Sarah Butler is one of several juvenile delinquents stuck out in the woods on some kind of rehabilitation camping trip that turns disastrous when disease-carrying giant mutant birds start craving human flesh. Did I mention that the disease can be passed on to humans? Lance Guest and Claire Carey play a park ranger and doctor (who used to be a couple) who are trying to make their way to the youngsters before it’s too late.
This Leigh Scott creature feature from Nu Image and the Sci-Fi Channel isn’t awful, so long as you’re into silly films like this, and are aware that Nu Image (and the Sci-Fi Channel for that matter) usually deliver much worse films. Personally, I think a giant mutant bird flick was an enjoyable enough idea on its own that they didn’t need to add the bird flu aspect, even if it does provide the film with a cute title. It might’ve been even better, if the FX were of a higher quality, and the characters more interesting. In fact, it could’ve been more enjoyable than Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, which I’ve never really liked. Also, why is the body count so damn low?
The music score by John Carpenter associate Alan Howarth (“Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers”) is rather good, interestingly varying things up. At times it mixes synth with brass/orchestral stuff, and at other times it has a Bernard Herrmann circa “Cape Fear” vibe about it.
It’s not very good, but it has elements that are kinda fun on at least some level, even if it’s a mocking one. The lighting is too good for a bad film, for one thing. The FX are pretty bad, and the poor CGI really lets down the attack scenes which are otherwise nicely gory. The icky scenes where the birds pick on peoples’ bodies like they’re eating worms are an admittedly cute highlight. Also, the makeup on the flu victims isn’t bad either. Lance Guest, star of “The Last Starfighter” is here in a not very interesting role, but the best performance of an average bunch is by Claire Carey as a doctor and Guest’s former flame.
OVERALL SUMMARY
Schlock fans who are bored and in the wrong frame of mind might get something out of this. It isn’t awful, and hey it’s nice to see Lance Guest again after so many years (and so many donuts it seems).
