Red Tails

I knew it was only going to be a matter of time.  Recently I have watched a string of movies at the theater which I deemed very entertaining.  I knew though, there would be more films I was going to be disappointed in and unfortunately Red Tails wasn’t as good as I hoped. 

Red Tails is the story of the famed Tuskegee airmen and their contribution to the war effort in Europe during World War II.  This is a great story to be told and an important one at that.  I’ve read that producer George Lucas wanted this movie made and pretty much paid for the whole thing.  He should have made sure the product matched the material.

Not everything was terrible.  The CGI aerial battle scenes were exciting and well done.  These action scenes were big and spectacular and saved this film from being a total train (or plain) wreck.  Also, an effort was made to be true to historical accuracy and several minor details were as they should have been.  Now, it was not totally accurate but most of the things that didn’t stack to reality were relatively minor and only a history nut like me would even notice.  A couple of actors, namely Nate Parker and David Oyelowo, did much with a weak script. 

Now for the bad stuff.  Most of the dialogue was stiff and unnatural, full of lackluster speeches and empty platitudes.  The story lines of the pilots were shallow and not fleshed out at all.  Parker and Oyelowo did a good job but it was never established why each of their flawed characters had their demons.  There was a romantic plot line that featured the usually fantastic Daniella Ruah that was just awkward and uncomfortable.  The actors had zero chemistry or spark and had to work around an awful script.  This plot served no purpose in moving along the story as a whole and dragged down the film’s pace drastically.  Even on the issue of race and prejudice, this script came up way short of being intriguing, using stale, stagnant scenes that was as poor as it was unimaginative. 

I’m sorry that such talents as Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Gerald McRaney, and Michael B. Jordon were wasted on such a poor film.  It had a chance to be something special but it stalled when it got away from the CGI driven action scenes.  It was like the film makers were torn between the idea of an action film and the idea of an important period piece dealing with an important and inspiring group of men.  The movie made a big mistake fictionalizing all characters, probably so they could just spew out any contrived plotline they wanted. 

If it is cool action with some really beautiful aerial views, this is the movie for you.  It certainly has its entertaining moments and they are not few.  My twelve year old son, who is a big history fan, absolutely loved the movie.  He didn’t care about the writing or the love story, or the other side plots.  He loved the planes, the dog fights, and the history.  If those are what you like in a movie, you will enjoy this film.  If you are looking for a well written drama with well developed characters and real, raw, believable story lines, you will be sorely disappointed. 

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Warhorse

Sometimes it is really nice to watch a movie just to watch a movie.  A film like Warhorse can’t really be pigeon-holed into a specific genre.  It is a war movie but it’s not just a war movie.  It’s a movie about a horse but it’s not just a horse movie.  It is an old fashioned film that concentrates mainly on the art of story telling itself.  In that, it succeeds beautifully.

Warhorse is simply a story about the life of a horse and the stories of the many lives that intertwine with this remarkable animal.  Against the back drop of World War I, the horse passes from owner to owner, impressing all with its spirit and strength.  The horse effects each life differently but always in a positive manner. 

World War I is an ignored and nearly forgotten war in this country.  Maybe it is because the United States entered the conflict so late but history slides right over this massive, brutal war.  It may have been the most brutal, useless war in the history of this world, especially for the French, British, and Germans.  It was a war fought in trenches for small patches of land covered in pits and barbed wire. Casualties were incredible for the pitiful gains garnered.  A generation of young men was wiped out in Europe for very little purpose.

Director Steven Spielberg pays a lot of attention to the details of war.  Spielberg is as much a historian as he is a film maker, in my opinion.  He educates several generations on the brutality of World War I in this film and in a manner which should draw interest from many types of audiences.  His brilliance at storytelling is on full display in Warhorse.  The story is patient and layered.  The movie flows slowly early on but picks up the pace as the war starts and more characters are added to the pattern of the film’s namesake.  Once the war starts, the story never stalls or falters as it marches through the war.

This film is appropriate for most audiences but there are a few scenes which may cause issues for younger or more sensitive children.  Several adults in the theater also struggled through two or three very emotional scenes as well.  Spielberg shows some of the horrors of this war but refrains from anything too graphic.  Many things are left to the imagination of the audience in a sensitive manner. 

The movie is long and emotional but it is an important film that should ignite some discussions and research about the first word war.  My twelve year old is already asking questions.  The acting is fine and the horse is noble but it is the storytelling that is the key to Warhorse.  Go as a family, get some popcorn, and just enjoy film making as it is supposed to be. 

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