Reviews (28)

Apocalypse Wow!
A chilling story of accidental nuclear war, By Dawn's Early light succeeds where other similar stories fail easily in terms of human drama and military accuracy. Reminiscent of the movie "Fail Safe," By Dawn's Early Light explores the horrors of nuclear war with an all-star cast of Powers Boothe, Rebecca DeMornay, James Earl Jones, and many more. Unlike 99% action/1% story movies of this genre that miss the mark by far (such as "Crimson Tide"), Bruce Gilbert's interpretation of "Trinity's Child" hits the nail on the head with a tour de force dramatic rollercoaster that culminates into a truly unforgettable ending. By Dawn's Early Light- A story of two nations in crisis. A tale of two lovers torn by war. Two worlds. One epic adventure of a lifetime.

"We're going with the Grand Tour. History can't wait."
"By Dawn's Early Light," an HBO film based on the novel "Trinity's Child" by William Prochnau, holds the honorable distinction of being the final cold war nuclear armageddon thriller. Released in 1990 a mere year before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the film clearly harkens back to such memorable thrillers as "Fail Safe," "Dr. Strangelove," "The Day After," and "Testament." Remember those halcyon days when we all lived under the threat of nuclear annihilation? When the Looking Glass plane flew over your house every twenty minutes or so? Well, I do. Nuclear doomsday thrillers really turn my stomach into knots because I lived, and still live, in Omaha, Nebraska. As you will see in the movie, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) sat in Bellevue, Nebraska, mere miles from my home. Those planes roaring overhead while I played in the yard were the aircraft responsible for keeping the national chain of command viable in the event of a Soviet missile attack. We always wondered what we would see first: the vapor trails of the incoming missiles or the flash. Either way it would have been the last thing we would see. Watching these movies now is sort of a trip down memory lane, albeit a horrific one. Films like "By Dawn's Early Light" still tie my stomach up in knots.

The nightmare here begins when the Soviet Union, wracked by internal dissolution, suddenly comes under attack by a group of rogue military officers hoping to force the high command to respond to internal threats. A nuclear missile wipes out a city near the Turkish border, and the Russian computer system orders up a limited launch on the United States before the leadership can stop it. Several missiles rain down on American military bases, including Andrews outside of Washington, D.C., SAC in Nebraska (See? I told you so), and a few other places around the country. The generals urge the president (Martin Landau) to reply with a full retaliatory response, but the chief executive hesitates. Then he receives a message from the Soviet premier expressing horror at the mistake and offering three options. The first is to simply ignore the attack. The second is to launch an assault on Russia similar to the one made on the United States. The third is to reply with overwhelming force, which will require the Soviets to do the same. Trusting the Russians is a tough decision, but the president wishes to avoid all out destruction. Perhaps global destruction will not occur when the president decides to follow the second option. Then, disaster strikes.

The president's chopper goes down somewhere over Maryland in the flash of a nuclear bomb. Our government, which cannot find the vice-president or many cabinet members, finally locates the Secretary of the Interior (Darrin McGavin) in Louisiana and declares him president as they load him on the E-4 plane. Known by the code name Condor, the new president is an unapologetic hawk that won't hesitate to escalate the war. Despite the advice of "Harpoon" (Jeffrey DeMunn), an admiral who always preaches restraint but who must ultimately give the president nuclear authorization codes if ordered, Condor falls in with Colonel Fargo's (Rip Torn) line of thinking. This guy advocates a "grand tour" of the Soviet Union, a plan that will use American bombers to vaporize Soviet leadership installations. Of course, this course of action will result in a massive strike on American cities. Also in the mix is the Looking Glass plane-helmed by "Alice" (James Earl Jones)-another back up command aircraft that must carry out the president's orders. Too, we follow the crew of a bomber as it prepares to sweep into the Soviet Union. Flown by Major Cassidy (Powers Boothe) and Captain Moreau (Rebecca DeMornay), the crew of this bomber undergoes several crises both physical and mental as they prepare to nuke their targets. "By Dawn's Early Light" exclusively focuses on the military and the national chain of command and how the two would work together to respond to a nuclear attack.

