Customer Reviews

Biggles - Adventures in Time

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The movie BIGGLES:ADVENTURES IN TIME is a rather odd movie to try and review. All logic says that the movie should be soundly panned - a low budget time travel movie about two "time twins" who bounce back and forward between 1980s New York and London and the Western Front in the French trenches of World War I whenever the other is in mortal peril.
Though the movie has plenty moments that make you cringe - the `old boy attitude' of the British flyers in WWI, the dated fashions of the 1980s and some of the most awe inspiringly terrible dialogue and dialogue deliveries in recent years. Yet in spite of it all this movie also has a certain amount of charm and there are a number of times in which you cannot help but feel seduced by the Boy's Own adventure of it all.
Drawing its inspiration from a series of Biggles novels by British author Capt. W.E. Johns, the movie is really the story of American celebrity dinners CEO Jim Ferguson (played by Alex Hyde-White). Following a visit from a mysterious elderly Englishman (played by Peter Cushing in his last movie), Ferguson finds himself transported back to World War One France where he meets British flying ace Biggles, whose Sopwith Camel bi-plane crashes nearby.
It becomes apparent that Ferguson must help Biggles complete his mission to destroy a German sound machine, a technology that could lead to Germany winning the war (one wonders why Germany didn't simply build more than one). The young cast are quite good in their roles, the music is serviceable and there is some very nice biplane dogfight scenes between Biggles and his archenemy Von Stalhein.
Faithful only in spirit to the Johns books, this movie was obviously meant to be the start of a franchise as evidenced by the ending, but that never transpired. This movie has its moments and for time-travel fans it will fill a nice couple of hours, but it's a movie where its parts are better than the whole. A true guilty pleasure.

I loved the 'Biggles' books by Captain W.E. Johns as a child and have re-read them as an adult now my own children are old enough for them. They are still excellent boys adventure books. I bought this movie for my 10 year old as he loves the Biggles books especially those set during the 1st World War with plenty of dogfights.

In the movie some of the dogfights, the trenches and the uniforms helped him visualize the books and there are some nicely shot scenes in London, but the story line itself is far removed from the original Biggles series and even those parts set in 1917 have a strong fantasy element. If you view it as a 'time travel' movie that just happens to go back to Biggles in the RFC in WW1 then you are less likely to be disappointed.

With the notable exception of Peter Cushing who plays Col. Raymond in the 1980's, the casting/acting is OK but not superb. Personally I found the modern music jarred with the 1917 scenes, but my boys liked it!

Although this movie is only rated PG there is one scene in the middle just after the Germans have tested their secret weapon that is in my opinion a little too graphic for my younger 8 year old, but other than that couple of minutes the rest of the war scenes are ok for both my 8 and 10 year old boys (but not my younger boys).

Overall this movie is worth seeing if you like Biggles or time travel, but is probably not worth paying almost $20 for.

This movie is seriously flawed in so many aspects. The dialog is both written and often times delivered in an amateurish fashion, the lighting is some of the worst I've ever seen in a professional film and the actions of the characters in response to their surroundings is simply not within reason. Nonetheless... it's an entertaining film. At times it makes you grimace and roll your eyes with its shortcomings, but it remains entertaining in the manner of the old sci-fi serials such as Flash Gordon, et. al. And, of course, Fiona Hutchison is pleasing eye candy. Certainly not a classic, but not a bad way to pass some time.

This is probably one of the true classics of the 80's, portraying the battle between the two famous fighter pilots of WW1: Biggles in his Sopwith Camel, and his notorious arch enemy Von Stalhein. Of course, many elements of this movie is fiction, not to mention that it doesn't even start with all of this.

The movie actually starts in what should be today (which now is 20 years ago (the 80's, yes?)) James Ferguson is a commercializer for a TV dinner kind of deal, and he suddenly goes back in time to meet biggles. Sound wierd`? Well, what can I say, that were the 80's for ya.

But highly original plot, excellent score and soundtrack, and wonderful atmosphere makes this a movie to remember.

A very enjoyable film with excellent WWI flying scenes (worth it just for the aircraft). The music is strange at times, but overall the film is fun and engaging.

We're on the Western Front in 1917 and the Germans have nearly finished work on a breakthrough secret weapon. This fiendish device emits high pitched, powerful sound waves that...I'd better keep this simple...destroy the sub-cleotic structure of an object's crone base, causing crystatin failure with subsequent nektonic surt degradation on a massive scale. This results in catastrophic softening of human flesh and brittle crumbling of metal structures and objects. At least that's how I think it works.

