The Flyboys (2008)

Pretty Good

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

I had been looking for an opportunity to watch this film since finding its high definition trailer on the internet 10/2/2008. I recently gave up waiting for its DVD release in North America and bought a "Sky Kids" DVD in PAL format from Amazon.com.uk third party seller gzoop for 3.32 pounds plus 3.08 pounds shipping (which cost $10.30 U.S. plus a $0.30 charge on my credit card for currency conversion). I ordered the new DVD 3/15/2011 and received it 3/25/2011. I was aware that both my Windows 7 and Windows Vista computers were capable of playing PAL format DVDs, but would require reprogramming the video region setting in the computer's BIOS from US to some PAL region (I chose UK) -- be advised that the BIOS will only allow the video region to be changed four times, so you need to be willing to make the change and leave it (this restriction is probably because the EPROM, erasable programmable read-only memory, in the BIOS can only be reprogrammed a few hundred times before risking failure).I inserted the PAL DVD into my secondary PC (Vista), selected to proceed at the pop-up asking if I wanted to change the video region, selected to proceed at the next window warning of the four change limit, and selected the region UK at the next window. The computer rebooted and was then able to play the PAL DVD. I enjoyed the "Sky Kids" movie immensely, but then I did not expect it to be politically correct or appropriate for six-year-olds. A further plus was that the PAL format provided a higher resolution (1023 x 574) than the U.S. NTSC format (850 x 480)."The Flyboys" played at film festivals in 2008 with a run time of 118 minutes. "Sky Kids" has a run time of 99 minutes (suitable for a two hour television release). Judging from the HD "The Flyboys" trailer, the 19 minutes cut includes a back story of Salvio and Lenny planning and carrying out their theft, which increases the focus of "Sky Kids" on the kids point of view, since they were not aware of this back story in either version and in "Sky Kids" neither is the viewer.

The Flyboys caught my eye because of all the raving reviews it got on the IMDb. This seemed too good to be true. A totally unknown brilliant movie that Hollywood forgot? A story about kids? But wow, what an incredible fun film this is... for both adults and children!What really works in this movie are all the moments in which the movie leaves the normal cliché story lines in order to do something refreshing. The first ten minutes, when we see how Jason and Kyle become friends, set the tone really. The new kid in town Kyle saves Jason from a bunch of bullies in a very believable but also funny and exciting way. These are real kids who'll have an adventure that will blow everybody away.All the performances are great. Not only the kid's. I very much liked Tom Sizemore. He's totally believable as the hard boiled criminal Angelo who is touched by the friendship between the two boys. There's a great scene in which Jason and Kyle play with toy guns in a luxurious playroom, not knowing that Angelo is watching. His observation reminds Angelo of all the good times he had with his kid brother (an also great Stephen Baldwin) - not knowing that Baldwin has betrayed him for money. J. Todd Adams - an actor I didn't know - does a very good job as the loser Lenny. His - let's say - character development is the key thing to the story. After an hour of watching you wonder when the movie will collapse. But fortunately it remains surprising and entertaining. At the end there's even an unexpected great stunt. It came as a total surprise to me. Great camera-work as well.In the land of big budgets, big computer effects and big disappointments The Flyboys is a big relief. This movie is by all standards very great entertainment. I'm looking forward to see more films by its director, Rocco DeVilliers!8/10

The Flyboys is a 2008 American adventure film starring Jesse James, Reiley McClendon, Stephen Baldwin, and Tom Sizemore. It is directed by Mr. Rocco DeVilliers who directed all but one other movie in his career. The movie has surprisingly similar title with the 'Flyboys', which is a 2006 American drama film set during World War I, starring James Franco. Besides the quintessential 'THE' the two movies are worlds apart. One is a patriotic, top class dogfight movie from First World War and the other one supposedly a kids movie.There are many disturbing elements in the movie. The beginning school fights with Kyle and the school bully legitimizes kid violence. It sends the message that its OK to punch out all the school bullies by breaking their noses.The most disturbing thing about the movie is the character of Tom Sizemore. He is apparently a criminal gangster who amassed a huge amount of wealth and live in a gaudy mansion. The first scene we see him, he picks up the phone and tells his goons to find the guy who stole his money and kill them. The movie leaves no Grey area to misjudge him. And yet, at the end, he turns out to be the good guy who gives a brand new plane to the protagonist. When his brother is shot and they go back to find his dead body, we see that he is averting the police. And yet, we are asked to believe that he is a good guy with a heart of gold.When Stephen Baldwin is making his final phone call, bloody and lying in the ground, it has got to be the worst acting among Baldwin brothers we have ever seen. Besides, how does a bloody killing fit a kids movie? We also see Lenny the looser randomly killing a household man and the airport mechanic. Aren't these killing scenes belong only in R rated movie? The movie became an embarrassment for the studio. It was shelved for six years before it saw the light of the day. When it came out, it was a critical and commercial flop. It got 40% rotten at rottentomatoes.com. It neither qualifies for a good adult movie, nor a wholesome kids movie.

I saw this movie last night at the Daytona Beach Film Festival. I join with the scores of previous folks who are shocked that the Hollywood honchos passed on distributing this great movie! All I can really say is--it's their loss! This film was fun for all ages in attendance. The audience laughed, they cheered and they cried. I loved everything about it. The characters/actors, the plot, the stunts, everything! I won't say there weren't a few typical predictable lines or plot points but all in all it really was better than any movie i've seen in a long time.If you have the opportunity to see this film, jump on it...you won't regret it!