I first saw the film on cable when it originally aired. I thought it wonderful at the time, a taut, dramatic thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. A recent viewing allowed me to step back and analyze the finer points of the film. I still think it works, especially the hair raising conclusion, but there are numerous problems to contend with. I took exception with a map that showed SAC south of Plattsmouth, Nebraska when the base actually sits due north of that town. I also had difficulty believing the bomber crews sat on the ground for as long as they did. Harpoon even mentions later that most of the bombers were caught on the ground. Why? The head of SAC even says in the film that the nuke aimed at the base won't hit the ground for twenty some minutes. If we can't get our bombers in the air within half an hour, we are in big trouble. Too, other problems plague the film. Continuity errors, poor acting on the part of DeMornay, and mediocre editing brings the movie down a bit in my estimation. Still, the positives outweigh the negatives. The inclusion of James Earl Jones in the cast is probably a sly wink to "Dr. Strangelove," and Darren McGavin and Rip Torn do a great job as the dynamic duo willing to turn the world into a charcoal briquette.

The DVD is unfortunately a disappointment. The picture quality is flawed, there are no extras-not even a trailer-anywhere to be found, and the transfer is fullscreen. HBO discs, at least the ones I have seen, usually don't have much in the way of extras. Fortunately, the movie is good enough to overcome a dearth of goodies. Give this one a watch.

Will somebody give me a cigarette!
The James Earl Jones cigarette bit in "By Dawn's Early Light" is one of my all time favorite movie scenes--maybe second only to Tom Cruise's deathbed scene in "Magnolia." The scene is funny, but it makes sense, too, since he's in this unthinkable struggle to save the world with a best case senario that includes his own death.

My genius friend found the movie too chaotic a representaion of choas, which I don't see. I see a likely and well developted plot: the Secretary of interior seems to be rooted in any one of our current leaders (in 2004).

Oh, well. I was surpised at how much the movie still moved me when I tracked it down again 12 or so years after seeing it on HBO. I might have been 11 when I first saw it. It was part of my phase in which I was obsessed with the notion of nuclear war and was having frequent nightmares.

Unquestionably my favorite film !
I don't imagine for a second that everyone who's seen this film feels quite as strongly about it as I do and I'm usually far too complacent to write reviews but I felt I owed it to the film and to myself to state my blatantly biassed opinion of this film.

It was only by sheer chance that one evening whilst skipping channels randomly, I conviently stopped when I glimpsed the opening credits of this film and although initially I was sceptical, as the film progressed, any unfounded reservations I had swiftly dissipated.

The acting is superb throughout with James Earl Jones gracing us with his charismatic screen presence as always. The typecasting was perfection itself with no individual actor letting the side down with a poor performance. The musical score, although limited in variety only adds to the overall sense of doom with it's sinister bass notes resonating like a mushroom cloud.

The variety of sets and scenes are intentionally claustrephobic but not lacking in imagination and by no means insular. Lavish presidential and state quarters, hi-tech bomber cockpits and military bunkers embued with a sense of real purpose soon start to feel quite familiar as do the characters.

Since it's difficult to rent this title and since VHS tapes are so incredibly cheap now, I would be fool not to encourage anyone reading this review to have a stab in the dark and order it.. if you don't like it, just send it to me and I'll put it in my 'Dawn's early light' shrine ! :P

This is a grade B Movie at best.
Well I certainly hate to disagree with all the other glowing reviews of this movie but quite frankly I wasn't impressed. Granted the movie (and subject matter) are dated but I found the acting to be only average, at times almost mechanical - not very realistic. Not very good chemistry between De Mornay & Boothe. The special effects could have been done better. This movie probably had a low budget.

Sadly, I bought the movie based on the reviews posted here. Do yourself a favor and rent it (if you can find it). Had I rented it first I would have saved a few bucks.

Don't get me wrong, the movie will keep your attention but I found it to be fairly predictable. Finding two pilots willing to make the ultimate sacrifice at the same moment seems a little far fetched !!! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Heart Warmer
I bought this because when Gregory Hines recently died I wanted to see those movies he did that I had missed. Perhaps a poor reason, but better late than never. He was an accomplished actor and dancer. This DVD has a great price on it as well for the entertainment you will get out of it. I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of those feel good sleepers you run across now and then.

