Twilightfa
Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Guillelmina
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
David Powell
Oh, my. When I was a kid I couldn't miss a week of this series, and this is the movie that started it all. It really has a decent plot, given the times it was made in. In 1984, the idea of a third world nation like Libya getting something nasty from a shadowy mercenary type was very real. In 1982, Israel had taken out an Iraqi nuclear reactor that Saddam Hussein had bought from contacts in Europe. In 1982, also, the Falklands war saw the British running into a lot of trouble with Exocet missiles hitting their destroyers.In "Airwolf," one scene which took a lot of guts to do features an attack by the hijacked helicopter launched against a destroyer. The idea of nasty weapons getting to nations that might mean ill to people has only become more powerful. In 1987, three years after the television movie aired, a U.S. Frigate, the Stark, was "accidentally" hit for real by an Iraqi fighter in the Persian Gulf. So, in that context, and with the height of the Cold War, the idea of powerful organizations like "The Firm" that Moffet was working for and which our two main pilot good guys get involved with, made for some powerful stuff. The performances only added to the power of it, especially for a kid like myself, with Jan-Michael Vincent doing a great job as the brooding, reluctant hero, and Ernest Borgnine (Who I had only seen doing comedy in reruns of "McHale's Navy" at the time) doing incredible work as well. This series really was a nice thing for him, and boy did he deserve the chance to do something like this. Finally, who could forget Alex Cord as Archangel, all in white except for the black lens in his glasses over his injured eye? White limousines, a white helicopter of his own, and beautiful female aides dressed in white, and the cane he walked with because of his injuries. Definitely a chilling figure in his own right. Man, this was an awesome show for a kid in 1984. Also, it makes points about the duties of people to what is right, the question of when the lines of the fight for good cross with the desire for power, and all the classic stuff. Bellisario came through with this and "Magnum, P.I." about the same time, I believe, which was quite good for him. Everyone associated with this project turned in good work - including the folks who designed the fold-out cannons on Airwolf's winglets, which were impressive in how they folded out and so forth. - Vincent was awesome in the melancholy and quiet scenes where he was just playing his cello by the lake or hanging out and thinking. The show topped this all off with one of the best scores of the 1980s. Definitely a winner. The toppings are all there, but underneath, with the writing, directing, and the performances, the substance is there in force. Great, great show.
Kendall Wright
This can be compared to Guns N' Roses back in the hair band days, when that album (Appetite for Destruction) came out, it kicked all the other hair bands butts! Why, because they brought raw and real life like music back into the mainstream, resembling 70's metal, but much more powerful and much much more fun! How is Airwolf compared to that? That's easy! The 80s were not only filled with cheezy hairbands, but it was also filled with very cheezy T.V. shows that starred vehicles as the stars of the shows. Knightrider, The Dukes of Hazard, Streethawk, The A-Team. When Airwolf came out in 1984, it might have starred a vehicle, but a very good one. The show was much more dramatic and realistic like feeling than the other shows at that time that starred a vehicle. Airwolf is also the only show from that era that should be made into a big budget Hollywood Production!
Big Movie Fan
The 1980's were the best time for action fans. During that decade we had The A-Team, Knight Rider, Street Hawk, The Fall Guy and my personal favourite Airwolf.In this movie Stringfellow Hawke is asked by some government agency to retrieve a billion dollar helicopter stolen by a Dr. Moffett who is working with the Libyans. And we get action and suspense throughout.Airwolf was quite a dark show. It aired during the mid 80's when the cold war was still very hot and paranoia was at an all time high. Jan Michael Vincent and Ernest Borgnine did a great job as the duo sent to retrieve Airwolf. Vincent played Hawke who was a moody and pessimistic Vietnam veteran whose brother became missing in action. He was perfect for this role.Alex Cord played Archangel who worked for the government agency (it was referred to as The Firm throughout the series but that was all we knew) and he seemed innocuous enough although you could never be sure what his real motives were.The best things about Airwolf was the music and the action. The music was so cool and the action scenes were fantastic. At the end Airwolf is in Libya evading missiles and battling helicopters and Moffett himself and the action doesn't let up for a minute.Damn good series!
HORROR_FAN_1
Although I'm more of a horror fan than action/adventure, the film and classic T.V. series "Airwolf" was more than enough to keep me entertained. The acting was excellent by David Hemmings, Ernest Borgnine and Jan-Michael Vincent, who happens to be one of my favourite actors.Considering it was made in 1984, the effects are impressive. Watching it, you actually believe that this super chopper can fly faster than mach 1. My favourite section has to be at the end, in the showdown between Moffat and Hawke, seeing though Moffat has just killed Hawke's girlfriend, you can understand why he unloads 6-7 hellfires that blows Moffat sky high!.This is a must see movie and T.V. series, in my opinion it is simply irreplacable. Outclasses "Knight Rider" not because of more action, better effects and a better and more believable storyline (although these are factors), but because David Hasselhoff is probably one of the worst actors I have ever seen. If you haven't seen the episode in "Knight Rider" titled "Goliath" or "Goliath Returns" then these are a must see. Michael Knight's twin brother which is just Hasselhoff with a fake stuck on beard, simply comic genius!!.Movie rating of "Airwolf", 8/10.