Normally, I dread remakes --- and CGI. As I watched the opening scenes under the credits, and saw the overdone CGI, I cringed. I thought, this is like Star Wars does WWII. Then I saw George Lucas on the credits, and I realized it was.* And if anyone knows how to do sequels, it's Lucas.
Once it got going either the CGI became smoother, or I got used to it. What can you do -- you can't go blowing up a ton of vintage aircraft! The Tuskegee Airmen was noticeably hampered by a relatively small cast and number of aircraft in the air, which Red Tails' CGI rectified.
I thought Red Tails was an excellent retelling of the story that did honor to the original film, and to the actual airmen. The film established and developed the many distinct characters clearly, and made you actually feel for them. There was also a good sense of ambiance, in part because of Ridley Scott's script (I really liked the ambiance in his Three Kings).The acting was excellent, all round, without a single wrong note.
Compare this to the numerous faults of a parallel story: Memphis Belle - 1990. What bothered me especially was the anachronism, that it just didn't get the feel of the period right -- a real challenge with historical films. Yet Red Tails succeeds effortlessly, without gimmicks; the characters seem to fit the period.
The Red Tails storyline took a different path from the original film and brought in new elements, like the German prison camp and the German jet fighters, but also repeated some nice elements from the original. With so many Tuskegee airmen, there was probably material for several more hours. Lucas originally conceived of this as a trilogy, and began work before The Tuskegee Airmen was released.
There was some exciting flying action. I see complaints about exaggeration of the actual planes' performance capabilities, and here we get back to the CGI. But, it's Hollywood, and not a documentary, so you've got to suspend some disbelief, which isn't too difficult, since the Tuskegee airmen were among the best, so we know they must have done some pretty fancy flying. Quit whining, and get over it.
However, this isn't The Natural as fighter ace; bullets did rip through planes and hit pilots; planes crashed and buddies died. The CGI helped bring this home. I don't like gratuitous blood and gore, but here it brought a dose of reality to the story. Also, the musical score did a good job of complementing the action and heightening the emotions.
The only element I thought was a bit off was Lightning getting into the one-man brawl in the "white" officers's club, shortly after a date; a guy in love isn't usually so angry. But there was an historical element to it: trainees did get arrested for entering a white officers' club in Indiana. And the Little incident tied in nicely with the scene near the end of the movie.
I see some complaints about the portrayal of the Germans. What portrayal? A fighter pilot's face through the plane's canopy? The German prison camp wasn't unfair. However, the actual black pilot who was shot down was treated with considerable respect by the Germans, which wasn't shown in the film (he also didn't escape). But remember this is a George Lucas old fashioned Hollywood movie, with good guys (the Americans) and bad guys (the Germans). Don't like it? Don't start wars!
(I haven't read all the reviews, and have to assume there are also some complaints from the Brits about the film not giving the British credit for actually making the greater sacrifice in winning the war, which they do with every American WWII movie. And so, on behalf of my countrymen, I would like to apologize for America winning the war. It won't happen again.)
I was surprised by the American bombing mission over Berlin so late in the war, but I confused it with the British bombing of Berlin way back around 1940 or 41, I think. NPR has a piece about a Tuskeegee Airmen reunion on the 2011 anniversary of the bombing run with interviews, and several other related stories and photos.
Red Tails is a very good film, and it's a very good story. The Tuskegee airmen did the right thing in the face of incredible pressure and adversity. By the end of the war, they had earned the respect of their peers. And they were recognized by history for their truly noble deeds, a little late, but at least for many, within their lifetimes. NPR calls them "rock stars of American history."
As such, they provide a lesson for all of us, black or white or whatever, and especially young people: Do what's right, without expecting to be rewarded or even recognized. And, eventually, right will win out. In the current state of the world, with so much divisiveness and negativity, it is a timely lesson.
--
* Actually, according to Wikipedia, it's the other way around: Star Wars action was based on actually footage of WWII dogfights.
Perhaps it wasn't just the CGI that bothered me. The whole film was shot on digital cameras, and, ironically, the imperfections of film look more real to me. To me, the perfection of digital looks too good to be true.
