Got an update: released on UK VOD on December 12th. Update #2: I am aware this video has got a lot of new viewers. Bear in mind this was made during the film's theatrical release, with only a few stills and the trailer to work with.
Okay, you convinced me. As a lover of bad movies, I actually have to see this. It's incredible how about half of ''bad movie gems'' are vanity projects of a single actor/director/writer (The Room, Fateful Findings, Manos: Hands of Fate, You Me Madness... and now this!)
Michael Flately: Im going to retire from dancing due to all the injuries ive sustained over my career. Also Michael Flately: Im going to make an action movie, that ive written, directed and im the main character-i mean star of. Yep, certainly going to avoid any more injuries in an action movie, thats for sure.
Blackbird is a special film. It is rare to find something this bad, but I don't think that it is going to enter the same bracket as The Room et al. Blackbird seems to be a film made without limitations. No one is telling Flatley that he can't spend his massive wealth on making the movie, and as such he has been able to produce something which is exactly what he wanted. He was not aiming for good and missed, he was aiming for something and did not know what good was. Which makes Blackbird not a glorious failure, but rather a horrible success, and a success which is very much of the early 2020s. Flatley did not need talent, or experts, or ideas, or even really advice to make Blackbird, he just needed money and because he had money no one could stop him. That feels different to Ed Wood making two chairs and a curtain into a cockpit or Tommy wanting to be a better actor than he was but just not being. If those ham-fisted creators aspired to be more than they are, Flatley just thinks that he deserves to me anything he wants to be. If you are rich, Blackbird says, you can do anything and while that might be funny to laugh at, in the end the joke is on us, because we made this culture which inevitably produced this.
Clearly, Michael Flatley wrote this script during the peak of Riverdance's popularity in the 90's (and I just know he spent most of the script-writing process trying to find a name that rhymed with his own.)
I’ve just watched it. I burst out laughing during the second scene where the guy is being tailed by three bad guys walking like they’re from howl’s moving castle. They are so obviously tailing him and walking in perfect unison. There are so many bizarre scene placements. There’s a scene where the good guys are all talking and it cross cuts to a dinner scene where the girl walks away from the bad guy as they are having dinner. Then it randomly cuts back to the previous scene. But it heavily implies that that first scene is over. Cross cutting is something the editor does not understand. All the dialogue is like children fighting over a toy. Character motivations are so poorly established so it comes across so alien. There’s a dangerous bio weapon and it’s all “am I ready to come back. Is my soul up to it” that kind of dialogue. Bizarre is the word I would use to describe the whole film
As an Irish person old enough to remember when Riverdance swept the nation in the 90s all I can say to finding out Michael Flatley is the main character in an action movie is W T F !!!
First, time I've seen you and enjoyed your take. One thing I just wanted to say is that Eric Roberts is actually an excellent actor and even an Oscar nominee. He had a very promising career but he developed a terrible cocaine addiction at that time and started taking low-budget projects for money and also became notoriously difficult to work with due to the addiction. There was a time when he was considered one of the best up-and-coming actors in Hollywood. Those days are long behind him but as Tarantino did with John Travolta if he was handed a decent role on TV or Film he could have a late-life renaissance. I think you are wrong to dismiss him due to the quality of some of the projects he has worked on in the past. Even in poor projects he can hold the screen and is usually the best thing in them.
I actually think he's one of the best things in this. And I'm glad he turned his life around, and works prolifically; he's a bit like Danny Trejo in that regard, although that means his presence isn't an indication of the film's quality, and many have used him poorly.
I think this turd becomes at times a pretty decent movie, that is when ER is on screen and talking or doing something. His work in The Righteous Gemstones proves he hasn't lost it.
Yeah, I always enjoy when Roberts turns up in something better, even if it is something like Babylon, which I largely disliked. He's pretty great in The Dark Knight.
Still I'd vote for this turkey and even for Indiana 5 instead of the atrocity of Barbie. Not because it probably is even worse but because the promoters got many butts in those theater seats by cheating. They lied to their public and their public is angry. No one likes cheaters. So let's appreciate people like this who promise us to give us a turd and deliver a turd which after all is funny to watch.
