DVD Review from Technology Tell Magazine by Steve Anderson.There are certain breeds of movie that we don't see often. Science fiction and Westerns commonly top the list, but war movies are also frequently spotted in attendance. Our friends out at Entertainment One, meanwhile, look to fix that with "Angel of the Skies," a movie that takes another look at World War II, this time through the aviators' eyes."Angel of the Skies" follows Earl Kirk, a South African man who leaves his pregnant fiancée to go fight in World War II as part of the Royal Air Force. There's no shortage of fighting left to go, and eventually Kirk is shot down along with his crew, forced to parachute into occupied territory. Now, the handful of men who escaped death in the skies must set out on foot, dodging a vicious SS officer who will go to any lengths to finish the job his countrymen started in the sky.The good thing about "Angel of the Skies" is its wonderfully immersive quality. This feels like a look at the war, in this era, and at this point in time. It's deliriously authentic; it's like being there. It's the next best thing to actually being there. But this immersive nature also means the movie sacrifices a lot in the way of action, particularly in the early going. I don't believe I heard a shot fired in anger for the entirety of the first half hour, and that's a bit of a lag. Considering the movie only packs around 100 minutes to its name, losing roughly a third of those to a gunshot-free existence is a tough road to hoe.Still, the further good news is that once it gets started, it gets started in earnest. There's more than its share of action, with a good bit of suspense tossed in for extra fun. It's always good when a genre movie can toss in elements of other genres–action blends with suspense or horror, comedy blends with action or a Western, and so on. "Angel of the Skies" does a fine job of mixing, and gives us a wonderful synthesis. War buffs, you'll not be disappointed, and action buffs in general, this is a fine slice of cinematic action.Special features include a trailer for "Angel of the Skies," a set of audio options and English subtitles.Though it takes a while to get started, "Angel of the Skies" will do a very nice job overall. A slow start isn't near enough to cut the tension that will be sparked throughout this one, and the whole thing will make an excellent addition to the roster of war movies out there.

World War II was the most devastating military conflict that the world has ever seen. The interesting thing about this war is that it led to the creation of some of the film industry's most iconic movies. Movies like Tora Tora Tora, Patton, and The Longest Day became cornerstones of the biggest titles linked to WWII. Entertainment One's new WWII era movie Angel of the Skies is one of those movies that while it is an indie flick, is still one that is not so bad. Sure, there are some historical inaccuracies depicted in the movie. But the general story behind the movie is what makes it worth at least one watch. The acting on the part of the cast helps to make the movie worth at least one watch, too. And the same can be said of the early flight scenes and backdrops. All of it taken into account, Angel of the Skies is not as bad as some have already made it out to be.Angel of the Skies has received mixed reviews by some critics. The biggest criticism of the movie has been its historical accuracy. There are some issues with said accuracy. But one must also take into account that no movie ever based on historical events was one hundred percent accurate in itself. That being taken into account, it really is not that bad of a movie within its genre. The story itself is worth a watch first and foremost for the themes tied into the overall story. Writer/director Christopher-Lee dos Santos ties into his story, the themes of brotherhood, determination, and dedication. He does so in a way that none of the themes overpower themselves through the course of the movie. They actually work together to give the story an emotional depth that will keep viewers engaged through the movie's near two-hour run time. The story's theme of dedication works quite well in a dual role here. On one hand, the theme of dedication works as it is linked to the sub-story between Flight Officer Earl Kirk and his girlfriend, Deborah Caldwell (Lillie Claire—Supernatural, Suing The Devil) and to the dedication of the flight crew to one another after their plane is shot down. That theme of dedication among the flight crew directly compliments the script's theme of brotherhood, too. Even in the greatest of odds, the men refuse to leave one another behind if at all possible, and will do whatever it takes to save one of their own from Nazi officers. In turn, that theme of brotherhood is directly linked to the theme of determination. The men were determined to survive and survive together at all costs. Each of these themes work together seamlessly to make a story that is worth at least one watch by any history buff and film buff.The interweaving themes that make up the script behind Angel of the Skies are central to the movie's ability to keep viewers engaged. They collectively aren't all to be considered. The acting of the cast helps to move the story along, too. The actors that make up the movie's cast are largely unknowns. Despite that, they put on a believable performance. This is the case both by themselves and together. The men that make up the flight crew do quite the job in their roles. As enjoyable as it is to watch them take on their roles, it's the vile SS officer Stutze that truly stands out in this movie. Stutze (David James ~ District 9) is truly ruthless in his attempts to locate the South African airmen and carry out his duties. Not to reveal too much, but he is so vile that he goes so far as to have his men kill a German milkmaid that had protected the airmen after they were shot down. This after he told her that everything would be okay. He even gunned down a defenseless American soldier early on as part of his character's setup. The ability of an actor or actress to make his or her character that despicable means that said individual is more than doing his or her job in said role. If the combined themes aren't enough to keep audiences engaged through the story, then that juxtaposition of character types and roles will definitely do its part to keep viewers engaged.The general writing and acting that comprise Angel of the Skies combine to make it a movie that is well worth at least one watch. They don't work by themselves, though. The movie's special effects and backdrops play their own role in making this movie worth at least one watch. Unlike so many other WWII based movies, this movie mixes CG with live action. The flight scenes are largely computer generated. It's obvious where the computer elements were used, too. But at least they weren't as cheesy as those used in the 2006 James Franco WWI flop, Flyboys. One almost couldn't tell the difference as the bombers were flying into German airspace. The only times that one could tell for certain that computer graphics were used were when the bombers came under fire from the Messerschmitts and when the flight crew's bomber crashed. The rest of the movie's story was set against a live action backdrop. What's interesting about the live action backdrop is that it didn't feel as over the top as those used in some other WWII era dramas. It felt more real for lack of better wording. That is an area in which far too many movie makers get things wrong. Too many movie makers look for settings that will enhance their movies. And it only serves to lessen the movies in question to a certain extent. That isn't the case here, though. That realistic feel combines with the movie's writing and the cast's acting to make it a movie that despite being an indie flick is still one worth watching at least once by any history buff and movie buff.

