bowmanblue Put simply: I watched Biggles when I was a young boy in the cinema in the eighties. Therefore, I loved it. Of course, now, through adult's eyes, I can spot all its – numerous – failings, but I still love it nonetheless.First of all, for those of you still under the misapprehension that Biggles was simply a series of books about a fictional First World War pilot, you may find that he's changed slightly on the big screen. Yes, he's still a loop-the-looping daredevil of the skies, but he also travels through time. Or rather a rather down-on-this-luck marketing executive in nineteen-eighties New York keeps slipping through a hole in time to help out Biggles whenever he gets into a jam. And here we learn about 'time twins' – two people from different eras who inexplicably appear next to each other whenever the other is in danger.If you can forgive the minor straying from the source material, it's actually quite good fun – if you're in the mood for eighties cheese. And it is very eighties. The music is electro, completely over the top and doesn't fit the mood in the slightest (okay, it may be okay for the scenes set in the eighties, but watching a World War One battle to prog-new romantic whatever music is a little off-putting). It was like the film-makers were trying to recapture the style (or should that be 'style?') of Flash Gordon with its Queen soundtrack.Plus you have the rather unfortunate choice in leading man. No, not Biggles, even though he should technically BE the leading man. Instead, and cynically some might say in order to sell it to our American cousins, the story is more about Jim – our overworked marketing exec from the Big Apple. The problem is he's just pretty wooden really. He's being dragged this way and that through time and his expression never really changes. Biggles would have been a better – but possibly less bankable – star in his own right.But, even if you detest some of the casting choices, you still have the awesome dogfights between bi-planes. Biggles was made well before the advent of CGI and the use of real planes is pretty breathtaking (even to the sound of eighties electro!). And of course you have Peter Cushine – he's still got it, even though he looks a little tired now and it's no surprise to learn that this was his last on-screen role.If you saw (and loved!) Biggles in the eighties, everything you loved about it will still be there. If you're coming to it fresh then you may wonder what you've let yourself in for. Fans of a severe overdose of eighties cheese only. If you liked Flash Gordon or Masters of the Universe, you may want to also put this one on your radar.

michelleeb The good parts - Peter Cushing, who cannot go wrong, and adds some much needed gravitas to the modern parts.The WW1 cast - perfect in every way.When the story is in WW1 - The English soldiers coolly wandering into a courtyard full of Germans is one of my favourites scenes.The scene with the sonic weapon - just believable (given Tesla's experiments) and nicely gruesome. Alex Hyde White isn't too bad once the story gets going.The bad The whole time travel. OK, I can see it working - but it doesn't here. It's just an excuse to modernise and Americanise the film, because god forbid an 80's audience try and deal with the story of British people in the past.Calling it Biggles - he's barely in it. Not enough to justify being the title character.That soundtrack. That truly awful, grating, inappropriate soundtrack.Marcus Gilbert - the one anomaly in the WW1 cast - he's awful.The modern American cast with the exception of Alex Hyde White - grating, irritating and stereotyped in every way.I think, on some level, the original writers and director did want to make a proper Biggles movie - the standard of the WW1 part shows that. I suspect they were over-ruled by producers and studio hacks who couldn't understand why anyone would want to watch just a straight forward story about brave British flyers in WW1. (The films penultimate line 'You're not a god, you're an American!' hints at some bitterness)Pity. There could have been a good film there.

dsparrow-1 I first saw this movie back in the day. I liked it then, and now twenty years later I like it just as much. It's the boys own style adventure that gets me, it is so fun to watch, it is funny, fish out of water stuff. The music is catchy as well. I don't think this film got the recognition it deserved at the time.And I believe that if it was to be remade now, you'd be able to have something with a better budget, effects, story etc. Then maybe this film might get the sequels it so sorely wants. I would have to say give this film a try if you can, it's around on budget DVD at the moment online. Definitely feel good stuff.

Mike Hackney (alaskan_scout) I've read a lot of the reviews on here and there are some really negatives views of the filmOK so it is a bit tosh, cheesy, the music clashes and the storyline is a bit naff! i mean can a helicopters loudspeaker destroy a massive satellite dish?!?! but not taking anything away from a great film which i thought was thoroughly enjoyable! The music, if somewhat out of place is really catchy. especially the "do u wanna be a hero" song, the action is OK! i like the part when he's firing the machine gun at the Germans in the war, then zooms back to modern day and is shooting at the police! classic!Very enjoyable film i must say