Story Synopsis: Fairhope, Alabama in the year 1863. A group of army deserters rob a bank, causing a bloodbath that takes the lives of several people, including a young child. Fleeing from the authorities, the gang decide to take refuge at an abandoned farmhouse that was recommended by a now-dead soldier. As they stay in for the night, a mysterious & malevolent ghostly presence begins to pick off the robbers one by one. With tensions in the group rising, the remaining robbers must battle not only the demonic entities but their own prejudices in order to survive.
Film Analysis: If you ever wondered what on Earth happened to child star Henry Thomas, star of E.T. – The Extraterrestrial, consider your question well & truly answered. His return to the film industry after a long hiatus should have been celebrated, given his iconic status.
Dead Birds is a ghost story set during the American Civil War (for international readers who don't know, this war occurred when the USA split in two over a dispute stemming from the US government's attempts to abolish slavery), where the heroes of the piece are a band of army deserters (& a nurse) decide to improve their lot by robbing a bank & fleeing to Mexico with the loot. If only they decided to change their transit hideout instead of staying at a haunted farmhouse
The film, despite a creepy opening credits sequence, never takes the viewer by the throat – instead opting for a relatively subtle atmospheric approach. This should have worked well with this film were it not for the fact that the script needed some revising. Until the climax arrives, all we get are a bunch of ghostly apparitions (with some pointless CGI work done to their faces that looks very silly) & the gang's mistrust of each other leading to their downfall.
The reason behind the ghostly phenomena is not explained until you reach the very end & even then you don't get the full picture. Instead you start to put the pieces together after the film ends, with each piece of information making sense once you re-watch the film (the human-looking scarecrow, the footprints that change shape, the demonic ghost children). The only part that doesn't fit is the skinned creature that appears when the bandits reach the farmhouse. As it is, the film doesn't quite fulfil the requirements needed for an entertaining horror film. Dead Birds instead makes an interesting but ultimately pointless haunted house tale.
On the acting front, everyone gives a serviceable performance. Henry Thomas, despite being forever associated with his iconic role as Elliot in E.T., actually makes a good actor in his adulthood, even if he is never given much room to work in.
Film Analysis: If you ever wondered what on Earth happened to child star Henry Thomas, star of E.T. – The Extraterrestrial, consider your question well & truly answered. His return to the film industry after a long hiatus should have been celebrated, given his iconic status.
Dead Birds is a ghost story set during the American Civil War (for international readers who don't know, this war occurred when the USA split in two over a dispute stemming from the US government's attempts to abolish slavery), where the heroes of the piece are a band of army deserters (& a nurse) decide to improve their lot by robbing a bank & fleeing to Mexico with the loot. If only they decided to change their transit hideout instead of staying at a haunted farmhouse
The film, despite a creepy opening credits sequence, never takes the viewer by the throat – instead opting for a relatively subtle atmospheric approach. This should have worked well with this film were it not for the fact that the script needed some revising. Until the climax arrives, all we get are a bunch of ghostly apparitions (with some pointless CGI work done to their faces that looks very silly) & the gang's mistrust of each other leading to their downfall.
The reason behind the ghostly phenomena is not explained until you reach the very end & even then you don't get the full picture. Instead you start to put the pieces together after the film ends, with each piece of information making sense once you re-watch the film (the human-looking scarecrow, the footprints that change shape, the demonic ghost children). The only part that doesn't fit is the skinned creature that appears when the bandits reach the farmhouse. As it is, the film doesn't quite fulfil the requirements needed for an entertaining horror film. Dead Birds instead makes an interesting but ultimately pointless haunted house tale.
On the acting front, everyone gives a serviceable performance. Henry Thomas, despite being forever associated with his iconic role as Elliot in E.T., actually makes a good actor in his adulthood, even if he is never given much room to work in.