Big- Budget Bombshell: A-List Cast, Catastrophic Reception
The 2018 action-war drama Air Strike, which also goes by the titles The Bombing and Unbreakable Spirit, was meant to be a cinematic triumph. Featuring Hollywood heavyweights Bruce Willis and Adrien Brody, and directed by Xiao Feng, the film chronicled the Japanese aerial bombardments of Chongqing during the Second Sino-Japanese War. With a colossal $65 million budget and Mel Gibson serving as art director, expectations were sky-high among fans of the lead actors.
What Went Wrong for the Star-Studded Cast?
Despite its impressive pedigree, Air Strike spectacularly failed to connect with both critics and audiences. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film achieved a shocking 0 per cent critics approval rating, coupled with a meagre 12 per cent audience score. This dismal performance was mirrored on IMDB, where it holds a rating of just 3.2 out of 10.
The primary criticisms were consistently aimed at the movie's poor visual effects and its disjointed narrative. One critic captured the general sentiment, stating the film lacked consistency in both theme and treatment, feeling like a patriotic trope-filled 'mishmash'. Another reviewer noted that while the film showed signs of evident expense, the final product was a 'compromised jumble'.
Audience Verdict: A Disappointing Stream
While some viewers were slightly more lenient, praising the 'good effort' and some 'dog fight battles', the overall consensus was one of profound disappointment. Many audience members reported that the story was hard to follow, with little character development to make them care. The special effects were repeatedly described as 'cartoonish' and comparable to a video game, with one cinemagoer famously declaring the experience 'horrible in every imaginable way'.
For those curious to witness the critical failure firsthand, Air Strike is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, offering a cautionary tale of how even the most promising projects can go awry.
