BIRDS OF PREY is another low budget, high energy television movie of the early 1970s starring rugged, ageing action man David Janssen as another unlikely hero brought into play to fight crime. This time around, he's a media reporter working from a helicopter when he spots a robbery, followed by an escape with female hostage in tow. Janssen gives chase, and appears to be the only man capable of bringing the perpetrators to justice. So far so good, and the first half of the film is quite watchable in a low rent kind of way; the many helicopter scenes have realism to them that you wouldn't get these days. Sadly, the pacing suddenly drops stone-dead halfway through when Janssen and the hostage hook up, leading to the most awkward May to December romance ever. It does pick up a little at the end, but it's had it by this point.
Review of Birds of Prey
