FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1991 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: Pretty pictures, stupid story. The air-war of a previous conflict is occasionally entertaining to watch but the plot is cliched as are most of the characters. This film's only chance is to follow the current wave of interest in military equipment. Rating: low 0.
Had I not actually seen a copy of the book FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER by Stephen Coonts, I would have had a hard time telling if this was a very weak story given classy military equipment photography and quality special effects treatment or if this was just a collection of classy military equipment photography and quality special effects tied together by a very weak excuse for a story. During World War II a lot of B war movies carried stories just as good to the bottom half of double bills. We are talking HELLCATS OF THE NAVY-level plotting here. In 1972 Vietnam we have an aircraft carrier ruled over by a cigar-chewing, mean-as-a-junkyard-dog-but- heart-of-gold sort of commander. Danny Glover plays the Black commander with the unlikely name Frank Camparelli. One of his bright young pilots, Jake Grafton (played by the uninteresting Brad Johnson) agonizes over the loss of his bombardier. The companion is lost in a raid that accomplishes nothing besides adding visual interest to the opening credits. Grafton wants to go on a super-special raid of his own devising. But this raid is directly contrary to orders. His top-gun replacement bombardier Virgil Cole (played by Willem Dafoe) says absolutely not. Does Jake get to make his super-special raid on North Vietnam? And if he does, what is the Navy's reaction?
The weak story is, however, punctuated by pretty pictures of planes, helicopters, and aircraft carriers to keep the audience watching. If this film stands any chance with audiences it is in the fortuitous timing of this film coincident with a sudden upsurge of interest in technical weaponry. Indeed many people may find events in the Middle East resonating with attitudes in this film. On the other hand, maybe some people would prefer to stay home and watch technical weaponry on television.
FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER is directed by John Milius, who is specializing in gutsy films like APOCALYPSE NOW (which he wrote), CONAN THE BARBARIAN, and RED DAWN. The score is by Basil Poledouris, the gifted composer of the scores for the "Conan" films, who seems repeatedly associated with films with right-wing themes. Poledouris scored RED DAWN, AMERIKA, and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER.
FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER is linked in advertising with THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, but it falls well short of that film's interest value and quality. My rating is a low 0 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
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