Red Tails

Red Tails

Rating 6 out of 10

This movie had me in the previews with all the planes flying around shooting down the evil Germans.  Being a small plane pilot I love watching this stuff and dream of how much fun it would be to get behind the wheel.  Without the people shooting at me of course.

The flying scenes in this movie are absolutely incredible sights.  It amazes me the bravery those pilots showed in flying not only the fighters but the bomber planes that were mostly sitting ducks when the enemy came a shootin'.  It's crazy the talent it took in those pilots to fly to a certain area and back with no radar, gps or hardly even radios that could talk to each other.  Much less the little thing about bad guys shooting big guns at you from the ground and air.

Although most of the cast is relative unknowns I would say any movie with Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr is above average.

The problem with this movie is the way it candy coats a serious subject from a serious time until it could be shown on the Disney Channel with hardly a cut.  This was a time when if blacks were allowed in the military it was to either be in the front line or clean up after.  No way they could fly planes.  The now famous Tuskegee airmen showed them wrong.  It took a while for them to get a chance at a serious mission, but when they did they made the most of it.  They were assigned the tough job of protecting the bombers and not leaving their post even when being shot at.

The movie is too full of golly gee I got shot guys and don't you even think about dying on me!  Most of the scenes when they are on the ground are so cartoonish you feel for the actors.  Including one that is captured and put in a camp.

This is a watchable movie if nothing else for the flying scenes.  I just wish it had been a bit more realistic and gritty.