Watch Fire Birds

Fire Birds is an action-packed movie from 1990 that showcases high-intensity aerial combat scenes. The movie features a star-studded cast, including Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, and Sean Young. The plot revolves around the US Army's Apache helicopter pilot, Jake Preston (played by Nicolas Cage), who is enlisted to train a group of young pilots to fly the US Army's new, high-tech helicopter, the AH-64 Apache. This new helicopter model is key to the US Army's strategy for combatting a drug lord (played by Tommy Lee Jones) in South America.

The movie begins with the US Army's realization that the drug lord Miguel Alvarez controls a significant portion of South America's drug operations. Jake Preston, who is the best Apache pilot in the Army, is chosen to train a group of young pilots to combat Alvarez and his men. Jake is initially resistant to this task, but he is convinced to do it when he learns that Alvarez's men recently shot down one of his close friends, a fellow Apache pilot.

Jake travels to an Army base in South America, where he is introduced to his team of young Apache pilots. The team is composed of three young pilots: Billie Lee Guthrie (played by Sean Young), a talented and ambitious woman, Eddy (played by Dale Dye), an inexperienced but eager-to-learn pilot, and Breaker (played by Burt Kwouk), a skilled but introverted pilot.

Jake's training method is unique and unconventional, emphasizing the development of trust and teamwork amongst the group rather than just focusing on flying skills alone. Jake's approach initially meets with resistance from the pilots, but as they work together, they begin to develop respect and trust for one another.

As the training progresses, the team receives intelligence reports that Alvarez and his men have obtained Stinger missiles, which could pose a serious threat to their helicopters. Jake decides to take his team on a mission to destroy the rebel camp where these missiles are stored. Despite facing resistance from Alvarez's men, the team successfully destroys the missile cache and returns to their base.

After completing their training, the team is given their first official mission. They are tasked with destroying several drug labs that Alvarez is using to produce cocaine. The team performs the mission successfully, but they encounter resistance from Alvarez's men, who launch a counter-attack. After a fierce aerial battle, the team successfully neutralizes the threat and returns to their base.

The movie's climax is set in motion when Alvarez kidnaps Billie Lee Guthrie, and Jake and his team launch a daring mission to rescue her. The rescue mission is fraught with danger, and the team encounters resistance from Alvarez's men at every turn. However, with their superior flying skills and teamwork, the team manages to complete the mission and rescue Billie.

Fire Birds is a thrilling movie that delivers intense aerial combat scenes and dramatic spectacle. The characters are well-constructed, and the performances from the lead actors are top-notch. Nicolas Cage delivers a solid performance as the experienced Apache pilot, Jake Preston, while Tommy Lee Jones plays the menacing drug lord Miguel Alvarez with conviction. Sean Young brings a strong female presence to the movie as Billie Lee Guthrie, the determined pilot who is driven to prove herself in a male-dominated field.

The movie's aerial combat scenes are the highlight of the movie, and they are expertly choreographed and executed. The Apache helicopters are shown in action from different angles, and the audience is given a real sense of the speed and agility of these machines. The movie's use of special effects and stunt work is also impressive, adding to the overall realism and excitement of the aerial combat sequences.

In conclusion, Fire Birds is a must-see movie for action movie aficionados or anyone interested in helicopters and aerial combat. The movie offers a thrilling ride, packed with drama and adrenaline, as well as great performances and stunning visuals.

Fire Birds is a 1990 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7 and a MetaScore of 31.