It's September 1944, the war in Europe is carrying on with the Allies making their way to Germany. The Allies are fighting their way through France and are coming under conditions of desperation by the Germans.Captain Earl Kirk (Nicholas Van Der Bijl) has been fighting several years for the British. He is of course a South African and is looked down upon a new for not being totally British.A young replacement by the name of Lt. Raymond Hawkins (Andre Frauenstein) has the cheek to question the authority of Captain Kirk. The crew are celebrating the night before a mission and Kirk has just left the new replacement. He is a little rattled by the young Lieutenant. Kirk is wanting to propose to his girlfriend Deborah (Lillie Claire) but she is not having it at this time.The next morning the crew are ready to go and their mission in Bremen to destroy some fuel dumps. These dumps are crucial for they are refueling the Panzer's in France with little problem. The crew, Flight Officer Ed O'Donnel (Brad Backhouse), Flight Officer Harry 'Abe' Facey (Jason Glanville), Flight Sgt. Robertson (Adam Boys), and Flight Sgt. Don McEvoy (Ryan Dittman) are practicing a good luck charm of pissing on the wheel.The mission is unusually normal until they head over France and enter German Air Space. The sky is covered in Flack from the German guns below. The plane is hit by a fighter plane and is only able to make it to Bremen. They will have to either bail out or crash land.Now Kirk has had to deal with the plane, the new replacement, and now he has to land behind enemy lines. Will they make it back to the Allies? You will have to watch the movie to see the ending.The film is excellent and is one of the better WWII movies I have seen as of late. Director Christopher-Lee dos Santos has put together a wonderful movie and I look forward to the next movie he puts together.The DVD itself is excellent. The sound was beautiful and the scenes were beautifully done. This is a must see film and I hope you will take the time to pick it up. Enjoy.http://www.examiner.com

This a solid air force WWII film. It goes well with the computer games my kids used to play when they were little.I enjoyed this film, special effects were not up to the par. Was it like this in the real war? Acting is sometimes good, sometimes bad, I am not sure which way it is swaying.The scenes of crash landing should of been done better, you can see it was some sort of special effect which did not turn out the best.Plot is similar to any other WWII films of this type.Camera work, is sometimes excellent, like the scene when they are running in the forest. Sometimes not so good, like in the plane sometimes.If you like good WWII action film this one is for you.