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4.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Fighting Pilot remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for grainy, old-school aerial stunts or if you’re trying to kill an hour on a rainy Tuesday. It’s pretty much exactly what you expect: lots of running around, some stiff acting, and a plane that looks like it might fall apart if you sneezed on it.
If you prefer your movies to have, you know, a pulse, you’ll probably hate it. It’s not exactly Broadway Bill in terms of polish, but it has a certain frantic energy to it.
The plot is thinner than the paper it was written on. You’ve got your classic "crooked businessman" who wants the secret invention, which feels like it was lifted from a dozen other Saturday matinee serials. I stopped paying attention to the dialogue about ten minutes in, and I didn’t feel like I missed a single thing.
The stunts are where the movie actually wakes up. There’s a scene where someone is hanging off a plane that just feels genuinely sketchy in a way modern CGI never captures. You can practically see the stuntman praying that the rope holds. It’s messy, it’s unrefined, and it’s arguably the only reason to hit play.
There’s a weird rhythm to the editing that makes people walk into rooms, say two words, and then immediately run back out. It feels like the director was trying to race against a sunset. Maybe he was. I kept waiting for them to sit down and actually talk, but nobody does that here. They’re too busy being "on the move."
It’s not trying to be a masterpiece. It’s just trying to get from the opening credits to the final crash without blowing the budget. It reminds me a bit of the frantic pacing in The Romance of Elaine, though with significantly less charm.
If you’re the type who likes to watch movies while doing the dishes, this is a perfect companion. If you’re looking for a deep dive into aviation history, well, look elsewhere. ✈️