The Flyboys

This movie is powerful on many levels...the character development, the plot, the acting, the special effects, the scenery, the music...it is uplifting and "on the edge of your seat" exciting....you are not just watching this movie..you are involved in it because you are carried away by the story...you are so affected by the plot and the compassion that you feel for the characters...I was especially touched by the development of the friendship between the two boys and the influence of the grandfather and the uncle in this story....and the truth revealed that good things can come from life experiences that, at the time, seem too challenging for words! ...wholesome, funny, thrilling, and touching....you can cry and you can laugh with the audience...finally, a movie for the entire family to watch and enjoy together!!

I saw this movie at the Riverside Film Festival and was shocked to find out it has not been released nationwide because it was not picked up by the big studios for distribution. They (the Hollywood types) are so out of touch as far as knowing what the average movie-goer is looking for - they made a big mistake passing on this movie. It's a wonderful film and had a little of everything (with the exception of graphic violence and sex!)- action, suspense, romance, intrigue, etc. I found myself laughing, crying, cheering, clapping, and enjoying the roller-coaster ride of emotions to the very end. It's definitely a must-see for every age group.

Again... Who is writing these reviews?!?! These filmmakers must have a huge extended family, cause each one of them apparently started an IMDb account and reviewed ONLY "Flyboys"

I saw this film with very receptive audience, and I think that helped me enjoy it more. The story is pretty convoluted, but I'll do my best a quick synopsis: Two young boys stow away in a strange plane that gets stolen, flown into the air and abandoned with a bomb on board. The boys then have to land the plane. THEN there's this business about the Mafia and millions of dollars and, well... You get the picture (maybe).

Anyway, the movie had great promise for being an Indie. The acting was better than the average, and the cinematography was great. It had a bigger budget than most Indie's so the production value stands out amongst other unseen films. But, just as I was getting into the story and the characters... WHAM! There's Steven Baldwin! All pretense of an Indie film was gone and his face took me right out of the picture.

I still enjoyed it, though, and you could do a lot worse if you see this one at Hollywood Video.

I saw this film Friday night, April 4, 2008 at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, NJ, and was captivated from the moment it started. "The Flyboys" is a terrific story with well-written dialogue. All the actors turned in believable performances: You wanted to see what their characters would do. The stunt work is phenomenal, and genuine (no gimmicks); so, too, is the camera work. The musical score is good (not over-powering). That commercial Hollywood passed on this film proposal is a telling commentary of just how out-of-touch the studio system is with what middle-class America will pay to see in a movie theater as part of a night out for the whole family.

"What's wrong with Hollywood?" you say? Well, for one, there's no one there who recognized the genius in this film, released as "The Flyboys," rather than "Sky Kids," the original title. And let me clear the air right away by letting you know that I am in no way involved with this film and I don't know anyone who was. I just saw it at the Garden State Film Festival, where it won the top prize, as I believe it has at every other festival where it appeared. As someone else mentioned, the audience was cheering and applauding throughout the movie. How often does that happen when you go to a movie down at the Cineplex? The filmmakers did a beautiful job of capturing the excitement of the adventure while still maintaining the humanity and innocence of the two boys, played perfectly by Jesse James and Reilly McClendon. Yes, there's a hint of sappiness here and there, especially at the ending, but WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? And while there may be a few elements too rough for the youngest viewers, this is still a great film for the whole family. I only wish that Hollywood would wake up to the fact that people really enjoy this type of movie. Until they do, I guess we'll just have to settle for "Snakes on A Plane 2."