646f9e108c During World War 2 a group of brave US Airmen are downed in Nazi controlled Europe, after their aircraft is attacked by Nazi-controlled mythological Gargoyles. One of Himmler's grim Nazi relic hunting teams managed to unleash, but not control, a demonic force in castle mountain caves in occupied continental Europe. It breathes life into gargoyles, which terrorize not only the area but also passing allied bombers. Operating from Kent, first an RAF squad and then a USAF squad sent to rescue them suffer heavy losses. Crash survivors combine, advised by local resistance and legend, in a desperate fight against the hell-breed, with rebellious ace pilot Will in the ultimate star part. I guess I'm voting a bit high, but the average seems way too low, so I'm balancing it out. Anyway, this movie had more going for it than other World War II movies on the Sci-Fi Channel. It seemed entertaining to the end, unlike some.<br/><br/>The premise involves bombers based in England; the focus begins on an Allied air base that conducts various types of missions. P-51s are around to protect the bombers, but their support's unpredictable. The first bomb run doesn't see them till it's almost too late.<br/><br/>Allies working together's another thing this flick's got going for it. You've got French, British, and Americans, so it's probably more like the actual situation in Europe, at least with the atmosphere. The SS are as bad as ever.<br/><br/>Graphics seem better in this flick than others made for the Sci-Fi Channel too. Moreover, this applies to special effects overall. Therefore, the movie has better acting and special effects than others I've seen on the cable network, and the plot's good too. I'll admit it and say that I dislike, even hate, most of the movies from the Sci-Fi Channel, with a couple of exceptions. If you're wondering why I keep watching them, it is mainly because there is something compulsively watchable about them in how awful they are. I also try and watch any movie of any genre and age regardless of the critical and audience consensus. I was expecting very little from Reign of the Gargoyles, and in the end I got very little. It does have a good idea, and the acting from Joe Penny, John Ashton and Wes Ramsey is alright but not great. However, that is it for any redeeming qualities. The editing is very choppy, the lighting dull and the sets too scaled-down. But on a visual front it was the special effects that fared the worst, the movements of the gargoyles are very stiff and in their design they look very crude. Considering that they do feature prominently in the movie, that is a major issue. The dialogue is as unnatural as the effects with a lot of talk but no flow, and apart from Penny, Ashton and Ramsey the rest of the acting stinks with the accents laughably fake. The story is energetically told I suppose, but much of it is unsurprising and veers into the face-palm-inducing ridiculous far too much. True, there is some conflict here but executed in a very clichéd way. The flying sequences have a great concept and not so bad in the action, but I would have enjoyed them more if the editing was better than it was. The characters are little more than walking cardboard cut-outs, in particular we learn absolutely nothing about the gargoyles. Overall, I have seen worse from the Sci-Fi Channel, but that doesn't stop Reign of the Gargoyles from being very bad. 3/10 Bethany Cox
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