Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		2.5

Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 14, 2018

When “Top Gun” became a box office sensation in 1986, it inspired Hollywood to dream up their own takes on military might and stylish jingoism. It’s not an easy recipe to follow, with the dramatic reach of “Top Gun” open for debate, but it certainly put a lot of scripts into development, with each project seeking to replicate what director Tony Scott managed to pull off with relative ease. 1990’s “Fire Birds” is a little late to truly cash-in on the need for speed, but it has the drive to be the next big thing for action movies and military salesmanship, making heroes out of helicopter pilots out to protect America from harm, though personal issues and relationship woes come first. It’s goofy, painfully simplistic, and partially miscast, but “Fire Birds” cannot be discounted as pure entertainment, given wings by stars Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones, who work very hard to make the insistent banality of this creation at least somewhat engaging with their pronounced idiosyncrasy.

After witnessing the slaughter of his fellow helicopter pilots at the hands of a vicious drug cartel mercenary, Eric Stoller (Bert Rhine), Jake Preston (Nicolas Cage) joins the Apache Task Force to exact revenge. Under the tutelage of weary vet Brad Little (Tommy Lee Jones), Jake learns to fly the latest and greatest helicopter from the U.S. Army, the AH-64 Apache, utilizing his teacher’s vast experience and tentative support to conquer his physical limitations and grandiose sense of self to become the most dangerous pilot in the air, ready to save the world from drug dealers. Along for the ride is Billie Lee Guthrie (Sean Young), Jake’s old flame and a steadfast pilot also involved in the Apache effort, looking to maintain focus on the mission while Jake tries to rekindle their love.

Jake is the Maverick character of “Fire Birds,” scarred some by past military mistakes, putting him in revenge mode, targeting Eric, a master pilot who’s been paid by the cartels to kill all challengers. However, Jake doesn’t have the right stuff, at least not yet, with the screenplay offering numerous testing sequences for the young Apache master, where his bravado is dented by the reality of flying a high-tech machine. “Fire Birds” slips into Jedi mode with Brad, who has faith in Jake’s abilities but can’t stand his arrogance, and there’s revival of romantic feelings between Jake and Billie, getting comfortable with old chemistry, clouding their Army duties. There’s a checklist of cliches to endure, and the writing doesn’t challenge the predictable, but director David Green keeps the film on the move, stuffing the endeavor with extensive air time on the Apaches, watching Jake learn his ‘copter-fu from Brad and Billie, encountering an unusual eye dominance issue as the freewheeling flyboy comes into contact with computer-based combat, requiring not only the mastery of the air, but cockpit multitasking.

Cage is a good reason to stick through this glorified Stephen J. Cannell television pilot, delivering a performance that’s half masturbatory quirk and half monetary obligation. Cage is bored, incredibly so, but it works for the film, with Green permitting the actor to do pretty much whatever he wants, with the exception of a few lengthy expository exchanges -- lines that stiffen Cage to such a degree, I suspect his agent was holding his ankles to prevent the actor from escaping. All random air-kicks, slippery seducer, and ace pilot ooze, Cage keeps “Fire Birds” amply volatile and enjoyably ridiculous, matched well with Jones (in similar check-cashing mode), who also appears to disregard most direction, filling the shallow role with whatever well-honed sass he deems necessary. Jones is also a master of all the military jargon the script contains, doing an extremely fine job making the effort seem authentic and routine, selling commander authority and surviving the picture’s insistence that a newly 40-year-old man is easily outpaced and outwitted by younger pilots. As much as his inner light is dimmed while participating in “Fire Birds,” Jones at least makes his character human, content to deal with Brad’s feared obsolescence while Cage dances around the frame, trying to make the filming experience as amusing as possible.

Interestingly, it appears “Fire Birds” was pushed through development by Dale Dye, the decorated military man turned omnipresent Hollywood advisor (“Saving Private Ryan,” “Born on the Fourth of July”). Snatching writing, producing, and acting credits, it seems “Fire Birds” was Dye’s ticket to the big leagues, showing Tinseltown he had what it takes to package a movie together with critical military support.

Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Fire Birds" first appeared on Blu-ray back in 2015 (now out of print) and according to Blu-ray.com's Martin Liebman, Mill Creek Entertainment served up a disappointing visual experience, using an older master to bring the movie to HD. Kino Lorber tries their luck three years later, and they don't have a remastering to sell, recycling the same scan as Mill Creek. Softness remains, keeping fine detail difficult to enjoy, and textures struggle for definition. Facial surfaces retain some creased concern, costuming has some touchability to it, and war machines capture a sense of steely construction. Distances are acceptable as well, giving some depth to desert chases and mountainous terrain. Colors are comfortable, focusing on outdoor adventures, keeping greenery intact and blue skies bright. Apache interiors deliver a decent range of hues from panel lighting and costume decoration. Skintones are natural, but there's a slight push of ruddiness at times. Delineation is acceptable. Grain is chunky, somewhat blocky. Source is in passable shape, with some mild speckling. Mr. Liebman was obviously critical of the Mill Creek disc and for good reason, and it's a shame Kino Lorber didn't try to offer a fresh scan for fans.

Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The big selling point of the Kino Lorber Blu-ray release is the debut of a 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix, which replaces Mill Creek's 2.0 Dolby Digital offering (a 2.0 DTS-HD MA track is also available here). While not intricate, the bigger mix is certainly authoritative, leading with crisp dialogue exchanges that pick up on acting quirks, mumbled lines, and cockpit yelling, making it comfortable to follow emotionality and speedy military jargon. Surrounds are used to push out the track, missing a great chance to add directional sweeping with the helicopters, but the circular feel is appealing. Scoring is supportive, keeping instrumentation appreciable. Sound effects are sharp and snappy, identifying bullet hits and whirring rotors. Low-end isn't precise, but there's a steady rumble with explosions and roaring engines.

Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director David Green.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:29, SD) is included.

Fire Birds Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Opening with a George Bush quote, exploiting the "War on Drugs," and staging a grand finale in the wilds of South America (it looks more like the outskirts of Scottsdale) with a dastardly Red Baron-type figure, "Fire Birds" practically prints out an enlistment contract from the Blu-ray player -- it's a jingoistic tug that makes the U.S. Military out to be nothing less than a volcanic force for peace, when the reality of the drug war was obviously far less celebratory. But hey, it was 1990. As long as helicopters tore up the sky, Sean Young appeared on camera braless, and strawberry gum was on the menu, everything was going to turn out just right for the country and the multiplex.