Desert Thunder

A by the numbers, low-budget war film capitalizing on the (then) impending threat of Iraqi bioterrorism. Because neither Congress or the UN will act, a squabbling military brings a reluctant, guilt-ridden Air Force officer out of self-enforced retirement to recruit and train the usual gang of bickering misfits. This takes most of the film's running time, leaving the last 10 minutes for the obligatory fiery air strikes, probably cobbled together from some other movie and repeated where necessary for the decidedly non-climactic climax. You've seen this all before, done much better.

I am a movie watcher from way back, and I can pretty much believe anything that the director brings to the film. This is a movie that you don't need to loose any brain cells over, full with the stuff that men, and sometimes women love. Human fights, food fights, gun fights, and yes jet fights, with a explosion or two. WHAT I don't get is the other movies that are in this movie, check this out... There is a jet dog-fight from Top Gun, there is a airplane vs. two helicopters fight from Capricorn One, there is a jet vs. everything on the ground from the movie Iron Eagles. Don't get me wrong, the movie is entertaining, but the only original fight was the food.

This movie is one of the worst movies ever made. It is not just bad, it is so bad that i just had to watch it until the end because i was stunned by just how much a movie can suck. I sincerely can't believe that there were people that invested their money into THIS. I also find it hard to believe that there are 10 people that rated this movie "10" on IMDb. It was probably the director and some members of his family or something.

To summarize, there is absolutely NOTHING good to point out in the entire movie. The plot is extra-unoriginal and seen in slightly different shapes a billion times. The direction is even poorer, because usually movies similar to this one are in a few moments exciting, but this one is dull the entire time. The acting is also a bad joke. I can't believe someone managed to make such a lousy movie.

"Desert Thunder" is a surprisingly enjoyable outing from Jim Wynorski. By the box art you would think it's a dry and serious affair. In fact, it is an upbeat and downright lighthearted experience.

Daniel Baldwin plays Lee Miller, a fighter pilot with a dark past. He is put in charge of assembling a team to fly to Iraq and stop a missile that will destroy a major city in Europe. The ragtag team are all outcasts from the military but Miller and his right hand man, Streets (Tyson) must unite them towards one common mission.

Besides Miller & Streets, the team, called "The Shadow Dancers" consists of: Burkett (Tim Abell), the hothead, Detolla, the silly chef who provides most of the comic relief, Jones, a record producer, Hasheem, A political refugee and computer nerd, and Malone, a woman who was involved in a military scandal.

Will they survive each other before they can take down the wacky Iraqis? If you watched this in 1999 it would seem "ripped from the headlines". The evil Iraqis brag about stalling U.N. weapons inspections. They say the WMD's are hidden in the palaces "where the Americans can't touch them." This is a direct slam on Hans Blix. You got burned, Blix! Daniel, one of the more underrated Baldwins, puts in an engaging performance. Miller calls people he doesn't know "Slappy" or "Sparky" and he is a compulsive gambler. Tyson is stoic as Miller's foil. They have to oversee the many training sequences, barroom brawls and food fights that pad out the running time.

It is suspected that "Thunder" contains stock footage, but this couldn't be definitively confirmed. Speaking of recycling, one pilot's airplane handle is "Eagle One", which is used in another Roger Corman production, The Hunt For Eagle One (2006).

Not only does "Desert Thunder" resemble the movie Top Gun (1986) but also the NES game "Top Gun", as shown in the Nintendo-type screen in the planes and the usage of the term "bogeys".

"Thunder" contains all the clichés you know and enjoy, mixed together with an uplifting patriotic theme, some goofy humor and some explosions. It all adds up to a rousing good time! For more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

If some scenes look familiar and feel out of place it's because they are, this movie uses footage from both Navy Seals and Iron Eagle. Anything of its own making is poorly put together and at times frustratingly bad. Most of the movie is taken up by the misfit bunch of characters goofing around, falling out, and eating lunch. The basic story is simple and could have been decent if told well, but this movie just feels cheap and lazy.