Thunderbirds Review

Thunderbirds


Release Date: 16th September 2004 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures (present)

StudioCanal (present)

Working Title Films
Tracy Films (Uncredited)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Family/Sci-Fi

Action/Adventure

Rating: PG

Runtime: 95 minutes


Budget: $57,000,000

Box Office Gross: $28,283,637 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Former astronaut/

entrepreneur Jeff Tracy has been leading a top-secret organisation called International Rescue. He and his four older sons form a team of heroes known as Thunderbirds, who pilot five incredible machines. Together, they have been saving people's lives amid ongoing disasters.

However, today, their home, Tracy Island, located around the Pacific Ocean, has come under siege by a criminal mastermind known as the Hood, who has trapped them in space and intends to use their hi-tech rescue vehicles and technology for his evil plot. Only the youngest son, Alan Tracy, is left on the island to stop the Hood and his plans, but does he have what it takes to save his

family and the world?

Cast
Brady Corbet - Alan Tracy
Bill Paxton - Jeff Tracy
Vanessa Hudgens - Tintin
Anthony Edwards - Ray
"Brains" Hackenbacker
Ben Kingsley - The Hood
Sophia Myles - Lady Penelope
Phillip Winchester - Scott Tracy
Lex Shrapnel - John Tracy
Dominic Colenso - Virgil Tracy
Ben Torgersen - Gordon Tracy
Soren Fulton - Fermat Hackenbacker
Rose Keegan - Transom
Ron Cook - Parker
Bhasker Patel - Kyrano
Harvey Virdi - Onaha
Genie Francis - Lisa Lowe
Deobia Oparei - Mullion
Johannes Zadrozny - Panhead
Nicola Walker - Panhead's Mother

Stewart Howson - Engineer

Mark Nelmes - Ice Cream Man

Julian Spencer - Henchman

Andy Smart - Henchman & Oil Rig Worker

Crew
Director - Jonathan Frakes
Based on the TV Series - Gerry &

Sylvia Anderson
Story/Screenplay - William Osborne
Story - Peter Hewitt
Screenplay - Michael McCullers
Executive Producers - Liza Chasin
and Debra Hayward
Producers - Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
and Mark Huffam
Co-Producers - Jo Burn and Chris Clark

Casting Directors - Fiona Weir

and Mary Selway

Production Designer - John Beard

Supervising Art Director - Thomas Frankish

Art Directors - David Allday, Ray Chan,

Paul Cross, Matt Gray, Rod McLean,

Stephen Morohan, Stuart Rose and

Mark Harris (Uncredited)

Assistant Art Directors - James Foster,

Paul Inglis and Iain McFadyen

Concept Artists - Dominic Lavery,

Mike Trim and Tony Wright 

Set Decorator - Joanne Woollard

Prop Making and Modelshop Supervisor - James Enright
Costume Designer - Marit Allen

Assistant Costume Designers - Jacqueline Durran

and Jane Petrie

Hair & Makeup Designer - Peter Swords King

Hair and Makeup Artists - Tamsin Dorling Barbosa,

Sarah Pickering, Janine Schneider, Petrona Winton

and Jeremy Woodhead 

Director of Photography - Brendan Galvin

"A" Camera Operator - Des Whelan

"A" Camera Operator: Additional Shooting -

Trevor Coop 

Steadicam Operator - Rupert Power (Uncredited)

Steadicam Operator: Additional Shooting -

Roger Tooley

Unit Production Manager - Angus More Gordon

Unit Manager - James Grant

Location Manager - Emma Pill 

First Assistant Director - Tommy Gormley

Production Manager/First Assistant Director:

Second Unit - Terry Bamber
Second Unit Director/Director of Photography:

Second Unit - Shaun O'Dell

Stunt Coordinator - Paul Jennings
Special Vehicles Supervisor - Graham Kelly

Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Corbould
Special Effects Coordinator - Jess Lewington
Visual Effects Supervisors - Mike McGee
and Mark Nelmes
Model Shop Supervisor - Bill Pearson
CGI Supervisor: Framestore - Craig Lyn

2D Supervisors: Framestore - Jonathan Fawkner

and Matthew Twyford 

Lead Effects Technical Directors: Framestore -

Louis Dunlevy, Ian Frost, Mark Hodgkins,

Nordin Rahhali and Ben Schrijvers
Editor - Martin Walsh

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer -

Glenn Freemantle

Re-Recording Mixers - John Hayward,

Richard Pryke and Andrew Caller (Uncredited)

Foley Artists - Phil Heywood and

Adrian Medhurst

Music - Hans Zimmer

Additional Music - Ramin Djawadi

Additional Arrangements - James Dooley

and Mel Wesson

Music Supervisor - Nick Angel

Executive in Charge of Music: Universal

Studios - Kathy Nelson 

Recording Engineer - Geoff Foster


Review
I watched a few episodes of Gerry Anderson's classic Supermarionation TV series, THUNDERBIRDS, and the first movie. However, the live-action adaptation directed by Jonathan Frakes failed to live up to my expectations. The sound effects were more appropriate for a cartoon than live-action, and the movie felt similar to Spy Kids. Because it only focuses on the younger characters, such as Alan Tracy, Tin-Tin, and Fermat, instead of all five Tracy brothers. And worst of all, this film changes the Thunderbirds' nemesis, The Hood, from being a master of disguise to having strange powers. The positives include the acting of Bill Paxton, Sophia Myles, Ron Cook, and Ben Kingsley, as well as the emergency teapot. The CGI effects are decent, and the music score is terrific.

THUNDERBIRDS could have been a more faithful live-action film adaptation. The movie is a no-go for fans of the original TV series, but it might appeal to those unfamiliar with the classic show.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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