A pretty large disappointment

Rating: 3/10 (7 November 2008)

I watched this film for the first time in over 32 years - I'm 43 now. I expected to see Hitchcock at his best. Yes there was horror, and great special effects, that for many years must have looked mega-impressive. They look very good today. But the story is pants. The romance is so flat and charmless; the viewer wouldn't be too bothered if the birds killed most of the main cast members - so unengaging they were. Tippi is a reasonable actress maybe, but her character is not a likable or charming girl in the slightest. She's boring and uninteresting, and the viewer wouldn't miss her if the worst thing possible happened to her. Rod Taylor is a little better, but just. Few redeeming features unless you like an ego who knows best actually. Cue a mother who looks and judges anybody with an aloofness and cold heart, wins no friends or sympathy in this role.
The best character in the movie was the teacher, who is left on the stairs, after wasting her life for a man who just doesn't have any love for her...What a waste of a bright and attractive young thing.
The worst part to whinge about is the plot. The lack of explanation for us to think about was poor fayre by Hitchcock. He's now lower in my estimation. No theories explored at all by the writers for the birds behaviour. The story that anyone who witnesses and is injured first hand by a massive attack of seagulls and crows, wouldn't high-tail it out of that little place the same hour just defies any belief.
Hitchcock just doesn't succeed in getting us to link emotionally with most of the adults. This must have been mentioned to him, surely? Yet he oked it.
So for me, the awful plot and lack of thought provoking possible answers to the dull plot, poor treatment of an even gentle romance, and crummy characters make this movie a big let-down.
And finally some questionable side issues - such as a woman driving 60 miles and easily finding a guy in an unknown place becomes far less of a whinge in the company of other far worse cinamatographic failings.