Thunderbirds

I saw the original thunderbird puppets and this movie. I cannot call myself a hardcore fan, but that is not really required to comment on the movie. The movie is on itself nicely made. The special effects, the cars, etc are good. The acting is good, like Milady Penelope her acting. A English lady with style and can dish out a punch when required. The movie has tasteful jokes. If you like movies and do not require a huge dose of violence, but a movie that is enjoying and can be watched by the younger audience, have a look.

It's a cheesy summer blockbuster, aimed not just at the kids, but at the whole family as well. Yet, despite it's repeated attempts at a sense of goofball charm, the movie is ultimately lacking in fun. It also doesn't really have any characters or excitement either. What does it have? Why, a schlocky sense of humor and a clear refusal to take itself seriously of course! Every performance is totally corny. The movie tries to throw a little something in for everybody. For kids you've got the ridiculous action and comedy, while Sophia Miles serves as eye candy for their dads. Sorry moms, I guess you'll just have to stay content with the fact that it's keeping the little ones busy for a bit. Sophia Miles is actually one of the better aspects of the movie, and not just because she's a pretty face who gets in a bubble bath at one point. She's a real scene stealer as the British super spy/model Lady Penelope. Particularly when she's joined by Ron Cook as Lady Penelope's butler Parker. Ben Kingsley is quite enjoyable. It's very evident that he was having fun hamming it up as the movie's villain. Nobody else in the cast really stands out as they are either underutilized or an annoying kid. Mix in an unlikable main character, humor that often falls flat on it's face, and some of the least exciting action and set pieces I've seen in quite a while and you've got a recipe for a mediocre movie experience. At least it nails the bright, colorful scenery. Things are quite gorgeous. With it's doofball villains, uninteresting conflicts, and dull young leads, it's not hard to see where things went wrong. Rather than being a fun flick for the kids, we just end up with something that's rather boring. Perhaps this one can still manage to entertain the youngsters a little bit, but even back when I was eight I wasn't a big fan of this movie. It's certainly not one the parents are going to enjoy. Mostly due to how lazy it all feels. You can tell things were just slapped together to make a quick buck. 5.9/10