaged and with no distress call making its way, they come to realize that their chances of being rescued are slim. One by one the effects of the heart and fear work at each member that has survived.

But one select (Giovanni Ribisi) member feels that there is a chance if only everyone else will listen to him. Explaining that he has worked on designing planes, he sees hope in the wreckage of the cargo plane, a way to give it new life and to fly them home to safety. His biggest detractor is the pilot himself, Quaid.

Maintaining not only sanity but safety in the desert under the hot sun is not something easily done. And when one of the group wanders off in search of help, Quaid sets out to find him. This he does but not before they come across the body of a passenger sucked out during the crash. Not only do they find themselves having to contend with a sickening sight, they discover that his body has been ransacked. The only explanation? Raiders from the desert.

Making their way back to the plane, Quaid agrees to the possible solution. Now the group must work together to try and raise the plane back to life, the phoenix of the title back from the ashes. And while they do so, they must also find a way to insure that these desert raiders do not discover and annihilate them.

The minutes count down, the plane reconstruction has its ups and downs and the groups also finds that they have to contend with dissension or thieves in their midst. But through it all, the sense of hope inspires them to work hard and find a solution to their problem. Even if the not quite finished task at hand draws in attention of the raiders as the seconds count down to a climactic finish.

Few people remember the original film remade here. Starring James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and Hardy Kruger among others, it was considered a classic. But this film does that one justice while making it on its own. You can feel the heat. You can almost smell the sweat. And you can sense the fear of a group of people thrown in together knowing that sure death awaits them if they do nothing. This is one solid movie that deserves to be watched and enjoyed. Don't forget the original. Just enjoy this one and then seek the other out.
March 13, 2008

Flight of the Phoenix

This is the WORST remake of any movie I've seen in my life. The original movie had SUPERIOR actors and paid close attention to ALL details pertaining to what life would really be like if this indeed happened. This remake includes wimps,stupidity and a list of ridiculous ideas and total ignorance of what it would be like trapped in a desert in conditions that are beyond most imaginations. I'm going to burn this DVD in my outdoor firepit first chance I get. You really need to see the original to understand just how bad todays movies are!!! January 9, 2008

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