Black Thunder

Most air-action movies are riddled with errors. Very often the aircraft required (ultra-modern, soviet) are unavailable. Of course using other aircraft makes sense (Using a F-100 as stand-in for a Mig-21 in `Skyjacked' for instance). Alternatives are to use models (as was very well done in `Firefox') or use computer graphics. So, F-16s are shown as US fighter jets. Nothing unusual. To depict the `Nova Stealth' a IAI Kfir is used although the intro shows a Mirage 2000. The angular lines of the Kfir do not make a realistic modern fighter. Ok, the choice is limited. Using the F-16 again as the `B-3' bomber (without any external stores) is confusing. It gets even more confusing as the villain pursues our hero using again a F-16 (supposed to be Libyan). The airfield from which the villain started has a line-up of Kfirs. Why the Libyans have several of this modern stealth `Nova' aircraft is not explained. There is supposed to be a single prototype of this aircraft! Maybe the viewer will not recognize the similarity? Ok, using a SR-71 to pursuit a fighter aircraft is ridiculous, but landing this aircraft in the Libyan dessert (not shown) is probably more science fiction than the supposed stealth technology. The `Nova' is completely invisible, except the infrared for some minute.

The acting is really deplorable. The action (non aircraft) is worse than done in the `A-Team' television series.

The aircraft action probably consists entirely of existing footage, making this a very cheap movie to make. Some footage (as the low-pass of the Kfir/Nova) is shown at least three times!

This move is definitely a must-see for aircraft buffs. If only, to have a good laugh.

BLACK THUNDER isn't really a good movie, but it's definitely fun and is one of my favorite Dudikoff movies. Several of his movies have had interesting concepts, this one included: a prototype fighter jet with a stealth mode that hides it not just from radar, but from the human eye as well, rendering the plane completely invisible. When karate expert Richard Norton steals it, Michael Dudikoff is recruited to steal it back. Flying into enemy territory with an SR-71 and comedic sidekick Gary Hudson, Dudikoff sets out to recover the stolen aircraft, finding help from a local villager, BAYWATCH beauty Nancy Valen. (Sadly, that's a body double for Valen during the nude scene.) One of my favorite scenes is towards the end, when Dudikoff takes on a whole airfield full of enemy soldiers with a machine gun and a couple grenades. The climactic dogfight between Dudikoff and Norton has some cheapo effects (especially of that missile flying around), but it's all tongue-in-cheek fluff that can turn a rainy Saturday afternoon into something fun.

The top secret prototype called Nova Stealth fighter has been hijacked by a Libyan spy during testing , as the Pentagon launches warning ; the aircraft shouldn't come into enemy hands. There is only one man who can retrieve the plane ; the test-pilot Vince Conners (Michael Dudikoff) . Vince is assigned by general (Michael Cavanaugh) to carry out the dangerous mission and set out in pursuit the stolen plane by means of a stealth jet nicknamed ¨Black Bird¨ SR 71 . He and his pal hot-dog pilot Jannick (Gary Hudson )pursue the Nova to Libya but when they land at the place their objective failure . ¨. Jannick has been trapped and top gun Conners is on the run. Without friends or allies they have to attempt to encounter the Nova without falling into the hostile hands of the military regime and before Libyian terrorists utilize the aircraft to blow up a meeting of the United Nations in Paris, with nerve gas , using bombs with chemical and nuclear power . Vince links with an equally rebellious fighter woman (Nancy Valen ) and blasts away at the ending . Meanwhile terrorist groups are united for buying atomic weapons to realize a nuclear massacre and world big alarm . But also Connors receives help from USS Sarasota carrier commandant (Frederic Forrester) and his assistant (Catherine Bell).

Lower-budget extended adventures produced by Robert Corman about a maverick pilot and his partner undergoing risked feats on air and earth . A standard actioner plenty action , struggles , shootouts and spectacular dogfighting . Dudikoff shows professionalism as crack fighter pilot assigned to get back an invisible jet . Comic touches by Gary Hudson provide some relief from the flights and explosions here . Acceptable aerial photography and functional musical score. The motion picture is regularly directed by Rick Jacobson . He is an usual director of TV movies as ¨Xena¨, ¨Hercules¨, ¨Cleopatra 2525¨, ¨Baywatch¨ and the successful ¨Spartacus¨; and occasionally directs for cinema as ¨Bad guys¨ , ¨A bold affair¨ and ¨Strategic command¨ in which play similar actors than ¨Black Thunder¨ . It's a predictable movie but often exciting . Rating : Passable , 5.

Not too bad for a typical Dudikoff film. Nancy Valen is always a treat but has a terrible "Libyan" accent. Artistic license is taken frequently with basic geography and flight times but if you can ignore that it's a harmless way to waste an hour and a half. Watch for the same guy dodging the same Jeep twice and two soldiers getting blown up twice (actually just recycled footage).

Of course I had never heard about the 1998 movie "Black Thunder", as I happened to stumble upon it by random chance here in 2024. And seeing that it was starring Michael Dudikoff, of course I opted to check out what the original "American Ninja" had to offer.

Truth be told, though, I wasn't exactly harboring the biggest of expectations to the movie. But still, it might be possible that I had missed out on a stellar movie experience from writer William C. Martell and director Rick Jacobson.

The storyline in the movie was fair, and it was certainly a watchable movie. Writer William C. Martell put together a script that was okay. It was, sort of, an archetypical late 1990s action movie, with a single man against insurmountable odds and still coming out victorious.

The acting performances in the movie were fair. Nothing outstanding or thrilling, but then again I wasn't really expecting this to be a Shakespearian experience. Aside from Michael Dudikoff, I was only familiar with Richard Norton, Michael Cavanaugh and Nancy Valen.

Visually, then the movie was actually adequate.

Watchable for what it was, but I doubt that I will ever return to watch "Black Thunder" a second time.

My rating of director Rick Jacobson's 1998 movie "Black Thunder" lands on a five out of ten stars.