Eric Roberts like most of the audience knows this movie is rubbish but this is what he does and he enjoys himself in what ever role he's given. He does about 300 movies a year and will have another movie lined up straight after this .
Oh wow. I hope this comes to the US. Saw the trailer & was convinced it was one of those films that wasn’t so bad it’s good, but so bad it blows past good and goes all the way back to bad again - 5 or 6 times. But then I read the reviews on IMDb. Look up the 10/10 ones, written almost exclusively by the Oirish. It’s like watching Oirish fans at the EURO or World Cup. Absolutely brilliant! Your review cements it for me. I must see this film!
I figured like most professional dancers Flatley knees and ankles are shot so the action scenes don't surprise me but I want to see this it sounds a blast. I love a good bad movie like Hard ticket to Hawaii
I remember you mentioning this on twitter when it was announced back in the day. I appreciated you adding the Bristol festival info to the review. This does have similarities to Neil Breen film's where he often casts himself as a secret agent with younger woman throwing themselves at him though Flatley obviously has more money to spend [allegedly Flatley's feet was insured for $57.60 million at one point!]. Flatley did talk about doing more films [Blackbird 2 and something called 'Dream Dance'] but hopefully the delays in this film coming out will prevent them seeing the light of day.
I'm thinking Geteven/Road to Revenge by John DeHart. Older guy tries to make himself the star and he takes down criminals and thinks he's God's gift to Women.
You know this is so bad it's good because Eric Roberts is in it. He only appears in those types of films, like Sharktopus. :P I wonder where all the irish movies went btw, it has been a while since I have seen any.
As a huge MF fan and someone who fancies the pants off him... This review was amazing 😂 genuinely made me laugh out loud. Hilariously bad film, I love it 😂
Lord of the Dance was an embarrassing enough vanity project, and that was at least twenty years ago. What the hell kind of insecurities must be driving this man? The bit about his politics is worrisome too, but I'd rather not know more.
The Texas Hold Em game sounds like it was written by someone who works on EastEnders, but without the cliffhanger music stinger being played in the pauses...
I saw it in the lighthouse in Dublin and it got a round of applause at the end. it could have ended a bit sillier but it's amazing how fascinatingly enjoyable it was. I like Patrick Bergin but boy does he appear in some muck.
There's several things it could be, but I couldn't help but focus on a persistent image wobble throughout the video. It may be from the autofocus constantly working, but if you watch the posters on the left, you'll notice them constantly shaking.
Yeah, that's the autofocus. It is tracking my face, and since I am moving around quite a bit, it will shift. It hasn't escaped my nitpicky-ness, but I've not been brave enough to change it to Autofocus Single.
Can't wait for Flatley's next movie. I actually watched this at my local cinema in Ireland without realizing what I was walking into. So bad it's good is right! 'Forgive me father for I have sinned, and I'm about to sin again' lmao.
I'm honestly afraid to watch this video - after the first 2 minutes I'm desperate to just stop everything and watch Blackbird. But there are no torrents! And it's not streaming anywhere - not even for money!! What shall I do?!?
Any word on when Blackbird hits the U.S.? I'm working on hitting a goal of watching 100 films this year and I'd like this film to be one of 'em. Also, someone should try to make "Casino Royale meets Casablanca" but as a good movie, because as a concept that sounds amazing.
Thank you for reviewing! Irish press didn't even give a synopsis of the film that they gave glowing reviews to. I am happy just for your opening summary
I think Mathew seeing this film in Imax with fellow "bad movie" fans has caused him to hype the film way past how enjoyable it actually is. Don't get me wrong - it's an awful movie and a monument to Flatley's ego but there are not enough consistent "good bad" moments to put it in the league of "The Room" et al. It's got several laughs separated by just long boring stretches of bad acting.
Yeah, that is partly why I've had to qualify that it needs a crowd. A lot of these kind of movies do, stuff like The Room and Birdemic are harder sits alone, from experience.
Why did Michael need to make this movie ? Didn't Lord of the Dance have the same storyline and elements ? He should have created a new dance show with male dancers dressed as James Bond and doing a dance off with the female dancers from Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger. Call it " Dudes and Darlings".🤔
Just found it only cost £3m to make. The impression i got up until now was that he'd thrown a massive amount of his 300m fortune at the film. Its a bad vanity project. End of.
