Firefox [Eastwood Collection] (Widescreen)

The plot is a Tom Clancy story before there were Tom Clancy stories (this is based on a novel by Craig Thomas). The Soviets (remember them?) have developed a super fighter jet, the Firefox, with thought-controlled weapons system. The Firefox threatens the balance of power in the Cold War, so NATO needs to get their hands on it, pronto. The only man who can do it is pilot Mitchell Gant (Eastwood). He speaks fluent Russian, can infiltrate the base with the help of Russian Jewish dissenters (played by Ronald Lacey, Nigel Hawthorne, and Warren Clarke), and has the skill to fly the Firefox. Only problem: Gant is highly unstable from his Vietnam experience, is prone is nasty flashbacks (a problem if you're flying a though- controlled plane!), and has done no undercover work before.

"Firefox" is overlong at 136 minutes, and tends to drag with far too many scenes of Russian and NATO boardroom arguments. The film works best in the early parts during the scenes with Lacey, Hawthorne, and Clarke, who all give fine, sentimental performances as double agents who know they are doomed but struggle on for what they know is right. In a few place, Eastwood shows traces of the later themes of the consequences of violence that would mature in "Unforgiven" and "Mystic River." Eastwood himself is fairly good in the role, avoiding any "Dirty Harry" cliches or relying too much on his tough guy image, but he does look rather silly in his undercover disguise scenes.

Nonetheless, it does seem to take forever until the last third, where the Firefox tries to blaze an almost hopeless escape trail out of the Soviet Union, with another Firefox prototype on its tail. The effects (by John Dysktra of "Star Wars" fame) are zippy and fantastic, but any human element left in the film pretty much bails out at this point. Enjoy the planes, enjoy the speed, enjoy Clint just staring out the window and not moving much. It's fairly exciting, but when it's all over, you'll feel a bit let down.

The DVD, like most Warner Bros. discs in the Clint Eastwood Collection, looks very good, and the sound is 5.1. But also like most Warner Bros. discs in the Clint Eastwood Collection, there are no extras.


Good, but not great   January 8, 2004
MR77100 (IL United States)
FIREFOX is one of those films made back when the U.S.S.R. still existed, and espionage is the key here. Clint Eastwood plays Mitchell Gant, a retired Air Force pilot who is resurrected to steal the FIREFOX fighter jet from Russia. Based on a novel by the same name, FIREFOX certainly looks like an interesting movie, and it is to some extent. It has a little James Bond flavor in it too. It is not great, however, and has many flaws.

Eastwood constantly changes deguise throughout the film as his allies seek to get him to the jet. The process is long and confusing, and the whole time Clint doesn't look like he has any idea what he is doing. Once he grabs the jet itself, and pulls out of the hanger, night suddenly changes to day! The special effects during the flying sequences are exciting. John Dykstra, who won an oscar for the special effects in STAR WARS, did the job on the effects here and the results are impressive, even though they look dated. The movie does drag, however, when the U.S.S.R. intellegence constantly is trying to figure out which direction he is headed. The worst thing about this film is the ending. After winning a dramatic dogfight with the other FIREFOX, the movie ends right there in the sky. It would have been interesting if Eastwood could have entended it a little more to at least see him land the plane in his home country. This was Eastwood's eighth time as a director as well. The movie is interesting, but the minor flaws, and flat ending are what kind of hold it back from being great. FIREFOX wass a good movie, but it could have been better, alot better.


Not a bad espionage thriller   December 22, 2003
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

I remember when I first saw this 20 years ago on cable TV.


Burns Up The Sky   November 29, 2003
hmshood (Minnesota, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Eastwood "Burns Up The Sky" in this one. Watched this in the theatres when I was a kid and I was bored with the first half of the movie then, Which deals with Gant(Eastwood) getting drafted, Training, Getting into Russia, Avoiding the KGB, Getting into the airbase, And stealing the Mig-31(Firefox). Second half of the movie deals with Gant trying to get away with the perfect crime (Flying the Firefox and eluding the Soviet defences) and is where all the action is. As a kid, The first half of the movie was hard to sit through. As an adult, I now find it every bit as exciting in the first portion as I do with the latter half. This movie is definately a masterpiece and is still fun to watch, Even though the cold war is over. Bonus features for this edition are basically a documentary and trailer. Not much but this movie is so beautiful that extras aren't neccassary. Thank you Warner Brothers. Cheers.


I Can't Stop Watching this Film!!!   November 7, 2003
R. Anderson (Petoskey, MI USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I've seen this film at least seven times, and I enjoyed it just as much each time.
This is a very enjoyable cold war action/spy drama. Tense action carried out in Clint Eastwood style.
If you like Clint Eastwood. You'll like this film. Some have pointed out some continuity errors in the film, but these don't spoil the story. The characters are acted in such a way as to make you care about what happens to them.
It's looely based on the books. The movie ends in a way I won't spoil. But I will say that after you see this movie you should search out the books, Firefox, Firefox Down (they are selling on Amazon; as used for a penny)