Starring Peter Fonda, who is of course most known for Easy Rider. And this film is sometimes known as Easy Flyer. So from that, can we assume this’ll be some sort of counter culture stoner flick with aliens? Well goddam, I hope so. But let’s check it out.
A scientist (hot, American, blonde, slim, 30yo woman) flies to the Philippines to do some research on something, doesn’t say what. She needs to rent a helicopter to get her deep into the nearby jungle. She finds one at the airport, but the only pilot is a totally washed up, alcoholic, barely functional Peter Fonda, and his rust bucket helicopter is pretty much in the same condition he is. After a feisty conversation and with much reluctance but also with much determination, she hops on board.
On their way out, they run in to some problems and have to crash land the helicopter. They decide to hoof it through the jungle to get to a village that might have some supplies for repairs. Thing is, as we see in the opening scene, this jungle might have a surprise or two that might cost them their lives.
Movie progresses and it’s pretty boring. But, we learn that she’s an anthropologist, and one of her colleagues was in the same area recently but has disappeared. That colleague was studying the native tribes in the area, so this woman is doing the same, and trying to find her missing colleague as well.
But then there’s the thing about the prehistoric reptilian lizard man which creeps through the jungle and kills the cows and pigs and horses, and the humans.
What was that adventure movie in the 80s with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner? Romancing the Stone? Same sorta thing here, just without any treasure hunt. But we have two people who bicker at each other non-stop, but also who are obviously attracted to each other. And while that may sound like an awful and terrible hour and a half, it’s not tedious in this movie.
So what we have here is a combo of Creature from the Black Lagoon and a Humanoids from the Deep style monster flick, set in the Philippine jungle, with a wise cracking, very well travelled helicopter pilot, and an out-of-her-element scientist woman who is really easy on the eyes. It’d be a stretch to call it a monster movie. It’s an adventure movie with some lizard men at the end who are in it for only a few minutes.
Worth watching? It’s pretty lightweight stuff, but if you’re looking to take a break from the heavy stuff, this one will fill the time perfectly well. Peter Fonda gets to flex his wit with some pretty good one-liners, too.
Very much solid PG-13, not even close to rated R, although we get some brief nudity, one guy shot at point blank range, some sex talk and lots of alcohol.
With John Amos who plays a native witch doctor, who actually handles some live cobras.
B-movie Roundup 