I watched this film a couple months back. I thought it was gonna be a so bad it's good movie but it was just so boring and the young female actress who turned up to his room. looked so uncomfortable. It was cringey and filled with silly clichés and bad dialogue but I don't think it's a good - bad film. I wouldn't recommend anyone watching it for that reason but if it's to laugh at Flatley then yes watch it.
This was at the time of the theatrical release, there was very little to cut to other than a 90 second trailer I used every inch of here and press stills. I had to make do with what I had at the time when there was initial interest in the film. And before you ask, I have a copy of the movie *now*, but that was months later.
Got an update: released on UK VOD on December 12th.
Update #2: I am aware this video has got a lot of new viewers. Bear in mind this was made during the film's theatrical release, with only a few stills and the trailer to work with.
If only I lived in the UK... :'(
@@WriterLilyth I know I'm going to see if it happens to pop up on my iptv anytime soon. I seem to get a decent selection of movies.
The Prince Charles Cinema in London also still do screenings every now and again. Maybe it'll become an event like The Room.
great review....
"Flatley by name, Flatley by nature".
That's one hell of a tagline.
Okay, you convinced me. As a lover of bad movies, I actually have to see this. It's incredible how about half of ''bad movie gems'' are vanity projects of a single actor/director/writer (The Room, Fateful Findings, Manos: Hands of Fate, You Me Madness... and now this!)
Don't forget the wonderful "Champagne and Bullets"...
"He was a cop for seven years, now he's a limo driver.."
I really think my life won’t be complete until I see this apparent masterclass of the school of hat tilt acting
Michael Flately: Im going to retire from dancing due to all the injuries ive sustained over my career.
Also Michael Flately: Im going to make an action movie, that ive written, directed and im the main character-i mean star of. Yep, certainly going to avoid any more injuries in an action movie, thats for sure.
I'd more impressed if he said he retired to create an Irish dance based martial art then he would make an action movie to showcase it in.
Well, the "action" in this movie is limited to him throwing one awkward punch at snail's pace.
I'm giving you a high five on landing the trifecta of narcissistic filmmakers with Steven Segal, that was awesome
"Rather mysteriously all the critics who saw the film died in freak accidents".
That’s what I thought too 😂😂😂
Your screening experience of this makes me so jealous. I wished I had been there too. Sounds like an absolute blast.
Thought this was gonna be a normal review.
Saw the intro and instantly sat up a little bit more. Thiiiis is gonna be a good one.
Thanks for this gift, I'm also happy for you that were able to experience it on the big screen with the right audience.
Keep it up
This sounds a lot like Threat Level Midnight, the movie Michael Scott made in The Office.
Blackbird is a special film. It is rare to find something this bad, but I don't think that it is going to enter the same bracket as The Room et al.
Blackbird seems to be a film made without limitations. No one is telling Flatley that he can't spend his massive wealth on making the movie, and as such he has been able to produce something which is exactly what he wanted. He was not aiming for good and missed, he was aiming for something and did not know what good was.
Which makes Blackbird not a glorious failure, but rather a horrible success, and a success which is very much of the early 2020s. Flatley did not need talent, or experts, or ideas, or even really advice to make Blackbird, he just needed money and because he had money no one could stop him.
That feels different to Ed Wood making two chairs and a curtain into a cockpit or Tommy wanting to be a better actor than he was but just not being. If those ham-fisted creators aspired to be more than they are, Flatley just thinks that he deserves to me anything he wants to be.
If you are rich, Blackbird says, you can do anything and while that might be funny to laugh at, in the end the joke is on us, because we made this culture which inevitably produced this.
Clearly, Michael Flatley wrote this script during the peak of Riverdance's popularity in the 90's (and I just know he spent most of the script-writing process trying to find a name that rhymed with his own.)
I’ve just watched it.
I burst out laughing during the second scene where the guy is being tailed by three bad guys walking like they’re from howl’s moving castle. They are so obviously tailing him and walking in perfect unison.
