I came across this movie by accident on a Pontiac Firebird group on Facebook and I thought I'd check this flick out. Now the concept of the movie revolves around the government banning oil due to a supposed shortage, which in the film has a U. S senator proposing a bill to bring it back. In the mean time, a group of car drivers called burners use muscle cars as the ultimate form of rebellion. To stop these burners, a police group called the DVC ride gas burning motorcycles to hunt down these cars.
First I'll talk the negatives about the movie.
The main problem with the movie is simply how the story is told. Its pretty boring throughout as much of the film contains many cars driving, but without any suspense or performing stunts, along with long conversations between the characters, which focus on either the burners or the DVC officers.
Now on to the positives.
The cast for the most part were great and did the very best job they had with the story given and the budget, which was obviously low considering the whole movie was shot in the Badlands of Drumheller, Alberta, which does make a very cool setting in a wasteland desert, sort of like the Mad Max films, but with more green and mountains. The main draw for me were the cars featured in the film. The main star car was of course the black and blue 1980 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am that McGavin drives, along with a black 1970 Plymouth Cuda and a white 71 Mustang coupe that gets blown up by the DVC. Another positive of the movie was the soundtrack, especially the theme song "Firebird" by Billy Ledster. I really with that song was released as a single, but unfortunately this is the only place where it can be found.
Overall I didn't mind the vibe of the movie as I can understand and appreciate a low budget movie and I had an good time with it. Thankfully it is currently free to the watch on YouTube, but I really wish this movie was given an official release to DVD fully restored in HD. Hopefully one day that will happen, but I'll give this movie 1 thumb up for not being a huge disappointment.
First I'll talk the negatives about the movie.
The main problem with the movie is simply how the story is told. Its pretty boring throughout as much of the film contains many cars driving, but without any suspense or performing stunts, along with long conversations between the characters, which focus on either the burners or the DVC officers.
Now on to the positives.
The cast for the most part were great and did the very best job they had with the story given and the budget, which was obviously low considering the whole movie was shot in the Badlands of Drumheller, Alberta, which does make a very cool setting in a wasteland desert, sort of like the Mad Max films, but with more green and mountains. The main draw for me were the cars featured in the film. The main star car was of course the black and blue 1980 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am that McGavin drives, along with a black 1970 Plymouth Cuda and a white 71 Mustang coupe that gets blown up by the DVC. Another positive of the movie was the soundtrack, especially the theme song "Firebird" by Billy Ledster. I really with that song was released as a single, but unfortunately this is the only place where it can be found.
Overall I didn't mind the vibe of the movie as I can understand and appreciate a low budget movie and I had an good time with it. Thankfully it is currently free to the watch on YouTube, but I really wish this movie was given an official release to DVD fully restored in HD. Hopefully one day that will happen, but I'll give this movie 1 thumb up for not being a huge disappointment.