So it seems that Channel 5 proprietor Richard Desmond had the idea of making his own all-star slapstick comedy film in the vein of the AIRPLANE! or NAKED GUN trilogy. He's the guy who concocted this mess of a film, in which a low budget doesn't put off a whole host of stars appearing and embarrassing themselves with routine frequency. The writer of this tripe, Laurie Rowley, handled some decent comedy back in the day like THE TWO RONNIES and SPITTING IMAGE, so he must have been having a real off day with this one.
The story is a scattershot spoof of DIE HARD, with the US president and his team of bodyguards holed up in a FAWLTY TOWERS type of British hotel and doing battle with a terrorist gang headed by the typecast Art Malik. A wooden Paul McGann is the erstwhile hero who dons a sweaty vest and does his best Bruce Willis impression throughout.
Sadly, the quality of the jokes in this TV movie is simply awful. There are whole routines ripped off from other movies, like the three FBI guys with the silly names routine taken from AIRPLANE 2: THE SEQUEL. The only one who comes out of this with their reputation intact is Keeley Hawes, whose surreal sight gags are the best thing about the film. Elsewhere, we have cringy turns from overactors like Lysette Anthony and Peter Capaldi; Brian Conley as a random wannabe American cop; Lee Majors hamming it as the President; even Gary Rhodes in a random cameo. It's a mess, and has to be seen to be believed.
