Les gradés de Top Gun

This movie is so bad, in every way, that the one line summary just about covers it!

There's no action, no excitement, no special effects, no script, no acting, no nothing. So do yourself a BIG favor - and do not watch this so called movie!

I regret it bitterly and it's the worst movie experience of my entire life. YUK!

Unless you are a sucker for punishment... Do not watch this movie. It is very bad! It said that it was supposed to be a sort of continuing story following Top Gun. Words cannot really describe how awful it is. My rating 1/10

OK, granted, I haven't seen this movie in 13 years or so... but the memory of watching it has scarred me for life. I don't know what's worse about this movie. The fact that it followed top-Gun's plot almost exactly, except with bad acting and corny lines or the enemies sitting around on trucks yelling the whole movie. If you want a good laugh or just want to be awe-struck... Avoid this movie at all costs, it's so bad the memory of it will keep you up at night. Shame on whoever made this movie.

My review was written in March 1989 after watching the film on Vidmark video cassette.

German helmer Ulli Lommel displays scant affinity for the "Top Gun"/"Iron Eagle" genre with "War Birds", a low-budget exercise headed direct to video stores.

A rather bland cast goes through the motions in a tired tale of Middle Eastern derring-do. U. S. Government has Lt. Col. Ronson organize a squad of mercenaries to fly into El Alahaim, a U. S. ally, and aid the pro-American sheik against some feisty rebels.

Among the mercenaries are two graduates from the "Top Gun" school, one of whom is killed when the mission goes awry due to treachery. Several missions later, the Yanks have wupped some rather stereotyped Arab bad guys.

Problem is that the aerial dogfights here are unexciting, relying on stock footage and minimal action. Otherwise, tech credits are okay.

Pic is dedicated to "Charlie Varrick, last of the independents", evidently Lommel's homage to ace action film director Don Siegel.

I use to own this movie. I forget how I came across it, but the movie was so atrociously bad, that I would loan it out to friends and family. But before loaning it out, I would purposely talk it up, like it was the best thing to come along since Top Gun. Well needless to say, I reaped misery on quite a few unsuspecting relatives and friends. This movie was so hokey than it put Ed Wood's "Plan Nine From Outer Space" to shame. I really wish I still had it, because I had a lot of fun with this bomb. Unfortunately one of my victims never returned it. It is rumored that it met an untimely death in a dumpster somewhere along Alligator Alley.

Rest In Peace Warbirds, I miss you...