"Hanger 18" is from Sunn Classic Pictures....a now-defunct studio that brought us some quirky, paranoid films such as "The Outer Space Connection" (a documentary that claimed ancient civilizations were in constant contact with aliens who, apparently, made their cool structures) and "In Search for Noah's Ark". I expected very, very little from a Sunn film...that's for sure. However, the longer I watched the film, the more I realized it wasn't bad at all. Paranoid...yes...bad....no.The film begins with footage of the space shuttle that looks dated today...but was amazing stuff for 1980. Consider this...years before the creation of Pixar, the film shows a lot of high tech CGI effects of the shuttle. I didn't have any idea how Sunn could afford this. It was only in the end credits where the studio thanked both NASA and Rockwell International....and it's likely they got the footage from them, as studios of the day simply didn't have the money or HUGE computers needed for such graphics. Regardless, it was pretty good footage.While on a routine mission to deploy a satellite, the satellite accidentally collides with a UFO...and the UFO crashes to the Earth. This portion and the scientific study of the ship...all this was very well done and interesting. But there's another plot...one which seemed too influenced by Watergate...where some presidential aids take control of how to tell...or NOT tell the public. This portion, while interesting in its own way, kept the film from being better...that is until the nice twist ending. Overall, a solid sci-fi film masquerading as yet another lousy Sunn film. Well worth seeing and highly original.

Insufficient budget to create somewhat believable FX then you should not be making a movie. The character Lou, did not even bother taking note of the actor, because the only roles the guy was ever cast in were minor parts. Am I the only 1 who found it completely unbelievable that anyone in such poor physical shape as Lou being approved as an astronaut? Welcome sight to see Darren McGavin, made famous in his role of Karl Kolchak is always a pleasure to watch perform, from the NIght Stalker to the father in Christmas Story the man had talent. NetFlix is a waste of money, everything they have came out (rent or buy) 18- 24 mos. ago, other night I had a NetFlix CSR trying to convince me that many of the movies they have to stream do so before they are released for renting or buying. As to NetFlix CSR's claim, true to an extent, yes many are streamed before being released for renting or buying, but only movies that are knockoffs/ poor imitations of hyped movies, or cheaply made movies, the kind of garbage that is produced for the SyFy Channel.

Low-grade, but slightly riveting slow-going conspiracy-laced government cover-up thriller that sees an UFO colliding with an American satellite being launched in space and then crash-landing in the Arizona desert. To hide the truth because of an election campaign, the astronauts are blamed for the incident which saw one of their colleagues killed. So the two men go about trying to find out the truth which the government officials would do anything to keep it a secret, while studying what they have just found.The clunky story goes about three separate parts; that of the astronauts trying to clear their names (this is when the action kicks into gear --- "Come on we got to get that rock."), the political big-heads villainously scheming (doing things behind closed doors) and then you got the NASA scientists trying to learn from their alien discovery. While ambitious in context, it just seems too simple and cautious in its presentation (a telemovie of the week feel) but it does stick to its strengths. The whole novelty of the discovery of the flying saucer and its occupants is interesting (theories are chucked around), if at times a little disappointing. A good cast is assembled. Gary Collins and James Hampton are sturdy as the two astronauts. Darrin McGavin chips in with a bright performance as the NASA official in charge of the project in investigating their new spacecraft toy and Robert Vaughn in a weasel performance heads the dirty tactics.

Well if your reading this your either bored, deciding on whether or not to watch it or just trying to get some perspective. So lemme' clear the air.First off, this is a sci-fi movie in the way the smith/goldbloom blockbuster "independance day" is. In other words its not a sci-fi movie but more of a fantasy action drama. You could even consider it a kind of cop chase movie crammed with ample techno-psycho babble. But I don't think those genres are quite fitting. I personally deem it a sorta pulpy/campy flick and possibly a soon to be cult classic. That said, don't compare it to "independence day". Think more along the lines of kubrik's "dr. strange love or how i..." Who will like this movie? Well studied and open minded ufo nerds, people who laugh at things that ain't meant to be funny, film students and of course stoners. Who will hate it? People who read the book first, people who like any vin deisel movie or magnolia, film critics and of course stoners. Whats the straight dope? Its very well shot, but its pock marked with terrible and often confusing dialog. It has constant trouble pacing the scenes but the action bits seem way too cool. As a pluss the actors give a serious tour deforce and make sure to keep an eye out for Charlton Heston. By far, the most grooved out aspect is wondering how much of todays media was inspired by this movie.The best- an astronaut spontaneously stealing a car. The worst- the first 10 minutes. The line to know- "Airplanes crash every day."