Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		2.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		2.5

Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 15, 2023

When “Birdemic: Shock and Terror” was released in 2010, viewers laughed. It was a particularly inept filmmaking endeavor from writer/director James Nguyen, who seemed to have no idea how awful a movie he was making, marching forward with a tale of a bird attack in Half Moon Bay, California, utilizing some of the worst helming instincts imaginable. Cult film fans ate it up, and Nguyen returned to the scene of the crime with 2013’s “Birdemic: The Resurrection,” where he achieved some level of self-awareness, trying to recapture the vibe of the first installment while leaning into expanding ridiculousness with a larger budget and fan support. Viewers didn’t laugh. Ten years later, Nguyen returns to quite possibly his only source of income with “Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle,” which basically rehashes “Shock and Terror,” only this time around, the helmer is absolutely determined to establish the climate change message of the series, asking viewers to sit through an hour(!) of exposition, speeches, stillness, and Hitchcock appreciation before the birds return to attack humans. Viewers won’t laugh.

While strolling around a pier one afternoon, Evan (Ryan Lord) meets Kim (Julia Culbert), a marine biologist studying the cancer rates in sea lions. Evan is a gerontologist trying to find funding for his company, which is dedicated to the study of aging. The couple share an interest in science and climate change, spending time with each other, meeting others who also hold concern about the future of Earth. While traveling around California, taking in the sights of nature and visiting shooting locations for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” Evan and Kim soon find themselves under attack by Southeast Asian sea eagles who’ve made their way to America, and they’re mad, determined to destroy humans with their talons and apparently explosive powers. The only one who understands what’s going on is Rod (Alan Bagh), the survivor of a previous avian disaster, who leads Evan, Kim, and his girlfriend, Katie (Victorya Brandart), to guns and safety.

As with “Shock and Terror,” “Sea Eagle” opens with lengthy scenes of driving and sightseeing, following Evan as he makes his way through California, on his way to the beach for some relaxation. The picture takes forever to even begin, but that’s Nguyen’s way, and he’s in no hurry to do anything in the feature (this includes mastering basic production achievements), which doesn’t improve on pacing issues from the first two installments. In fact, “Sea Eagle” is perhaps the slowest of the “Birdemic” chapters, with Evan taking his sweet time to get to Kim, who’s checking on the sea lion population, willing to engage with a man immediately presenting himself as her intellectual equal. They talk science, climate change, and film fandom, with “Vertigo” a shared favorite. We also meet other random people, including a painter on the beach and a real estate agent hoping to sell Evan on an expensive home in wildfire country. The first act comes and goes without any bird attacks.

Evan is looking to decode the “nine mechanisms of aging,” and much like Rod in “Shock and Terror,” he hits the jackpot in financial backing, looking to celebrate such an achievement with Kim, taking her on a trip, which gives Nguyen a chance to highlight expensive electric cars and wine brands. The helmer also takes time to feed his swimsuit fetish as Kim presents herself to Alan in a dingy hotel room, and they set out to do some dancing, with “Shock and Terror” singer Damien Carter returning to perform inside another empty café, unfortunately not reprising “Just Hanging Out.” More encounters are provided in “Sea Eagle,” including Mr. Green, an Elon Musk-type looking to wow the couple with his plans for an atmosphere- cleansing space elevator. And there’s staring. So much staring. The second act comes and goes without any bird attacks.

Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.00:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Birdemic 3" is a real head-scratcher. The feature was made recently, enjoying a tremendous upgrade in technology over the last two installments. Cameras are also mostly idiot-proof as this point, but the viewing experience offered here doesn't reflect such a reality. "Birdemic 3" shows little consistency not only between scenes, but between shots, with some images bright and barely welcoming, while others are artificially dimmed, making the difference quite noticeable. And this doesn't appear to be a disc issue, but an effort from the production to match the bungled imagery of the earlier endeavors. See screencaps 6-8 to view the crazy differences during a single scene. Color goes nuclear, with heavy use of cyan, which is almost blinding at times. Skintones aren't consistent. But, again, this all appears to be an intentional artistic choice, looking to tank the HD capability of the production in the name of a bad joke. Compression and encoding isn't strong, with banding and blockiness common, limiting detail.

Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track also plays "Birdemic" games with the audio, finding levels changing throughout the mix, perhaps representing a production that has not clue about sound recording, or just pretending to be one to recapture the original "magic" of the first film? It's really hard to tell. Scoring cues provide a richer presence, leading with strong synth. Pop songs are also inviting, retaining crisp beats and clear vocals. Sound effects are basic, with screaming birds offered priority, and gun shots are reasonably snappy.

Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction (3:00, HD) offers time to writer/director James Nguyen, who claims "Birdemic 3" to be his favorite of the trilogy.

• Commentary #1 features writer/director James Nguyen.

• Commentary #2 features actors Ryan Lord, Julia Culbert, and Alan Bagh.

• Commentary #3 features comedian Andy Wood and "his neighbor, Tony."

• Festival Highlights (6:37, HD) follow writer/director James Nguyen and some of the cast of "Birdemic 3" as they celebrate its release at various film festivals.

• And a Trailer (2:30, HD) is included.

Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Sea Eagle" is an 83-minute-long movie, and it takes 57 minutes before the birds of "Birdemic" arrive, dropped bluntly into a comatose film that's bogged down by scientific numbers and climate warnings. It's a great message, but the wrong picture, and Nguyen has no idea how to portion out his lessons, putting viewers to sleep long before bird attacks finally show up. The sea eagles do provide a jolt of violence, slitting throats and killing bikers, moms, and rappers, and the return of everyone's favorite software salesman, Rod (Bagh is billed here as a "special guest"), means time for shootouts with the enemy. It's not much, but it's something in a feature that's perfectly happy offering nothing, rehashing "Shock and Terror" moves while amplifying a conservation message Nguyen ultimately gives up on. Turns out, we're all doomed, and certainly paying customers will feel that way with "Sea Eagle," which finds the writer/director completely aware of his camp value, simply trying to replicate his past success. And yet, Nguyen still misses the mark with this crushingly lifeless continuation of a franchise nobody wants.