When Hines, playing a paraplegic, decides to enlist the aid of a blinded football star, played by D' Onofrio, to win a white water race, anything can happen. The friendship that develops is earned through hard work and the realization that no matter what, we can move forward with our lives.

Fans of movies like "Brian's Song", "Field of Dreams", "Cool Runnings", and "Amazing Grace" should enjoy it. Other than some ocassional bad language the movie is suitable for most the family.

Totally Underrated!!
This is a fabulous "feel good" movie. I've watched it a dozen times and it's still a favorite to pop in the VCR when company comes calling. This movie never got the publicity it deserved so it's pretty much a surprise when I play it for guests. Then, everyone wants a copy. I probably would never have heard of it myself if my mom hadn't been an extra in it. It was filmed in Winchester Bay, Oregon where my mom had a gift shop.

This film is an satisfactory way to spend 96minutes.
I bought this film sight unseen as that is the only way I could see it. No video store had it.{most had never heard of it}And waiting for it to show up on t.v. could take months. I have had mixed results buying films unseen but this one did not disappoint. It won't go down as one of the best I have seen but I don't get the feeling the people behind it were shooting for greatness. They were just trying to tell the story of two men trying to rise above a handicap. And as that it works well. It contains a GREAT deal of bathroom humor. I'm not bothered by it but it's dwelt on to the point it becomes a little tiresome. Otherwise it's an enjoyable film. The performances by Hines and D'Onofrio are VERY good. I found D'Onofrio very belivable as a blind man and most of the films dramatic burden is carried by him. I am sure I'll spend 96 minutes with it agian.

A Pleasant Surprise
I first caught this flick whilst doin' a little insomnia-ridden late-night channel-surfin' a few years back. After encountering nothing but infomercials, I was kinda surprised to discover some real programming! I was just about to see what was brewin' on the next channel up when I saw Vincent D'Onofrio as the blinded and bitter formed NFL superstar Tony 'Olee' Olezniak. Aside from his role as the screw-up-come-Section-8 'Private Pyle' from 'Full Metal Jacket' and the giant-roach-in-disguise in 'Men In Black', I've never really taken a look at D'Onofrio's other thespian efforts, and was curious to see what he could do here. I must admit, he plays a pretty convincing blind man (reminded me of a few sightless folks I befriended many years back). He and Gregory Hines (as 'Lem' the easygoing-yet-oft-irritated paraplegic) display some good comedic chemistry in this umpteenth incarnation of the well-worn 'unlikely-partners-who-start-to-bond-and-actually-like-one-another-at-the-end' comedy with a bit of the 'road-trip' and 'underdogs-overcoming-adversity' formats thrown in for variety.

For a movie about 'gimps' (as Lem likes to call the handicapped), 'Good Luck' is surprisingly light-hearted. The often sophomoric and occasionally scatological humor hewn throughout this production (especially the 'playing-chicken-with-a-train' scene and the part where Olee asks Lem to describe a certain... thing) conveys reasonably solid proof that things aren't being taken too seriously 'round here. Aside from the funny stuff, 'Good Luck' has a little somethin' for everyone! There's Joe Theismann's cameo for all the pro football nuts. There's the pot-farmer-with-a-heart-of-gold to attract the sodbusters AND the stoners. A brief appearance by James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, is a virtual Star Wars-fan pheromone. The bug-eyed Robert O'Reilly, best known as the Klingon chancellor Gowron on NextGen and DS9, is a sure-fire Trekkie draw. There's even a chicken-foot-wielding, blackjack-playing small town mayor that's sure to bring in... um... well, someone-or-other. And I haven't even gotten to the guy with a clock on his hat yet! I tells ya, this baby is a marketing executive's dream!

'Late

Post Script: If you're interested in buying 'Good Luck' on DVD, be sure to get the Gold Series version (UPC #7-83722-70673-2 / ASIN: B00004ZBHC)! Its picture quality is slightly better (though not by much) than the earlier release, which had some pretty bad 'ghosting' and pixelation. And the new release's sound mix is much better than that of its predecessor!