There are so many bizarre scene placements. There’s a scene where the good guys are all talking and it cross cuts to a dinner scene where the girl walks away from the bad guy as they are having dinner. Then it randomly cuts back to the previous scene. But it heavily implies that that first scene is over. Cross cutting is something the editor does not understand.
All the dialogue is like children fighting over a toy. Character motivations are so poorly established so it comes across so alien. There’s a dangerous bio weapon and it’s all “am I ready to come back. Is my soul up to it” that kind of dialogue.
Bizarre is the word I would use to describe the whole film
The McGuffin being a drug that will cure ALL illnesses sounds like something a child would write.
@@davidjames579 Not all children are prepubescent.
@@playlist9980 er.....thanks for clearing that up
@@davidjames579 Any time
Of course Eric Roberts is in this!
Your comparison with Garth Marenghi's Darkplace was brilliant!
As an Irish person old enough to remember when Riverdance swept the nation in the 90s all I can say to finding out Michael Flatley is the main character in an action movie is W T F !!!
It does seem like a subplot from a Father Ted episode.
Michael Flatley...thats a name I last read on a VHS of a Tap Dance show
What a stud, what a savage, what a specimen of a man! Very few can pull off a flat cap at an angle…..that’s elite.
Finally, a new spy thriller to rival Threat Level Midnight.
I needed this review. I had to go to a memorial service today, and I needed to laugh. Thanks, Mathew. :)
I hope you wore your yellow suit
Big ups on this review. I'll have to get this ASAP.
This is so funny. The live dancing was already too much, everything else just adds more greatness
First, time I've seen you and enjoyed your take.
One thing I just wanted to say is that Eric Roberts is actually an excellent actor and even an Oscar nominee. He had a very promising career but he developed a terrible cocaine addiction at that time and started taking low-budget projects for money and also became notoriously difficult to work with due to the addiction. There was a time when he was considered one of the best up-and-coming actors in Hollywood.
Those days are long behind him but as Tarantino did with John Travolta if he was handed a decent role on TV or Film he could have a late-life renaissance. I think you are wrong to dismiss him due to the quality of some of the projects he has worked on in the past. Even in poor projects he can hold the screen and is usually the best thing in them.
I actually think he's one of the best things in this. And I'm glad he turned his life around, and works prolifically; he's a bit like Danny Trejo in that regard, although that means his presence isn't an indication of the film's quality, and many have used him poorly.
I think this turd becomes at times a pretty decent movie, that is when ER is on screen and talking or doing something. His work in The Righteous Gemstones proves he hasn't lost it.
Yeah, I always enjoy when Roberts turns up in something better, even if it is something like Babylon, which I largely disliked. He's pretty great in The Dark Knight.
I do think Eric might have been genuinely drunk in some scenes and not acting.
Still I'd vote for this turkey and even for Indiana 5 instead of the atrocity of Barbie. Not because it probably is even worse but because the promoters got many butts in those theater seats by cheating. They lied to their public and their public is angry. No one likes cheaters. So let's appreciate people like this who promise us to give us a turd and deliver a turd which after all is funny to watch.
Even the name of his production company, Dance Lord sounds Alan Partridge (Peartree Productions). At this rate could we get a Swallow movie?
Anything with Eric Roberts is pure class
This was amazing. Now I need to watch the movie with my jaunty hat.
Eric Roberts like most of the audience knows this movie is rubbish but this is what he does and he enjoys himself in what ever role he's given. He does about 300 movies a year and will have another movie lined up straight after this .
This is a movie I have to see.
Even if Flatley didn't get a stunt double to Riverdance in some action scenes.
Love your command of English & take on this. Subbed.
Thanks for the sub! Glad you enjoyed it!
So incredibly funny 😂 thank you for this review… really enjoyed it
Oh wow. I hope this comes to the US. Saw the trailer & was convinced it was one of those films that wasn’t so bad it’s good, but so bad it blows past good and goes all the way back to bad again - 5 or 6 times. But then I read the reviews on IMDb. Look up the 10/10 ones, written almost exclusively by the Oirish. It’s like watching Oirish fans at the EURO or World Cup. Absolutely brilliant! Your review cements it for me. I must see this film!
This....this sounds amazing. I have to see it!
