TERROR BIRDS (review)

Review by Joshua Gravel

On a remote Texan ranch a scientist and an archeologist are studying a pair of prehistoric birds that the archeologist found living on an uninhabited island.

Meanwhile, Keith Stern, an avid bird watcher and nature enthusiast, vacations to a nearby cabin and is attacked and killed by the birds when he trespasses into the aviary and the archaeologist attempts to cover up his death.

But what will happen when Keith’s daughter Maddy and her friends track Keith’s GPS signal to the aviary and come looking for him?

Terror Birds is a shitty creature feature akin to those popularized by the Syfy Channel but with less originality and no silly gimmick to laugh at.

The story is fairly predictable while the characters are flat and constantly make stupid decisions while the dialogue tries way too hard to be witty. Some of the actors seem competent and are trying to do what they can with what they are given but none of them can rise above the limited material.

As if that wasn’t enough to complain about the special effects in Terror Birds are abysmal.

The CGI used for the titular birds looks cartoonish and is especially silly looking when the birds interact with the human characters. Occasionally the filmmakers employ some practical effects for wounds but given their poor lighting and HD photography even these practical effects look poorly done.

I was hoping that Terror Birds would be a fun romp or at least a “so bad, it’s good” cheese fest but it is neither, it’s just bad.