Firefox
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Movie Reviews of Firefox
Movie Review: Underrated Espionage Movie
Summary: 4 Stars
What struck me about Firefox as I watched it for the first time in years was just how much there seemed to be a British influence on the script and the direction. I had the opportunity to watch Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People on DVD prior to watching Firefox again, and there are a lot of similarities in style between those British TV mini-series and Firefox.
While the quality of the script for Firefox doesn't come all that close to the scripts for Tinker, Tailor or Smiley's People, it isn't all that bad, either. The scripts for those two landmark mini-series are considered to be two of the best espionage/spy story scripts ever written. (My only complaint about those two mini-series was the direction and editing - they were paced too slowly, although Smiley's People was better on that count.) Firefox, in comparison, is much faster paced and (of course, this IS a Clint Eastwood movie) much more action packed - but the movie doesn't rush in letting the plot points play out.
Eastwood really stretches here as a director, going not for the action movie atmosphere, but rather more of a deliberately paced espionage movie - a bold move for an actor/director known best for his action movies (at that time). The script might have needed a little more work, but it is more than serviceable and the story works well considering the time period when it was written.
The ending is a very exciting sequence, and it is well handled with great special effects (for the time). It is the payoff that action movie fans will love.
Given the right expectations, Firefox is a very enjoyable movie to watch. More than it is usually given credit for.
Movie Review: A complex, balanced portrait of USSR/USA espionage
Summary: 4 Stars
Usually in these 1980's Cold War films, the Russians are portrayed as bungling, evil idiots, and the Americans are portrayed as wonderful, virtuous, absolutely perfect people. Here in Clint Eastwood's Firefox, the Russians are portrayed as intelligent professionals who are simply trying to do their job (to prevent the Firefox from being stolen), and who do screw up. And the Americans are portrayed as people who are just doing their jobs as well, but who also screw up. In other words, they are HUMAN, not cartoons. Many critics disliked this film, saying it was too slow until (SPOILER) Clint steals the plane. This is completely wrong. The film creates an unbearable, claustrophobic tension until the final chase sequence. Critics these days complain about films having too many special effects in them. Well, back in 1982, they were doing the opposite. I think this is one of Clint's best films. There is a featurette on the DVD, made at the time of the film's release for British TV. It's a very subdued, interesting feature, where Clint is very business like with his observations, and it's a nice contrast to the slick "featurettes" you get nowadays, which are really infomercials and have the depth of an Entertainment Tonight interview. To me, Clint seems more interested in his work than doing the Hollywood scene. Considering Clint is still making great films, I think he made the right choice and became an artist, instead of just a celebrity...
Movie Review: Spiffy chase scene
Summary: 4 Stars
Back in the days when the Ruskies were known as the USSR, they invented a supersonic attack plane MiG-31 (Firefox) with the ability to respond to thought. They had it and wee wanted it. So we decided to sneak in and take it. The only problem was that to operate it you had to have Ruskie thoughts as it could tell the difference.
Out only hope was retired pilot Mitchell Gant (Clint Eastwood) but still a tuffy. His mission is to sneak into the USSR and pilfer the plane. Little did we know there is a second plane and a tuffy Ruskie pilot, so the chase is on. To add to the tension Mitchell was a Vietnam prisoner and suffers under stress.
Will he succeed or be shot out of the sky?
The story was probably inspired but the Soviet defection to Japan in the 70's when we pulled their advanced MiG apart to fined that while we moved on to electronic controls that they were still using wire and hydraulics. How ever when we realized it was immured to Electro-magnetic-pulse we had to take a sober look.
Clint Eastwood - Adventurer (Firefox / Space Cowboys / White Hunter Black Heart)
Movie Review: Excellent Cold War story!
Summary: 4 Stars
Clint Eastwood is Mitchell Gant, an aging Vietnam War veteran with a stress disorder. He's retired and lives in Canada, trying to cope with the trauma of the war.It's the height of the Cold War and Gant is the best choice for a dangerous espionage mission. The Russians have developed a Mach-5 supersonic warplane.
As former leader of the Agressor Squadron and fluent in the Russian language and culture, Gant has to infiltrate in enemy territory to steal the ultimate weapon; the Firefox.
What I like about this movie is the fact that it manages to make a very far-fetched story believable. The movie slowly builds from an espionage movie to the moment that Gant gets to the plane. From then the theme is switched to action and for a 1982 movie I think it looks very polished. Excellent job!
Movie Review: movie preview
Summary: 4 Stars
Clint Eastwood was a great choice for the lead role in this movie. His emotional flashbacks add a nice touch to the suspense surrounding his effort to sneak into Russia and steal a high-tech airplane. While the airplane is an interesting focal point, I enjoyed more following the logistics and complications the intelligence service had to confront to get Clint to the airplane and then out of Russia.. Good entertainment, particularly for spy fans.