ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

merklekranz Picture seeing a colossal silver fish resting on the surface of a Norwegian fjord. That image from "Zeppelin" is unforgettable. The story of a secret German airship raid on a Scotish Castle to destroy British historical documents hidden there, is fast moving with little time for character development. There is also a tremendous stretch of believability. Nevertheless the special effects are so superior, that the script deficiencies are easily forgiven. Michael York is adequate as the British spy, and Elke Sommer plays the wife of the zeppelin's designer. Though not always logical, the film is imaginative and surprisingly entertaining, with images that will not soon be forgotten. Recommended. - MERK

webmaster-2717 At this stage of the First World War, Britain was crucially dependent for shell propellant on HM Factory Gretna (Moorside) with its immense nitration facilities for guncotton and nitroglycerine. There are claims that the Cumbrian Fells and Pennines 'protected' this strategic target from air attack.Whilst Staaken and Gotha aircraft had a limited 800 km range, the Zeppelins would have been superb strategic bombers to attack HM Factory Gretna. The Zeppelin could have hovered out of range of ground fire and dropped small bombs precisely onto nitration facilities, acetone works, glycerine works and acid plant.Similar facilities such as Waltham Forest and Holton Heath - both in easy range, in southern England - were never attacked either. What did the German government think it was up to ? Attacking the explosive works would have left Britain without the means to hold the Western Front and could certainly have prolonged the war. It would have forced the redeployment of fighter squadrons to defend the works and other potential industrial targets.

de_niro_2001 Although this was made for the cinema it is like a cheap early 1970s made-for-tv film. I am a great aviation enthusiast and have learned a lot about all aspects of aviation and the film is full of inaccuracies. The technique of mooring an airship to a tower wasn't developed until the 1920s. The film is set in 1915 but the SE5a fighter plane didn't enter service until 1917. The British didn't also have the machinery for firing a machine gun through a spinning propellor until 1916. Yes, there may be similar inaccuracies in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles but they are entertaining and they have a sense of humour. This film has about as much sense of humour as the German officers who appear in it. It's laughable though how svelte and beautiful Elke Sommer could be even remotely interested in sickly middle-aged Marius Goring let alone married to him. If you watch this film, just imagine it's Basil Exposition's grandfather on his first espionage mission (the presence of one of Austin Powers' ancestors would have enlivened proceedings!)

grendelkhan I've had a great affection for this film since I first saw it on tv, in the 70's. In my youth, I found it to be quite exciting and it spawned a lifelong interest in airships. The performances are good and the effects are good for their time and don't come across as too dated. The story is a bit murky. We never really feel that Michael York is that torn between his loyalties; rather, he seems more like a spy determined to perform his mission. His actions seem more motivated towards convincing the Germans that he believes in what they are doing, rather than being conflicted. The romantic angle is also a bit weak. It comes across more that York is fascinated with Elke Sommer, but not necessarily in love. She does not trust hims, nor does she seem attracted to him. It comes across as too ambiguous.As far as the commando mission, it is an interesting idea, although the idea of a commando assault in the days before automatic weapons comes across as a bit absurd. Watching the German raiders trying to swing their rifles (with bayonets affixed, no less!) in enclosed spaces is a bit much. It is not impossible that a zeppelin could carry a raiding party. In the first place, it is only a squad that is taken aboard, not a battalion. Secondly, the zeppelin is not carrying a bomb load. Thirdly, the squad is taken aboard near Norway, and is not carried over the entire voyage; only after fuel has been used up. The logistics are sound; the motive for the attack may need some analysis.The idea that the British would give up, due to the destruction of the Magna Carta and the crown jewels is a bit absurd. However, the thought that German soldiers could strike on British soil, and destroy national treasures, would be a great blow to British morale. World War I was not a very popular war in many circles in Britain. The stalemate in the trenches and the bombing raids on Britain had many people feeling that the war was a waste. A raid such of this would have at least caused the British to pull back some of their resources to defend their home, thereby weakening the front. It's an interesting possibility.All-in-all, this is an entertaining film with fine performances. The flying sequences are quite well done. The plot is intriguing, if not wholly satisfying. Well worth a look.