THUNDERBIRDS

"Thunderbirds are go!"

Jeff Tracy

After a daring rescue on an oilrig, Jeff Tracy (Paxton) and the International Rescue team return to their base on Tracy Island. Little do they know that The Hood (Kingsley) has placed a tracking device on Thunderbird 1 and followed them back to their island paradise. From there he launches a missile at Thunderbird 5, disabling it in orbit. Responding to John Tracy's distress call, Jeff, Virgil, Scott and Gordon blast into space onboard Thunderbird 3, allowing The Hood and his henchman to take over International Rescue's base of operations. What he doesn't realise is that he hasn't got rid of all the Tracy's from the island, so it is up to the youngest of the family, Alan, to save the day.

A live action version of Thunderbirds has been talked about for so many years but when it finally appears even International Rescue can't save it.

The 60s Supermarionation classic has everything you need to produce a blockbuster of gigantic proportions. From vehicles every child would love ride to characters everyone would want to be, coupled together with endless possibilities for disasters and rescue situations, Thunderbirds has the lot but the filmmakers didn't realise this. In their infinite wisdom they decided to make a movie about kids saving the day and forget about the key element of the series altogether, that International Rescue rescues people.

Whether it was budgetary reasons or scriptwriters that just didn't get the emphasis of the original show, most of the action takes place on Tracy Island as Alan, Tintin and Fermat (Brain's son) try and foil The Hood's plan to steal the Thunderbirds to help him rob every major bank in the world. This relegates the main characters from the series Scott, Virgil, Gordon and John to very minor roles to the determent of the entire film. This is not what Thunderbirds is about. The fans that have grown up with the show expect to see an impending disaster averted by the courageous heroes of International Rescue not some overly intelligent (aren't they always) kids running around Tracy Island evading some pantomime henchman.

Brady Corbet, Soren Fulton and Vanessa Anne Hudgens (Alan, Fermat and Tintin) are decent enough actors but their characters just become more and more annoying as the film progresses. Ben Kingsley tries his best with a very underwritten part but his class does shine through as The Hood is never too over the top. Bill Paxton just isn't old enough or dignified enough to be Jeff Tracy and the actors who play Scott, Virgil, Gordon and John are on screen for so little time they never get the chance to make any time of impact. Anthony Edwards tries his best with Brains but doesn't quite pull it off.

The movie does have some saving graces however. Sophia Myles and Ron Cook are exceptional as Lady Penelope and Parker. They capture the essence of the characters superbly and provide the best moments of the film. While FAB1 might not be a Rolls Royce anymore (it's a Ford but this wasn't the production's fault) it is still an iconic car, even if it is pink. The look of the movie is also where the film excels. The design of the Thunderbirds is first rate. The might have changed slightly but not too much to annoy fans of the show. The production designers have also created that futuristic 60s feel in the look of Tracy Island, which really ties the show to its roots.

Thunderbirds is a wasted opportunity. By forgoing the true essence of the original show, the disasters and the resulting rescue, the filmmakers have created their own catastrophe that no one can rescue them from. Fans of the series will feel extremely let down by the whole experience and even the sight of their beloved Thunderbird vehicles on the big screen won't be enough to alleviate the sheer frustration you feel about the script's lack of imagination and complete absence of the original show's doctrine.

Everyone wanted this to be FAB but in the end it is just BAD.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is very good. The picture is extremely sharp throughout and really emphasis the strong use of primary colours throughout the movie. The sound is also very good with the surround sound really kicking in when the Thunderbirds are on the screen. The DVD menus are also nicely animated. They are themed around the cockpits of the five Thunderbirds but the intermissions between the screens does take a bit too long.

BONUS FEATURES

Director's commentary
Thunderbirds director Jonathan Frakes provides an informative and quite enjoyable track to accompany the movie. The man at the helm takes extensively about how the move was made, revealing information on casting, special effects and editing. He also talks about some of the reasons behind the characterisations and the plot, but never mentions why they decided to forgo the main characters in favour of the kids. Frakes also discloses Richard Curtis's involvement in the movie.

Thunderbird Facts (3.55 mins)
Find out about Thunderbird 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as well as The Mole, Thunderiser and Firefly with Alan, Fermat, Virgil, John and Gordon. Creating the Action (7.38 mins) Director Jonathan Frakes, Lead Technical Director Ben White, CGI Supervisor Craig Lyn, Special Effects Supervisor Justin Martin, Digital Compositor Corina Wilson and Location Manager Emma Dill take you behind the scenes of the London shoot at Jubilee Gardens on the banks of the River Thames. The mini featurette takes you through storyboarding, Pre-Vis, CGI production, location shooting and onto the final, completed sequence.

Tracy Island Revealed (9.18 mins)
Director Jonathan Frakes, Production Designer John Beard, CGI Supervisor Craig Lyn and stars Brady Corbet, Sophia Myles and Soren Fulton take you behind the scenes Tracy Island. Filmed on location in the Seychelles and on sets at Pinewood Studios in London, the filmmakers talk about bringing the famous island to the big screen and the technical aspects involved in doing that.

Lady P and Parker: Fun & Stunts (2.50 mins)
Stars Sophia Myles, Ron Cook and Deobia Oparei take you behind the scenes of the Tracy Island fight sequence.

FAB1: More than a Car (3.23 mins)
Production Designer John Beard, Design Chief (Ford - Europe) Chris Svensson, Design Co-ordinator Steve Lamanby and star Sophia Myles introduce you to Lady Penelope's car FAB1. They reveal how Rolls Royce didn't want to be associated with the movie and how Ford can in and based the car on the 1954 Thunderbird. They also take you through the design process and construction involved in bringing the car to life.

Lady Penelope's Pink World (4.08 mins)
Director Jonathan Frakes costume designer Marit Allen and stars Ron Cook and Sophia Myles talk about Lady Penelope's pink wardrobe and accessories, her pink gadgets and her ultimate accessory, Parker.

Busted: Thunderbirds are Go Music Video (3.27 mins)
You chance to watch the promotional music video from UK teen band Busted. Game: The Hood vs. Thunderbirds An interactive quiz that pits you against the villain of the movie, The Hood.

Trailers
Previews of Shrek 2, Billy Elliot: The Musical, The Land Before Time 10 and Balto: The Wings of Change

OVERALL

With the Thunderbirds movie developed for the kids, the DVD is exactly the same and Universal has done a good job. While there may not be enough information for film enthusiast, kids will get the most out of the snappy and short featurettes. The commentary track is more informative however and actually a good listen as Jonathan Frakes reveals many secrets about the film's production. The interactive menus based around the five Thunderbird vehicles are also good, making the DVD well worth a rent and a good buy for fans.

DVD

Spy Kids

Agent Cody Banks

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2004