I saw this alone in a theater and i had a blast just laughing from the pure shit this was.
a black tanktop movie starring the lord of the dance himself? i need to see this.
I figured like most professional dancers Flatley knees and ankles are shot so the action scenes don't surprise me but I want to see this it sounds a blast. I love a good bad movie like Hard ticket to Hawaii
Thanks!
Thank you!
You had me at Michael Flatley.
Play it for me, Sam
Sam: I DONT KNOW HOW TO PLAY PIANO, OKAY!!!!
Can someone tell me where I can see this? I was an extra in this movie but I guess it never made it to the cinemas? Please no spoilers!
It is on VOD in the UK, where it had a cinema release.
“a bio-weapon that can kill scores of people”?
Not that dangerous, then.
Hahaha! I thought the same. Roughly 60 then?
@@reverendjames9842😂
I remember you mentioning this on twitter when it was announced back in the day. I appreciated you adding the Bristol festival info to the review.
This does have similarities to Neil Breen film's where he often casts himself as a secret agent with younger woman throwing themselves at him though Flatley obviously has more money to spend [allegedly Flatley's feet was insured for $57.60 million at one point!]. Flatley did talk about doing more films [Blackbird 2 and something called 'Dream Dance'] but hopefully the delays in this film coming out will prevent them seeing the light of day.
This has the potential to be the next “The Room”.
I'm thinking Geteven/Road to Revenge by John DeHart. Older guy tries to make himself the star and he takes down criminals and thinks he's God's gift to Women.
@@JoeChillton oh it definitely reminds me of John dehart as well. At least Michael Flatley doesn’t do the shimmy slide
@@imjackm2174 Wings Hauser loaded outta his mind would have made it even better, 9/10 spoof...I mean film
Wow. I had no idea this movie existed, but now I am very much intrigued haha
God bless the Bristol Bad Film Club, wish I could've made it to that showing.
You know this is so bad it's good because Eric Roberts is in it. He only appears in those types of films, like Sharktopus. :P
I wonder where all the irish movies went btw, it has been a while since I have seen any.
You cannot call Blackbird _bad_ without adding the superlatives _Gloriously, Magnificently, and Incomparably._
As a huge MF fan and someone who fancies the pants off him... This review was amazing 😂 genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Hilariously bad film, I love it 😂
any idea how to watch it in the US?
No word on a release date yet.
With your review and a certain Mark Kermode I really feel I want see this horror show but I can't find it anywhere.
This is great stuff.
Lord of the Dance was an embarrassing enough vanity project, and that was at least twenty years ago. What the hell kind of insecurities must be driving this man?
The bit about his politics is worrisome too, but I'd rather not know more.
Absolutely awesome! Thanks for the laughs!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Texas Hold Em game sounds like it was written by someone who works on EastEnders, but without the cliffhanger music stinger being played in the pauses...
"You mug" "You slagggg" "you mug" "you slagggg"
I saw it in the lighthouse in Dublin and it got a round of applause at the end. it could have ended a bit sillier but it's amazing how fascinatingly enjoyable it was. I like Patrick Bergin but boy does he appear in some muck.
Add "Costume Designer" to Flatley's credits.
There's several things it could be, but I couldn't help but focus on a persistent image wobble throughout the video. It may be from the autofocus constantly working, but if you watch the posters on the left, you'll notice them constantly shaking.
Yeah, that's the autofocus. It is tracking my face, and since I am moving around quite a bit, it will shift.
It hasn't escaped my nitpicky-ness, but I've not been brave enough to change it to Autofocus Single.
@@FilmBrain thanks for the info!
Can't wait for Flatley's next movie. I actually watched this at my local cinema in Ireland without realizing what I was walking into. So bad it's good is right! 'Forgive me father for I have sinned, and I'm about to sin again' lmao.
Hello, I'm not Michael Flatley. I loved this film.
Ego trip movies make for great comedies
I'm honestly afraid to watch this video - after the first 2 minutes I'm desperate to just stop everything and watch Blackbird. But there are no torrents! And it's not streaming anywhere - not even for money!! What shall I do?!?
How can I watch it? Must see this masterpiece!
In the UK, it is out on VOD. Still not out officially in the US.
This seems like a very elaborate way to sell a hotel.
