Fire Over Afghanistan

I thought this movie seemed like a case study in how not to make a movie for the most part. Since I am a filmmaker, I give it a 2 for consistency.

The problems remain from beginning to end with the plot being extremely predictable using bits and pieces of most, if not all, previous successful war stories. The computer generated graphics were too much like viewing a video game at points and there seemed to be no attempt by the director to add some realistic quality to the story. I was interested in the budget to get an idea of what he had to work with, but did not find that information.

It seemed like this project pushed the limits of a low budget movie too far resulting in a production that drags the viewer along with the story without their imagination being engaged. The actors weren't bad, but the plot needs more innovation.

"This odd little" movie is so bad it's funny. Not as funny as other hilarious terrible movies such as SHAKEDOWN, and WHEN EAGLES STRIKE, but it is good for some laughs. There tends to be a little too much dialogue (and when your dialogue is god awful, thats not a good thing) and not enough hilariously pathetic action sequences.

HIGHLIGHTS: unabashedly reused shots, terrible terrible acting, a bazooka that shoots fire, giant Afghan fighters, helicopters that defy the laws of physics, and a really really unnecessary rape scene, just to name a few things. Plus, the hero is a squirrelly little guy who could never pull off what he supposedly does.

For those of you who enjoyed the dialogue and would like to see another more boring and actionless version of this film, check out Escape From Afghanistan which features 50% of the same camera shots and 100% less awesomely bad explosions.

Also, for those of you who rent the DVD, be sure to watch the trailers for upcoming releases which seem to be promising one thing and one thing alone... if you watch these new movies, you will see boobies, lots and lots of boobies.

This is a low budget attempt at getting under the skin of people who deposit themselves into difficult territory and attempt to maintain their equilibrium. The actors are strong and the story is familiar, but there is a sorrowful angst in between the gunshots. You can tell the filmmakers care far more about the situation than they do the action -- and once you accept it, it's okay. I watched it a couple times to make sure I hadn't looked away and missed something, and the second time through I understood what they were after: the pointlessness of war. This is a movie in which a character is forced to shout "Shoot him, dammit!" A rip from Bridge on the River Kwai, a wild comparison, yes, but another war picture that wanted only to say how pointless the war itself is.

Ha Ha Ha Ha.

I have seen some really bad films in my time but this falls directly into the "who funds this junk" category.

I was very pleased with myself as I managed to sit through 28 minutes of it before I cracked and started fast forwarding looking for any potentially good bits. I was bitterly disappointed.

The computer graphics appeared to have been done on a BlackBerry. Actually that's unfair, I love my BlackBerry. The acting was poor, the direction was worse. The "locals" dancing in one scene didn't seem to have a clue what they were doing. Nobody knew how to hold or fire a rifle and the non combatant killed more people than anyone else. I don't actually need to say more about this film as nothing about it is any good. Its proper rubbish, and not even in a good way. Do not waste your money.

A real "must miss".

There's nothing wrong with this movie that some budget wouldn't fix. The acting, dialogue and direction are fine -- the story is derivative of The Purple Plain, but that's 50 years ago and using it as a springboard is not a bad idea. We begin with a struggling pilot's fantasy that his world is exploding around him. When nobody else reacts he and we realize that it's in his mind... and we are supposed to wonder why. Having established him as a helicopter pilot (in a thin but story-forwarding action scene) we learn the reason for the pilot's internal struggle: he lost a son to a suicide bomber's madness. The story unfolds with the pilot being given a chance at salvation, a chance at finding a reason to live: when his chopper is shot down, he and the female reporter on board must find their way across Afghanistan to safety while bounty hunting bad guys pursue them.

Yes, yes, there are never enough stunts or explosions -- but when our hero charges the bad guys, it isn't bad strategy, it's his suicidal side coming out. There are noble ideas at work here. It's a shame there wasn't enough dough to silence the idiots who care what the cockpit looks like more than they care what characters are feeling.