Kaw. 2007. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Reviewed by Brian Kirst

The best thing about this fine feathered direct to DVD nasty is probably the in depth interview with actor Rod Taylor that is part of the special features. The friendly Taylor reminisces about working on such features as The Time Machine, The Birds and about his famous directors (Hitchcock) and co-stars (Tippi Hedren).

Kaw, itself, is one of those movies that works quite nicely as background noise. It’s a production you can put on as you clean the apartment and pay the bills and you’ll still be able to look up enough to catch all of the good stuff.

That good stuff includes a fairly gruesome death or two (the murderous ravens teach us a thing or two about “brain food” at one point) and an interesting subplot involving a mysterious Mennonite community. While most of the characters who become victims are fairly obvious candidates, there are actually a few surprises along the way - and the possibility of a (more interesting) sequel involving some slightly crazed civilians is also hinted at.

As for the plot, it revolves around the last day of duty for increasingly beleaguered small town Chief of Police Wayne Merkle (Sean Patrick Flanery). Merkle finds himself trying to protect his constituents against the homicidal attacks of gigantic ravens suffering from Mad Cow Disease.

The ravens, of course, are computer generated (something that Taylor, who endured bites and scratches from flocks of real birds in his previous winged horror outing, claims to be grateful for), but the more experienced cast members handle this situation with aplomb. Flanery reacts with a gruff concern while veteran actor Stephen McHattie practically steals the show as a down-on-his-luck war hero reduced to sheparding obnoxious school children to weekend events as a put upon bus driver.

Even if Kaw doesn’t completely take flight, Flanery, McHattie and director Sheldon Wilson ultimately provide enough here to enjoy this as a candle stick polishing time waster. Hell, with the occasional moments of tension Wilson is able to provide, those that have a stark fear of our high flying friends might even have cause to let out a sharp shriek of horror or two.