If the Hun uses this weapon, it could change the course of history as we know it. There's only one man who can stop this madness...British Captain James Bigglesworth, "Biggles" to those who know him, adventurer, warrior, always there when things are the diciest, and yet driven by resolute honor. Biggles is the sort of man that schoolboys would look up to and who would devour the stories of his adventures. In fact, between the end of WWI and the start of WWII, British schoolboys did just that in tale after tale written by W.E. Johns.

In this movie we discover something Johns apparently was unaware of. Some people, it seems, have time twins. When one of the time twins is in danger, his twin will be sent instantly through time and space to help. That's the pickle young American marketing hotshot Jim Ferguson (Alex Hyde-White), head of Celebrity Dinners, finds himself in. One moment he's worrying about whether the creamed corn looks like a dog's breakfast and the next he's running toward a downed British bi-plane in the middle of a blasted battlefield, with whiz bangs falling around. He rescues the pilot...who is Biggles (Neil Dickson). Only when Jim lands back to his own time does he get an explanation, from no other than Peter Cushing in his last screen role as the aged Air Commodore William Raymond, Special Air Force (Retired) who has quarters in 1A, Tower Bridge, London. Raymond was Biggles commander back then. He explains to Jim the phenomenon of time twins, something modern scientists still are only beginning to understand. More importantly, he explains the vital importance of Biggles' effort to locate and destroy this new German monstrosity. Biggles is aided only his loyal team made up of Ginger, Algy and Bertie. Facing Biggles is the might of the Hun, led by German fighter ace Eric Von Stalheim. Even though Jim's fiancée, Debbie, thinks he's crazy, Jim prepares himself to aid Biggles. Of course, before long, Debbie finds herself back in time, too.

The movie is absolute nonsense, but good nonsense in my opinion. There's no nudge-nudge by the director or the actors to let us know they're in on the joke. They play it straight, which makes things all the more enjoyable. Neil Dickson is just fine as the strong-chinned, resolute, resourceful, brave, honorable, dashing Biggles. "I'll not put a bullet in your head, old boy," he says at one point to Von Stalheim, "because that's not how we do business!" Alex Hyde-White holds his own as the baby-faced but resolute Jim Ferguson, very much a creature of the 1980's who now finds himself bouncing in and out of WWI. "It looks like this town's been nuked," he says to Biggles when they find themselves in the middle of a ruined town square. "Nuked? What's that?" Biggles asks. "It's an American slang term. It means to overreact." And Peter Cushing, looking even more skeletal than usual at 73 but still a commanding actor and reasonably spry, brings the same kind of utterly believable delivery to his lines that he gave to mummies, vampires and werewolves. It was good to see him again.

Biggles was unfortunate in being released a year after Back to the Future came out. As a time-travel adventure it didn't compare and quickly faded. Still, it's a fine example, in my view, of an affectionate, stiff-upper-lip boy's own adventure. Biggles isn't a great movie or even a memorable one, but it's competently made and it's fun. That's not a bad epitaph for a movie.

The DVD transfer looks just fine. There are no extras.

an afecienado special for all 'Biggles' fans, an absolutely impossible story that Cptn W.E.Johns, the original author would have no doubt spluttered over in the best 1920s-40s british tradition. But I loved every minute of it.Of course Biggles could fly a Jetranger copter with-out lessons, he was an accompished Sopwith Camel pilot. A seriously 'Own Boys Annual' thumping good yarn and I recommend it to all that enjoy such things.

Though this film takes places in the 80's, it still presents a sense of possiblity to time travel. It's about a man from the 80's meeting a World War I ace pilot and the adventure they go on is simply amazing. Though the surprise on the characters faces don't seem to be what is expected of them they do show curiousity and awe at what they see.

For people into movies that are about the future this is a good one to have.

This movie used to be one of my all-time favorites as a kid. For anyone who ever read the childrens' Captain Bigglesworth novels by W. E. Johns and dreamed of flying heroicaly by the side of the dashing Biggles, you will love this movie.

For everyone who hasn't had that pleasure, this B movie will come across as very 80's and retro, but good harmless fun. It has it all - comedy, drama, action, and even a little romance.

Kids will particularly like this movie, but keep in mind that there are a couple of scary scenes with the Nazi superweapon. Even adults can enjoy this movie - I know that I still do! Seeing a World War One pilot flying a helicopter is just hilarious and there is a marvelous scene with some English punks.

Fun for the whole family - Enjoy!

While the product itself was fine, most (but not all) of the customer service was lacking. SUPER slow arrival and miscommunications made the transaction less than ideal. The ONLY person I had luck speaking with on the phone was "Lacey" who finally made the transaction possible! Had it not been for her superior abilities I would have given up and never consdiered purchasing through Amazon in the future.