Iron Maiden: Flight 666

Rating:

* * * *

Verdict:

Up the Irons indeed. A film for both metal fans and music lovers alike

Flight 666

is an access-all-areas look at Iron Maiden during an ambitious world tour performing 23 concerts in 21 cities in 45 days. And just to make it even more rock 'n' roll, between the band's singer Bruce Dickinson flies the plane and drummer Nicko McBrain provides a few near-

Spinal Tap

moments.

Throughout their 30-year career, Maiden have been staunch about their privacy but Canadian documentary makers Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen - the pair behind 2005's excellent

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

- were welcomed aboard Maiden's customised 757 for the first leg of the

Somewhere Back In Time

tour. Unfortunately the band's visit here in February is not documented because New Zealand was part of the tour's second leg.

Now, while the doco makers are metal fans and Iron Maiden is Dunn's favourite band, they manage to keep their obsession in check. Apart from the film being a little too long, it's never self-indulgent.

Flight 666

is about getting to know the band (no wonder these guys are still going because on their rare days off they prefer playing tennis with Pat Cash or hitting the golf course rather than the bottle), and taking their music to the people - from the masses in Mumbai to the rabid Maiden territories of Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

Like all good rockumentaries,

Flight 666

is one for both the band's fans and music lovers in general but it's also a celebration of a great band, some top blokes and their timeless music.

Scott Kara

Flight 666 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD formats on May 25.

Cast:

Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers, Steve Harris, Nicko McBrain, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith

Directors:

Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn

Running time:

112 mins

Rating:

M