'Later

Basically, I can watch any movie with Vincent D'onofrio
When I found this movie at the video store I was little nervous but after about fifteen minutes into it I really started to enjoy it. Yes, it is most definitely a guy movie and there is some vulgar bathroom humor. But, the acting and the theme make this a worthwhile rental. I really wish this movie was longer because near the end is when you can really feel the chemistry between D'onofrio and Hines. They really get comfortable with one another and I wanted more. The last thirty minutes of the movie is absolutly terrific because it just really picks up once they get to Gold City. Plus, the audience gets a better indepth perception of Olee(especially) and Lemely. I think that Vincent D'onofrio does a good job at playing a blind man. Unlike some actors he makes it believable throughout that he cannot see(it very natural it is like he is not acting, the way it should be). Rent this movie it is good I mean it only made like 40,000$ at the theater these small films need our support and plus how can you not respect an actor who can do a multimillion dollar film(Men in Black) and then do a tiny film like this one in the same year. Also, I would like to add that I am quite jealous of the guy who wrote a review and he was in the movie. I mean that is pretty cool it is pretty hard to top that! Hey I can be emailed at littlejake4@ivillage.com if you like the film or not. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good for a post-apoc flick
"Steel Frontier" is another one of those low budget post-apocalyptic genre films that pop up with frightening regularity on video store shelves. Generally, I can always find time to watch yet another entry in this fascinating field of cinema. The special effects in these types of movies usually attain new levels in mediocrity, the acting often tanks, and plot holes abound in these zero budget efforts about life in a world destroyed. The best post-apocalyptic films came from Italy in the early 1980s, cheesy, ultra cheap movies that provided endless opportunities for laughter. The movies are always essentially the same: a gruff, lonely hero prowls the barren wastes in search of redemption for a past crime or to forget about a lost love, an army of miscreants threatens to destroy a group of people struggling to reassert a sense of normalcy, and plenty of people will die by the end of the movie. "The Road Warrior," more than any other apocalypse film, set the tone for every subsequent effort in this genre. "Steel Frontier" never strays far from this formula, differing only in its attempt to add a western theme to the proceedings.

Joe Lara plays Yuma, a drifter with a heart of gold and a high tech motorcycle in search of something in the wastelands of what once was America. Yuma looks like a gunslinger, a man decked out in a long overcoat, cowboy hat, and long scraggly hair. I guess his motorcycle doubles as his steed, except this mount shoots bullets and rockets into hostile vehicles seeking to do our hero harm. After finding a mutilated, nearly dead man in the desert raving about some dangerous dudes in the area, Yuma has his own run in with these very men. Captured after a short chase on the highway, the hostiles take the hero to a recently conquered town in the desert. It seems a rebel army under the command of General J.W. Quantrell (Brion James) seized the town in order to secure supplies for their campaign to reconquer a significant portion of the former United States. Quantrell's army includes his spoiled son and Roy Ackett (Bo Svenson), one of the general's colleagues back in the days when the two men were grunts in the U.S. Army. Most of the members of this "army" are no more than former bikers, thugs, and other ruffians who survived the nuclear war. The opening sequence of the film shows Quantrell and gang ravaging their way through this small settlement, gunning down defenseless civilians, having their way with the women, and generally terrorizing everyone they can get their hands on. These soldiers execute any of the men who refuse to join this new army.

Into this madness rides Yuma, a prisoner of one of the general's patrols. In order to avoid death our hero agrees to join Quantrell's forces, meaning he must accept a very painful branding and then drink himself into a coma every night with his fellow vagabonds. Predicatably, a local woman enters into the picture, a gal who reminds Yuma of his long lost wife and therefore a woman our hero must save at some point in the film. He accomplishes this by ingratiating himself with a few of his fellow soldiers over a card game, and then promptly winning the woman from one of these men. Bad feelings ensue, but Yuma gets the girl for a time at least. After striking up a friendship with the tormented Ackett--who hates what he does for Quantrell and the man's son but realizes he must survive somehow--Yuma cleverly turns the soldiers against one another. It is all predictable from this point forward: lots of people die, General Quantrell returns from a new mission to face down this troublesome insurgent in his own ranks, Yuma and the general have a showdown on the highway, and the movie ends. Along the way there are a lot of explosions, some nifty stunt work, and Kane Hodder turns up as one of the general's goons.