Once it got going either the CGI became smoother, or I got used to it. What can you do -- you can't go blowing up a ton of vintage aircraft! The Tuskegee Airmen was noticeably hampered by a relatively small cast and number of aircraft in the air, which Red Tails' CGI rectified.
I thought Red Tails was an excellent retelling of the story that did honor to the original film, and to the actual airmen. The film established and developed the many distinct characters clearly, and made you actually feel for them. There was also a good sense of ambiance, in part because of Ridley Scott's script (I really liked the ambiance in his Three Kings).The acting was excellent, all round, without a single wrong note.
Compare this to the numerous faults of a parallel story: Memphis Belle - 1990. What bothered me especially was the anachronism, that it just didn't get the feel of the period right -- a real challenge with historical films. Yet Red Tails succeeds effortlessly, without gimmicks; the characters seem to fit the period.
The Red Tails storyline took a different path from the original film and brought in new elements, like the German prison camp and the German jet fighters, but also repeated some nice elements from the original. With so many Tuskegee airmen, there was probably material for several more hours. Lucas originally conceived of this as a trilogy, and began work before The Tuskegee Airmen was released.
There was some exciting flying action. I see complaints about exaggeration of the actual planes' performance capabilities, and here we get back to the CGI. But, it's Hollywood, and not a documentary, so you've got to suspend some disbelief, which isn't too difficult, since the Tuskegee airmen were among the best, so we know they must have done some pretty fancy flying. Quit whining, and get over it.
However, this isn't The Natural as fighter ace; bullets did rip through planes and hit pilots; planes crashed and buddies died. The CGI helped bring this home. I don't like gratuitous blood and gore, but here it brought a dose of reality to the story. Also, the musical score did a good job of complementing the action and heightening the emotions.
The only element I thought was a bit off was Lightning getting into the one-man brawl in the "white" officers's club, shortly after a date; a guy in love isn't usually so angry. But there was an historical element to it: trainees did get arrested for entering a white officers' club in Indiana. And the Little incident tied in nicely with the scene near the end of the movie.
I see some complaints about the portrayal of the Germans. What portrayal? A fighter pilot's face through the plane's canopy? The German prison camp wasn't unfair. However, the actual black pilot who was shot down was treated with considerable respect by the Germans, which wasn't shown in the film (he also didn't escape). But remember this is a George Lucas old fashioned Hollywood movie, with good guys (the Americans) and bad guys (the Germans). Don't like it? Don't start wars!
(I haven't read all the reviews, and have to assume there are also some complaints from the Brits about the film not giving the British credit for actually making the greater sacrifice in winning the war, which they do with every American WWII movie. And so, on behalf of my countrymen, I would like to apologize for America winning the war. It won't happen again.)
I was surprised by the American bombing mission over Berlin so late in the war, but I confused it with the British bombing of Berlin way back around 1940 or 41, I think. NPR has a piece about a Tuskeegee Airmen reunion on the 2011 anniversary of the bombing run with interviews, and several other related stories and photos.
Red Tails is a very good film, and it's a very good story. The Tuskegee airmen did the right thing in the face of incredible pressure and adversity. By the end of the war, they had earned the respect of their peers. And they were recognized by history for their truly noble deeds, a little late, but at least for many, within their lifetimes. NPR calls them "rock stars of American history."
As such, they provide a lesson for all of us, black or white or whatever, and especially young people: Do what's right, without expecting to be rewarded or even recognized. And, eventually, right will win out. In the current state of the world, with so much divisiveness and negativity, it is a timely lesson.
--
* Actually, according to Wikipedia, it's the other way around: Star Wars action was based on actually footage of WWII dogfights.
- At the very end of the very copious credits I noticed something surprising: "Additional photography shot on the Canon 5D and 7D" -- consumer DSLRs. I wonder what scenes? Perhaps aboard planes?
Perhaps it wasn't just the CGI that bothered me. The whole film was shot on digital cameras, and, ironically, the imperfections of film look more real to me. To me, the perfection of digital looks too good to be true.