Fire Birds (1990)

6% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(6,573 ratings)

Nicolas Cage stars in the below-par action film Firebirds -- a dying ember from Reagan-era nationalistic jingoism. In this Top Gun retread, Cage plays Jake Preston, a hotshot Army helicopter pilot who is being trained to use the U.S. Army's Apache aircraft to destroy the drug fields of a South… More Nicolas Cage stars in the below-par action film Firebirds -- a dying ember from Reagan-era nationalistic jingoism. In this Top Gun retread, Cage plays Jake Preston, a hotshot Army helicopter pilot who is being trained to use the U.S. Army's Apache aircraft to destroy the drug fields of a South American drug cartel. It up to his taskmaster instructor Brad Little (Tommy Lee Jones) to teach Jake humble lessons before he can be trusted to launch into the skies against the drug dealers. While Jake is trying to tame his egoism, he engages in a torrid love affair with flying ace Billie Lee Guthrie (Sean Young). The film was originally titled Wings of the Apache for the U.S. Army Apache assault helicopters that are prominently displayed in the film. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: David Green
Genres: Action & Adventure

In Theaters: May 24, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Feb 3, 2004

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Fire Birds resembles a morale booster project leftover from the Reagan era.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Fire Birds has one director (David Green), two writers (Nick Thiel and Paul F. Edwards) and many laughs, all of them unintentional.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Cage is a magnetic presence, for sure, but little things -- like making an actual connection with his costar -- are beyond him.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
In a certain way, with the help of insomnia and perhaps the closure of one eye, Fire Birds actually works in a minor key. Let's just say it's the best 77-minute Apache helicopter actioner starring Nicolas Cage I've ever seen.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
What makes Birds truly riveting entertainment is not the conflict between good and bad guys, but the clash between the film's apparent intent and the loony subversiveness of its performances.
, Time Out
With a gung ho script, sometimes rudimentary editing and uninvolving relationships, the whole effect is rather flat.
, Film4
Cage's worst movie to date.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
We get five minutes of halfway-decent action that hardly makes up for the other 90 minutes of this lukewarm diarreah-fest.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones in a helicopter adventure. You've been warned.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The actors try hard, but only Jones manages anything approaching sympathy; Cage seems to be doing a bizarre John Agar imitation and Young is terribly miscast.

Read all 10 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jason O

Jake Preston (Nicolas Cage) is a helicopter pilot training for war against a famous nemesis. Jake is the most skilled flyer of everybody, but he has a team of other helicopter flyers behind him including Brad Little (Tommy Lee Jones), who helps Jake train to be an even better pilot.… More
Jake Preston (Nicolas Cage) is a helicopter pilot training for war against a famous nemesis. Jake is the most skilled flyer of everybody, but he has a team of other helicopter flyers behind him including Brad Little (Tommy Lee Jones), who helps Jake train to be an even better pilot. I thought "Fire Birds" was a good action movie. It might not be the best of its kind, but it's certainly not a bad movie. The training sequences and the final showdown between the Fire Birds and their major enemy is exciting. If you like action movies and especially if you like flying movies, I recommend getting "Fire Birds." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Underrated action/flying flick to me.
Dean !

At last!!! I have been trying to remember the name of this film and find it for ages! Known as Wings of the Apache in the UK. This is basically Top Gun with the Apache gunship helicopter...I didn't even realize at the time Nicholas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones were in this! Must have… More
At last!!! I have been trying to remember the name of this film and find it for ages! Known as Wings of the Apache in the UK. This is basically Top Gun with the Apache gunship helicopter...I didn't even realize at the time Nicholas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones were in this! Must have have been a long time ago when I saw it, but it has some great action scenes. Well worth checking out!
Daniel J D

I saw this movie by accident. Tommy Lee Jones had some good throwaway lines though.
RJ M

A blatant Top Gun ripoff, this movie showcases the US Army Apache Helicpoter. Nicolas Cage assumes the Tom Cruise role as the hotshot helicopter pilot training to fly the Apache. Tommy Lee Jones is the token instructor who's seen it all, but remains in awe of the hotshot new… More
A blatant Top Gun ripoff, this movie showcases the US Army Apache Helicpoter. Nicolas Cage assumes the Tom Cruise role as the hotshot helicopter pilot training to fly the Apache. Tommy Lee Jones is the token instructor who's seen it all, but remains in awe of the hotshot new pilot. Non-actress Sean Young line reads her way through the useless love interest role, who also just happens to be a helicopter pilot. And you thought the love story in Top Gun was wooden. All of this is moot since the movie serves only to throw the Apache into battle sequences. We get all the training sequences as our "hero" proves his stuff, until the squad is thrown into combat against a drug cartel at the end of the movie. The final battle sequence is fast moving and exciting, and wraps up the movie well. The journey to get there is as cookie cutter as these movies get, and at times you think they are making a parody of this genre. There are a couple of times the movie seems more Hot Shots than Top Gun. Still, as far as 80's action movies go (ok, it was released in 1990, but was MADE in 1989), it's a decent way to kill 90 minutes.

Cast

            Nicolas Cage as Jake Preston

            Tommy Lee Jones as Brad Little

            Sean Young as Billie Lee Guthrie

            Bryan Kestner as Breaker

            Bert Rhine as Stoller

            Dale Dye as A.K. McNeil

            Mary Ellen Trainor as Janet Little

            J.A. Preston as Gen. Olcott

            Nicole Kristin Barnes as Sam Little

            Cylk Cozart as Dewar Proctor

            Samuel Hernandez as Latino Pilot

            Charles Kahlenberg as Oscar DeMarco

            Charles Lanyer as Darren Phillips

            Harrison Le Duke as Broker

            Garth Le Master as Waiter

            Robert Lujan as Steward Rives

            Peter Michaels as Lt. Steve Dobbs

            Peter Onorati as Rice

            Illana Shoshan as Sharon Geller

            Judson Spence as Singer

            Marshall R. Teague as Doug Daniels

            Phillip Troy Linger as Dance Partner

            Gregory Vahanian as Tom Davis

            Scott Williamson as Scott Buzz

            Kristin Wynn as Jesse Little

            Mickey Yablans as Butch Tippet

            Richard Soto as Capt. Tejada

            Judy Taylor
            
            Valorie Massalas
            
            Mike Fenton
            
See full cast

Fire Birds (1990)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Jason O

Dean !

Daniel J D

RJ M

Cast