There really isn't a lot to say about this movie. The acting is above average for this type of film, with Brion James and Joe Lara turning in decent performances as Quantrell and Yuma respectively. Unfortunately, the always amusingly watchable James disappears for a significant part of the film. Bo Svenson looks slightly bored with the whole thing, though, and most of the actors who play soldiers in Quantrell's army take their performances over the top. The special effects work, mainly explosions and lots of squibs, looks good for a low budget actioner. The predictable plot and script is so average it is tough to remember the movie a few days after you watch it. That's not to say "Steel Frontier" is a bad film; it's just that fans of the genre have seen all of this a million times before. The movie still entertains, however, so devoting ninety minutes to this movie is an acceptable trade-off. If you are still unsure about the movie, you will know within ten minutes if "Steel Frontier" is something you will enjoy. The DVD, by the way, is not bad. Not a lot of extras, but the picture transfer looks nice. Give this one a shot, but rent it instead of buying it.

action: *packed*
i loved general quantrell and the kid with the slingshot!

Action Packed!
I agree with everything that lgodin said about this movie. Definately fast paced and action packed! Loved Johnny Yuma's humor mixed with intensity. I thought he was a great character and I for one would've liked to see more Johnny Yuma in the future. P.S. That bike was the coolest bike *ever*, I wish *I* had it!

Good
Very fast moving. Yuma's character one of mystery and humor for a bounty hunter. Man of action than words. I liked the gunplay and the idea of a motorcycle that shoots on command.Good fight scenes.Good all around movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Good Luck--which played the 1997 film festival circuit under the unwieldy title The Ox and the Eye--is a casebook example of good intentions getting in the way of good filmmaking. This is one of those eager-to-please movies that works well on the surface while perpetuating a stereotypical (and therefore condescending) perception of the disabled. The story is strictly movie-of-the-week fodder, involving the odd-couple pairing of a former football star (Vincent D'Onofrio) who was blinded in a freak tackling accident, and a paraplegic (Gregory Hines) who dreams of entering a popular white-water rafting competition on Oregon's Rogue River.

Hines convinces the bull-headed D'Onofrio to join him in the competition, defying all those bumpkin nonbelievers who doubt that two "cripples" can pilot a river raft, and Good Luck settles into its predictable feel-good plotting. The movie is most enjoyable when Hines and D'Onofrio simply play off of each other's considerable talents, and humorous dialogue enables them to give engaging performances (although we could do without the gratuitous profanity and D'Onofrio's gleeful description of a prodigious bowel movement). The problem with this movie is that it avoids depth at every turn, favoring triumph-over-adversity clichés and offering nothing new (or particularly authentic) in its handling of the physical and emotional issues of blindness and paralysis. The direction varies from adequate to amateurish, and by the time the movie indulges an obligatory ending that's pregnant with saccharine uplift, only the most gullible viewer will be suckered into feeling good. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Heart Warmer
I bought this because when Gregory Hines recently died I wanted to see those movies he did that I had missed. Perhaps a poor reason, but better late than never. He was an accomplished actor and dancer. This DVD has a great price on it as well for the entertainment you will get out of it. I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of those feel good sleepers you run across now and then.

When Hines, playing a paraplegic, decides to enlist the aid of a blinded football star, played by D' Onofrio, to win a white water race, anything can happen. The friendship that develops is earned through hard work and the realization that no matter what, we can move forward with our lives.

Fans of movies like "Brian's Song", "Field of Dreams", "Cool Runnings", and "Amazing Grace" should enjoy it. Other than some ocassional bad language the movie is suitable for most the family.

Totally Underrated!!
This is a fabulous "feel good" movie. I've watched it a dozen times and it's still a favorite to pop in the VCR when company comes calling. This movie never got the publicity it deserved so it's pretty much a surprise when I play it for guests. Then, everyone wants a copy. I probably would never have heard of it myself if my mom hadn't been an extra in it. It was filmed in Winchester Bay, Oregon where my mom had a gift shop.

