I have to say I’m very glad I read this article before going to see George Lucas’ Red Tails. The article set my expectations properly and I think improper expectations is the main reason for the very polarized reviews of this film.
The article says it much better than I could, so I suggest you read it, but the main point is what Lucas set out to do with this film. Today, we are all accustomed to gritty, invigorating war movies epitomized by Saving Private Ryan. Lucas’ vision was something completely different and much older than that. He wanted to make a propaganda film glorifying the people and their service to the country. It was meant to harken to the movies made during the war to boost morale. In being so, it has corny, direct dialog of the sort lampooned in most modern films. It takes as glancing a blow as it can at the real and deep issues these pilots faced. It was a lighthearted movie about a difficult subject and I think that rubbed people the wrong way.
I suspect people wanted a Saving Private Ryan take on the 332nd fighter group and they didn’t get it. I think that’s why people were so upset and honestly, I’m not sure how I would have felt about the movie had I gone in with different expectations. I was very forgiving of the corny, somewhat stilted dialog because I knew what the intent was. I didn’t miss the gore typical of a modern war movie. I expected these things because I knew the intent.
All that aside, what about the rest of the movie? I thought the effects were quite impressive. I enjoyed seeing aerial combat so plainly. The camera seemed more steady and the views so clear. I thought the characters were strong enough to support the story. I had a good time watching the film. In the end, isn’t that the point?
I was really hoping this movie would do well. I was dismayed when looking at show times and finding the movie at only one screen in any of the theaters I checked. My screening was pretty packed. My buddy and I were lucky to find two seats together that didn’t require staring up and cramping our necks. It may be that this movie is wrong for this time. I will say, I would like to see a gritty, modern take on the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, but I’m also glad Red Tails is there as an accessible and entertaining introduction for those who know nothing of their history.