Aside from the goofy and contrived ending, the thing that bothered me was how the script writers couldn't keep things straight regarding the mission. Turret gunner Jonathan (Casey Siemaszko) made a big deal about being the Captain's (Kevin Costner) good luck charm on twenty two prior bombing flights, so this would obviously be the twenty third. However several references to the flight later state that it's the twenty fourth; in fact, one of Jonathan's sketches is rendered as the 24th!
Well, aside from that, the story gets pretty harrowing as the bomber runs low on fuel, and the turret gunner is stuck in the belly of the plane with no hope of being extricated. Making matters worse, the plane's landing gear is inoperable and can't be lowered for a safe landing. The crew members agonize over his predicament, with flier Static (Kiefer Sutherland) preparing to shoot Jonathan to spare him the ordeal of being crushed and dragged to his death, perhaps in a fiery crash. Personally, I thought a landing on a large body of water might have worked, but that wasn't a consideration because of where they were.
I guess this is where the 'amazing' of 'Amazing Stories' comes into play, because the resolution comes as a result of Jonathan's hobby and future career prospect as an illustrator. He draws a set of landing gear which is mimicked by the plane as it makes it's approach to the runway. The plane safely lands to the astonishment of all, and once Jonathan is safely removed from the plexi bubble he was trapped in, the plane crashes to the ground. I can see why the outcome of this story was such a let down to a host of reviewers here, as it took an extraordinarily tense situation, and solved it with make believe. The dichotomy was just a little too much to accept.
Well, aside from that, the story gets pretty harrowing as the bomber runs low on fuel, and the turret gunner is stuck in the belly of the plane with no hope of being extricated. Making matters worse, the plane's landing gear is inoperable and can't be lowered for a safe landing. The crew members agonize over his predicament, with flier Static (Kiefer Sutherland) preparing to shoot Jonathan to spare him the ordeal of being crushed and dragged to his death, perhaps in a fiery crash. Personally, I thought a landing on a large body of water might have worked, but that wasn't a consideration because of where they were.
I guess this is where the 'amazing' of 'Amazing Stories' comes into play, because the resolution comes as a result of Jonathan's hobby and future career prospect as an illustrator. He draws a set of landing gear which is mimicked by the plane as it makes it's approach to the runway. The plane safely lands to the astonishment of all, and once Jonathan is safely removed from the plexi bubble he was trapped in, the plane crashes to the ground. I can see why the outcome of this story was such a let down to a host of reviewers here, as it took an extraordinarily tense situation, and solved it with make believe. The dichotomy was just a little too much to accept.