the audience applauded

Highly Overrated But Still Good

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Jim (Alex Hyde-White) is a catering manager with a busy schedule. Yet, one day, a strange man comes calling at his house, in a thunderstorm. He's secretly an officer, Colonel Raymond (Peter Cushing) from World War I! Whoa! He tries to warn Jim about future strange happenings but the catering man doesn't listen. All too soon, Jim is back in time, flying an aircraft in WW I and hanging out with Bigglesworth, Biggles for short (Neil Dickson). That's because, as the colonel tried to explain, he is Biggles "time twin". Thus, never knowing when, Jim is transported between two time periods. Naturally, this upsets his food business while he gets into many a hair-raising situation as a pilot. Sometimes he's captured and interrogated, while he and Biggles face even firing squads. Is this supposed to be fun? This movie is not really as large as its title indicates but its a pleasant enough experience. Based on a long ago set of popular British novels, its escapades probably worked better in print form. Hyde White is cute as the poor soul with the time travel problem while Dickson is quite dashing. Costumes are fine while special effects are adequate. All in all, there are worse ways to spend an evening but don't harbor high expectations before a showing.

In answer to the insistently-asked question in the theme tune - yes, i do indeed want to be a hero, as evidenced in my bravery in admitting that this is, and long has been, a favourite film of mine.This is a one of those films many people refer to as a "guilty pleasure", well - i feel no guilt or shame in declaring my love for this movie. It's simply brilliant fun. Great action adventure larks, with likable characters, a neat time-travel plot, a groovy '80s theme tune, and an appearance by genre legend Peter Cushing (in his final screen performance). Honestly, what more do you need? Oh, you need more, do you? OK, then: Francesca Gonshaw, the really cute barmaid from early seasons of 'Allo 'Allo, as a Belgian resistance fighter (i swear, if she's said "Listen very carefully, i shall say zis only once" in that accent, my mind - and indeed my pants - may have exploded). Also, for all of us watching Doctor Who in the mid to late '80s, roles for both James Saxon and Marcus Gilbert. How'd'ya like them apples?Absolutely sublime nostalgic fun. To be watched with a few ales, alongside "The Living Daylights" or "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear". Bliss!

This had been another childhood viewing; actually, I had owned the computer game it spawned (of which an advert is included among the surprisingly extensive bonus features here – more on this later).The film is an old-fashioned adventure (based on a character, a British air ace of WWI, created by Capt. W.E. Johns) but given modern trappings – by way of the time travel concept (just then brought back into fashion via BACK TO THE FUTURE [1985]), a young American ad executive is transported into the thick of battle and has to aid his so-called "Time Twin", Biggles, in destroying the German forces' secret weapon! While this element may not have been necessary in rendering the war exploits exciting, I guess it was considered safer (especially for American audiences to whom the name Biggles wouldn't mean much) – then again, this makes for some amusing misunderstandings (involving the American's bewildered colleagues or him being chased by police) to go along with the dogfights (incidentally, Biggles has three inseparable buddies and a Von Richtofen-like nemesis); at one point, it's Biggles (played by Neil Dickson, by the way) who's thrown into our times and then takes a modern helicopter back to 1917! Still, the biggest joy of the film is watching Peter Cushing's graceful farewell performance as Biggles' aged superior (not so dignified was his cameo appearance during the accompanying music video for the obligatory theme song, "Do You Want To Be A Hero?"). With this in mind, the film's ill-advised soundtrack consists of cheesy electro-pop rhythms – which, more than anything, betray this as a product of the 1980s! Apart from the expected fillers, the extras contained a number of vintage 'documents' – from an interesting 20-minute featurette (in which Dickson, somewhat bafflingly, states that the film should appeal to fans of such effects-laden blockbusters as GHOSTBUSTERS [1984] and GREMLINS [1984]) to excerpts from TV programs discussing/advertising BIGGLES (to which was added the subtitle "Adventures In Time" for the U.S.) at the time of its release.

I first saw this movie back in the day. I liked it then, and now twenty years later I like it just as much. It's the boys own style adventure that gets me, it is so fun to watch, it is funny, fish out of water stuff. The music is catchy as well. I don't think this film got the recognition it deserved at the time.And I believe that if it was to be remade now, you'd be able to have something with a better budget, effects, story etc. Then maybe this film might get the sequels it so sorely wants. I would have to say give this film a try if you can, it's around on budget DVD at the moment online. Definitely feel good stuff.