This was tough to rate. 3½ stars or 70% is pretty generous, considering what we're dealing with here. Mindless dialogue from atrocious actors in cockpits that look like closets. But when you figure in all the contributing factors it has going for it: its cult classic status as being *The Worst* film, from *The Worst* director; the assorted froot loops in the cast -- Vampira, & Tor, & Criswell, & Bela and his post mortem chiropractor stand-in, etc.; the hilarity of Ed Wood's brazenly cheezy effects and bloopers... I mean... what was he thinking? That toppling cardboard tombstones were acceptable? "Cut! Aaaand... Print!" That being said, I guess when it comes down to it, I don't agree with this being considered *The Worst*. I could see myself returning to this one for some laughs, whereas there's a superabundance of others that I wouldn't even fathom a second viewing of.

This really is a bad, bad film, but there just is something fascinating and pathetic about it that keeps compelling people to watch it and to be fascinated by director Ed Wood: That someone could want to do so badly what they do do so badly. So 5 stars is it, but be warned it IS a very bad film, it's not even so bad it's good.

Honestly, the story isn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed with a good re-write or two – especially good would be the removal of the material in the cockpit where the co-pilot and head stewardess seem to be setting up a date or something, which add nothing to the story except some time to look at the ultra-un-detailed set – plus some heavier use of acting instead of talking. Even allowing for this actually being shot in 1956 (and not released for three years) when The Blob, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and War of the Worlds were not yet seen as “here’s how to do it, boys”, this has far too much talking and not enough doing things. “They tried really hard” and “they meant well” is probably the best one can say about them. Awful? Run-away from level of ugly? Interesting from a standpoint of road accident? No. Not at all. Well-made film? No. Not at all. The uniforms were very realistic, however.