Lady_Arwyn
Joined Jan 2003
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Reviews12
Lady_Arwyn's rating
This movie approaches perfection in disaster films. The acting was superb, the special effects amazing and the story unbelievable - but true. My heart was in my throat - and I already knew the whole story from earlier research of the true-life incident - who lives and who dies. They actually skipped some elements of the day's work for the Coast Guard, probably because no one would believe it.
The only weakness I saw with the movie was that it was a bit slow in the start, too much romance in the beginning and not enough exploration of our four Coast Guard heroes. We only really meet and get to know Webber (Chris Pine), and it spends too much time exploring his romance. The movie makers attempted to shove some strong female characters into the story - beyond a brief introduction to establish Webber's motivations and history, they really didn't belong in the story.
But in the end it was worth it because the scenes of the crippled, broken SS Pendleton are edge-of-your seat stuff, and once Webber and his crew get in their little 36-foot motor lifeboat and head out into 60-foot seas, you're in for the ride of your life.
The only weakness I saw with the movie was that it was a bit slow in the start, too much romance in the beginning and not enough exploration of our four Coast Guard heroes. We only really meet and get to know Webber (Chris Pine), and it spends too much time exploring his romance. The movie makers attempted to shove some strong female characters into the story - beyond a brief introduction to establish Webber's motivations and history, they really didn't belong in the story.
But in the end it was worth it because the scenes of the crippled, broken SS Pendleton are edge-of-your seat stuff, and once Webber and his crew get in their little 36-foot motor lifeboat and head out into 60-foot seas, you're in for the ride of your life.
I had no idea what to expect of a Lucas movie based in reality. Lucas is known for science fantasy, a bit of camp, and a lot of showy special effects, but little content.
Red Tails isn't like anything Lucas has done before. He steps into a very different realm - reality. He does it very well, but there is something missing.
Lucas' tale of the Tuskegee Airmen, which in most films ends when they graduate from flight school, takes the tale of the African-American pioneers to the war, to the actions that made them one of the most decorated American units in WWII. It tells a tale not often heard in the history classroom, and I predict that it will become required viewing in many history classes, like Schindler's List, Codetalker, and Saving Private Ryan.
The only thing that holds this film back from reaching the epic proportions of those other films is the inexperience of the director, Anthony Hemingway, leaving the film just a little hollow. There was something missing that I could not quite put my finger on, but it was not such a large hole that it gets in the way of the experience.
The locations are beautiful and authentic, acting was solid, though not spectacular, and the special effects were excellent. I couldn't tell when they were using real aircraft, and when it was CG. At times the writing was decidedly Lucas in style, but it fit well with the storyline, and with the characters, who were completely believable. I was especially impressed with actors Nate Parker, who played the tortured, alcoholic flight leader, and David Oyelowo, his impulsive, angry wingman.
The script and direction felt right for the period. I was convinced we were in WWII, from the demeanor of the characters to the language they used. There was some strong language, but not the filth we often hear in modern war films. No F-bombs, no strings of cuss words, just an occasional "damn" and similar, something you might have expected to hear from angry, frustrated soldiers during the 1940s.
I admit I'm easily lost during major dogfight scenes, I can't follow the action, and simply wait for the payoff. The complicated dogfight scenes were deceptively simplified. I was able to follow the entire fight in this film, which is a major accomplishment for the filmmakers.
This is a movie I would recommend.
Red Tails isn't like anything Lucas has done before. He steps into a very different realm - reality. He does it very well, but there is something missing.
Lucas' tale of the Tuskegee Airmen, which in most films ends when they graduate from flight school, takes the tale of the African-American pioneers to the war, to the actions that made them one of the most decorated American units in WWII. It tells a tale not often heard in the history classroom, and I predict that it will become required viewing in many history classes, like Schindler's List, Codetalker, and Saving Private Ryan.
The only thing that holds this film back from reaching the epic proportions of those other films is the inexperience of the director, Anthony Hemingway, leaving the film just a little hollow. There was something missing that I could not quite put my finger on, but it was not such a large hole that it gets in the way of the experience.
The locations are beautiful and authentic, acting was solid, though not spectacular, and the special effects were excellent. I couldn't tell when they were using real aircraft, and when it was CG. At times the writing was decidedly Lucas in style, but it fit well with the storyline, and with the characters, who were completely believable. I was especially impressed with actors Nate Parker, who played the tortured, alcoholic flight leader, and David Oyelowo, his impulsive, angry wingman.
The script and direction felt right for the period. I was convinced we were in WWII, from the demeanor of the characters to the language they used. There was some strong language, but not the filth we often hear in modern war films. No F-bombs, no strings of cuss words, just an occasional "damn" and similar, something you might have expected to hear from angry, frustrated soldiers during the 1940s.
I admit I'm easily lost during major dogfight scenes, I can't follow the action, and simply wait for the payoff. The complicated dogfight scenes were deceptively simplified. I was able to follow the entire fight in this film, which is a major accomplishment for the filmmakers.
This is a movie I would recommend.
As a young teen in 1984 I was a major fan of Transformers. So, when I learned it was coming out as a movie I was psyched, but worried that movie makers would screw it up and leave it unrecognizable.
I was there opening night, with my kids, ready for anything. What I saw on the screen was quintessential Transformers and I was Pleased. Even though it was updated to reflect the 12st Century, this was the Transformers I knew.
I would have liked to see more character development for the Transformers, and less for the humans. Much of the Transformers characterizations relied on knowledge of and referred to the original cartoon, such as Megatron's seemingly non-sequitor comment to Starscream regarding Starscream's repeated failures.
The good side to this is that for fans of the original Transformers, there were many references to the cartoon. The nature of the Transformers arrival was changed, as was their reason for being on Earth.
Transformers is NOT a movie for kids. I saw at least one mom taking her child (age 5?) out of the theater after repeated "colorful" language and violence, including many graphic scenes of human death, and overt sexual innuendo. Even the cartoon of the 80s was rather dark, one of the few cartoons where characters, human and Transformer, actually died in battle.
I was there opening night, with my kids, ready for anything. What I saw on the screen was quintessential Transformers and I was Pleased. Even though it was updated to reflect the 12st Century, this was the Transformers I knew.
I would have liked to see more character development for the Transformers, and less for the humans. Much of the Transformers characterizations relied on knowledge of and referred to the original cartoon, such as Megatron's seemingly non-sequitor comment to Starscream regarding Starscream's repeated failures.
The good side to this is that for fans of the original Transformers, there were many references to the cartoon. The nature of the Transformers arrival was changed, as was their reason for being on Earth.
Transformers is NOT a movie for kids. I saw at least one mom taking her child (age 5?) out of the theater after repeated "colorful" language and violence, including many graphic scenes of human death, and overt sexual innuendo. Even the cartoon of the 80s was rather dark, one of the few cartoons where characters, human and Transformer, actually died in battle.