Any word on when Blackbird hits the U.S.? I'm working on hitting a goal of watching 100 films this year and I'd like this film to be one of 'em.
Also, someone should try to make "Casino Royale meets Casablanca" but as a good movie, because as a concept that sounds amazing.
Flatley, My Dear, I don't give a damn
Flatley my dear, I don't riverdance
Perhaps 'Blackbird's' original title was 'Hubris'.
I love that you decided the film was bad before you saw it!
Given it's a vanity project by a non-actor, would anyone think it was going to be good?
Flatley has too much ego to do it the Seagal way and replace himself with a stand-in for 80% of the movie's runtime.
Thank you for reviewing! Irish press didn't even give a synopsis of the film that they gave glowing reviews to. I am happy just for your opening summary
Glowing reviews? It's been a running joke in irish media over the past few weeks. The highest score I've seen it given was a 2/5 - hardly 'glowing'.
Blackbird 2 announced.
I MUST see this film!
From Lord of the Dance to Lord of the Hats
Movie is hilarious. I thought it was a parody thing
It's very strange that Michael Flatley was born and raised in the USA.
Still looks better than every fast and furious movie ever made.
A great addition to the catalogue for bad-movie fans!
I'll be interested in seeing you review it when you can get clips.
This is the review. 25 mins is plenty.
@@FilmBrainHonestly I prefer these 'general over view' reviews over going through scene by scene like in the old days and this was great.
Best movie ever
Excellent
Thank you! Cheers!
World's most expensive black tank top movie.
Michael Flatlet is American! Not Irish! The Lord of the Dance! Inconceivable!
I think Mathew seeing this film in Imax with fellow "bad movie" fans has caused him to hype the film way past how enjoyable it actually is. Don't get me wrong - it's an awful movie and a monument to Flatley's ego but there are not enough consistent "good bad" moments to put it in the league of "The Room" et al. It's got several laughs separated by just long boring stretches of bad acting.
Yeah, that is partly why I've had to qualify that it needs a crowd. A lot of these kind of movies do, stuff like The Room and Birdemic are harder sits alone, from experience.
It's just Threat Level Midnight, ain't it?
So... anyone up for Blackbird II?
Flatley threatened doing a sequel when this film was being made...
Why did Michael need to make this movie ? Didn't Lord of the Dance have the same storyline and elements ? He should have created a new dance show with male dancers dressed as James Bond and doing a dance off with the female dancers from Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger. Call it " Dudes and Darlings".🤔
Lets face it if Michael Flatley was an apple, he would eat himself. He is talented as a dancer, boxer and flautist...
I'm not sure Roberts knew he was in a movie. And dance boy doesn't come across as a convincing human
The name is Bird, Black Bird.000.
Just found it only cost £3m to make. The impression i got up until now was that he'd thrown a massive amount of his 300m fortune at the film. Its a bad vanity project. End of.
Michael flatley is still alive? So stewie griffin lied
Haaaaaaats. The movie
I keep wanting to see this movie but then my brain says to me, do you really want to waste two hours of your life on this film?
So you're saying it's the greatest parody movie ever made
LMAO
Flatley my dear, I don't riverdance (give a damn)...
Found the movie! Its pretty bad. Perhaps more than anything its so incredibly boring.
So bad it's not even good it's just bad.
I watched this film a couple months back. I thought it was gonna be a so bad it's good movie but it was just so boring and the young female actress who turned up to his room. looked so uncomfortable. It was cringey and filled with silly clichés and bad dialogue but I don't think it's a good - bad film. I wouldn't recommend anyone watching it for that reason but if it's to laugh at Flatley then yes watch it.
duide watching you talking without any movie cut in between, is soporific to say the least
This was at the time of the theatrical release, there was very little to cut to other than a 90 second trailer I used every inch of here and press stills. I had to make do with what I had at the time when there was initial interest in the film.
And before you ask, I have a copy of the movie *now*, but that was months later.
what with the crazy discriminarion of old men?
More just critical of something that exists as a vehicle to be lusted over by multiple women who could be his daughter. It's creepy.
@@FilmBrain Ok if you see it that way,your maybe right!
In guessing it's gonna be a cult following