![]() Standout quote: “This is a messed-up situation. “This country hasn’t seen a single case of H5N1,” he growls, “let alone a mutant bird.” The first part is no longer true, but fortunately this movie is too ham-fisted to stoke anxiety about real-world avian mutants. Worse still, the head of Homeland Security will stop at nothing to contain the virus, even if it means blowing up the forest and everyone in it. Bad news for a band of juvenile delinquents fresh out of detention who find themselves on some sort of scared-straight retreat in flu bird habitat. (Owls don’t roar, typically.) No, that was the sound of the eponymous winged horrors, which look like grotesque pterodactyls and carry a wildly virulent strain of avian flu. It’s no surprise that neither hunter is long for this world, or that it’s no ordinary avian they’ve just heard. One outdoorsman offers up a tentative ID of the bone-chilling bird sound they’ve just heard-Barn Owl-only to be met with merciless ridicule from his companion: “It’s the middle of the morning, dumbass.” Shivers down my spine. Standout quote: “My grandmother used to say ravens were the eyes of the devil.”Ĭritics say: “If this movie sucked any worse I think the world would implode on itself.” - IMDb reviewerīe warned: Rated R for violence and gore.Īs a so-so birder with insecurities about my identification skills, I’ve had nightmares similar to what plays out in the opening scene of this 2008 made-for-TV trainwreck. On the plus side, this film features some of the best acting by a German shepherd you'll ever see. The survivors barricade themselves in a diner, where the true cause for the birds’ behavior is revealed and about as believable as the special effects. They smash windows and bring down power lines with…their beaks? As the death toll rises, the sheriff suspects the ravens are conspiring with each other-convenient given that a group of ravens is called a conspiracy. Murderous ravens pick off the cast one by one, somehow killing a slew of characters with superficial wounds. The film clearly wants to fly with The Birds-it even features that film’s lead actor, Rod Taylor-but it fails to fledge. Welcome to Kaw, where cringeworthy CGI and death by eye-pecking take center stage. When the mysterious appearance of bloodthirsty ravens sends a rural town into chaos, a determined sheriff fights to end their reign of terror. Watch on: Plex Tubi Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and more (Pro-tip: Consider watching this film with live commentary by the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Standout quote: “The eagles killed Becky!”Ĭritics say: “It requires that audiences don special eyewear to fully enjoy it: beer goggles.” - Slateīe warned: No official rating, but beware a painfully long, semi-clothed makeout scene. You’d have to be as dense as Rod to miss the message: The birds are the real victims here. ![]() Shoehorned into this film-thanks to appearances from an earnest ornithologist and hippie tree hugger-we get sincere explanations of how climate change is fueling wildfires, avian flu, and the spread of spruce bark beetles, among other calamities. ![]() At least Birdemic gets high marks for its environmental nuance. Not that you could tell-the attacking GIF-like birds hover in place, waiting to be shot out of the sky as if we’re watching a dystopian game of Duck Hunt. ![]() But I became antsy waiting for the killer eagles and vultures to show up and was glad to see them finally pecking, clawing, and pooping their victims to grisly deaths more than halfway in. The robotic acting, uncomfortable dialogue, terrible sound, and strange edits offer a laugh during the belabored first half, as protagonists Rod and Nathalie embark on a maximally cringey courtship. Considered one of the worst movies this century, Birdemic: Shock and Terror is a cult hit that fully delivers on its “so-bad-it’s-good” promise.
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