This film is an satisfactory way to spend 96minutes.
I bought this film sight unseen as that is the only way I could see it. No video store had it.{most had never heard of it}And waiting for it to show up on t.v. could take months. I have had mixed results buying films unseen but this one did not disappoint. It won't go down as one of the best I have seen but I don't get the feeling the people behind it were shooting for greatness. They were just trying to tell the story of two men trying to rise above a handicap. And as that it works well. It contains a GREAT deal of bathroom humor. I'm not bothered by it but it's dwelt on to the point it becomes a little tiresome. Otherwise it's an enjoyable film. The performances by Hines and D'Onofrio are VERY good. I found D'Onofrio very belivable as a blind man and most of the films dramatic burden is carried by him. I am sure I'll spend 96 minutes with it agian.

A Pleasant Surprise
I first caught this flick whilst doin' a little insomnia-ridden late-night channel-surfin' a few years back. After encountering nothing but infomercials, I was kinda surprised to discover some real programming! I was just about to see what was brewin' on the next channel up when I saw Vincent D'Onofrio as the blinded and bitter formed NFL superstar Tony 'Olee' Olezniak. Aside from his role as the screw-up-come-Section-8 'Private Pyle' from 'Full Metal Jacket' and the giant-roach-in-disguise in 'Men In Black', I've never really taken a look at D'Onofrio's other thespian efforts, and was curious to see what he could do here. I must admit, he plays a pretty convincing blind man (reminded me of a few sightless folks I befriended many years back). He and Gregory Hines (as 'Lem' the easygoing-yet-oft-irritated paraplegic) display some good comedic chemistry in this umpteenth incarnation of the well-worn 'unlikely-partners-who-start-to-bond-and-actually-like-one-another-at-the-end' comedy with a bit of the 'road-trip' and 'underdogs-overcoming-adversity' formats thrown in for variety.

For a movie about 'gimps' (as Lem likes to call the handicapped), 'Good Luck' is surprisingly light-hearted. The often sophomoric and occasionally scatological humor hewn throughout this production (especially the 'playing-chicken-with-a-train' scene and the part where Olee asks Lem to describe a certain... thing) conveys reasonably solid proof that things aren't being taken too seriously 'round here. Aside from the funny stuff, 'Good Luck' has a little somethin' for everyone! There's Joe Theismann's cameo for all the pro football nuts. There's the pot-farmer-with-a-heart-of-gold to attract the sodbusters AND the stoners. A brief appearance by James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, is a virtual Star Wars-fan pheromone. The bug-eyed Robert O'Reilly, best known as the Klingon chancellor Gowron on NextGen and DS9, is a sure-fire Trekkie draw. There's even a chicken-foot-wielding, blackjack-playing small town mayor that's sure to bring in... um... well, someone-or-other. And I haven't even gotten to the guy with a clock on his hat yet! I tells ya, this baby is a marketing executive's dream!

'Late

Post Script: If you're interested in buying 'Good Luck' on DVD, be sure to get the Gold Series version (UPC #7-83722-70673-2 / ASIN: B00004ZBHC)! Its picture quality is slightly better (though not by much) than the earlier release, which had some pretty bad 'ghosting' and pixelation. And the new release's sound mix is much better than that of its predecessor!

'Later

Basically, I can watch any movie with Vincent D'onofrio
When I found this movie at the video store I was little nervous but after about fifteen minutes into it I really started to enjoy it. Yes, it is most definitely a guy movie and there is some vulgar bathroom humor. But, the acting and the theme make this a worthwhile rental. I really wish this movie was longer because near the end is when you can really feel the chemistry between D'onofrio and Hines. They really get comfortable with one another and I wanted more. The last thirty minutes of the movie is absolutly terrific because it just really picks up once they get to Gold City. Plus, the audience gets a better indepth perception of Olee(especially) and Lemely. I think that Vincent D'onofrio does a good job at playing a blind man. Unlike some actors he makes it believable throughout that he cannot see(it very natural it is like he is not acting, the way it should be). Rent this movie it is good I mean it only made like 40,000$ at the theater these small films need our support and plus how can you not respect an actor who can do a multimillion dollar film(Men in Black) and then do a tiny film like this one in the same year. Also, I would like to add that I am quite jealous of the guy who wrote a review and he was in the movie. I mean that is pretty cool it is pretty hard to top that! Hey I can be emailed at littlejake4@ivillage.com if you like the film or not. ... Read more