Red Tails - is the movie any good?

Yeah, because a bunch of racists and so called "haters" on a message board can convince professional film critics to give a film a poor review...



Tell me how the lizard people and the Illuminati fit into this. Or perhaps you'll use the vocal minority fallacy like so many fanboys do?

 

I am not talking about the critics I am talking about the general fans the nerds who went to see this in the theater or who rented it, or saw it on TV ....

 

The only conspiracy theory I subscribe to is Roswell, Area 51, Aliens, and Bigfoot

 

You see, even there your argument falls flat on its face. The general public doesn't give a **** about Lucas or whoever makes a movie, they just wanna see a good film. They just didn't care for Red Tails. The only ones who care about Lucas is a small drop of water in the larger ocean that is the movie going public. So, are you going to say that everyone in the movie going public is a mean bigot who hates Lucasfilm? Are you going to humiliate yourself more in this discussion?

 

I am ending this conversation right now We are going in Circles, We will have to agree to disagree my friend,
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU ....

 

Would you two get a room already?

 

My Dad can barely remember what he had for breakfast yesterday, and you think a bunch of 95 year old men are going to remember every detail of a high intesity dog fight that happened 75 years ago? The civilian scenes were really the only accurate parts of the movie. The rest of it was very exaggerated in order to seem more exciting to audiences.

 

Actually My Grandfather who died in 2004, God Rest His Soul, and fought in WW-2 740th tank battalion Had Dementia And Alzheimer's disease, which eventually was what killed him, And when he was in his late 70's and 80's he couldn't remember short term like what happened Minute to Minute, Day To Day or week to week but he remembered things from when he was in his 20's or stuff about his kids when they were young. he basically remembered everything from the war and was always telling war stories. but he couldn't tell you who his wife, kids, and grandchildren were, but like I said he remembered everything from the war.. not everybody gets Alzheimer's or Dementia, Christopher Lee, Betty White, and Max Von Sydow just to name a few people that still do or did have all there Mental Faculties intact, so most likely that was the case with the actual pilots.....

 

well then it has to be an Econo Lodge with bed bugs and a vibrating bed!

 

Aside from the action, it almost felt like a TV movie.

 

Apart from the historical inaccuracy, this was one of those movies for me that I enjoyed watching when I saw it (On Demand), but then it was forgettable after that...I didn't want to pay $10+ to see it in theaters, and I'm glad. But I did enjoy what I was watching while I had it on at least. What would we call that.....

"Mildly entertaining, yet ultimately forgettable??"

Yeah that works!

 

when I saw it in the theater the flying scenes were so Realistic that it felt like the closest thing to flying one of those bad boys with out getting in a plane, TOTALLY WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION, and nothing like a TV movie. I don't get the hate this movie gets there were not that many Inaccuracies even the men that flew the missions loved the film and were to tears, what does that tell you about how accurate the film is, even after I said this, "Actually My Grandfather who died in 2004, God Rest His Soul, and fought in WW-2 740th tank battalion Had Dementia And Alzheimer's disease, which eventually was what killed him, And when he was in his late 70's and 80's he couldn't remember short term like what happened Minute to Minute, Day To Day or week to week but he remembered things from when he was in his 20's or stuff about his kids when they were young. he basically remembered everything from the war and was always telling war stories. but he couldn't tell you who his wife, kids, and grandchildren were, but like I said he remembered everything from the war.. not everybody gets Alzheimer's or Dementia, Christopher Lee, Betty White, and Max Von Sydow just to name a few people that still do or did have all there Mental Faculties intact, so most likely that was the case with the actual pilots....."

 

Well...



I guess I've been shown, haven't I??

 

I guess so

 

A couple of other comments about Red Tails:

-I agree the aerial fighting scenes were superb. Even if you didn't like the rest of the film (which I did), you have to admit these were well-done. I almost feel Lucas was coming full circle here. I.e., the dogfights in the ANH Death Star scene were based on footage that Lucas watched of WW II aerial dogfights. And, with RT Lucas finally made a film about WW II aerial battles.

-Glad Lucas was finally able to make this film. It was released in early 2012, and IIRC Lucas officially retired towards the end of 2012 (right around the time he sold Lflm. to Disney). So, it sounds like this was his "last hurrah", at least as far as film-making was concerned.

-I haven't done research on this, but I wonder if Lucas at least made his money back re: the film - I'm guessing probably not. I know he was working on getting it released since the early '90's, so for about 20 years (it finally came out in 2012). Obviously it was a labor of love for him.

 

The film is available for free on YouTube this month only:


And the full-length version (longer than the blu-ray) of the documentary Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War produced by Lucasfilm:

 

Lucas had produced this movie or simply financed it. He was not behind the movie overall.

 

Yes, he was. Not only was the movie and story his idea for many years, he even directed second unit reshoots.

 

Lucas had served as the film's producer and directed some reshots. He did not the main writer or director. I mean . . . "Red Tails" is okay. I've seen it. But it's not one of the best war movies I have seen.

 

It pops up on BBC2 now and then here in the UK - usually late. Not the best I've seen but certainly not the worst.

 

He didn't write the screenplay, but he conceived the movie and its story, was part of the editing process and directed the reshoots. He was behind the movie, he wasn't simply a producer.

 

I watched it again and enjoyed it. Much like SW it's clearly primarily targeted at a preteen or "young adult' audience, which is fine. I don't know any other WWII movies made for that age group, by the way.

 

I've been meaning to rewatch Redtails... I forget most of it.

The clearest thing I remember is how much the aerial combat felt like something out of Star Wars i.e. it felt very pulp. It was... unusual. I don't know whether I liked it or disliked it, but it almost felt inappropriate given how most films about either of the World Wars emphasize the terribleness of the war and the wasteful cost of human life. Redtails almost felt like a movie that would have unironically had action figure and lunchbox tie ins.

 

This was his passion project. The director and screenwriters were his employees.

He contributed to the writing, but did not receive credit. This is reminiscent of More American Graffiti. The film has his fingerprints all over the place.
Even if he did not formally write or direct this film.

As for the film, it is quite average. Personally, I was not very interested in watching it. But the creators can be commended for their noble intentions.

 

I saw it when it came out in theaters and have watched it several times since. I've also seen the other films and documentaries about the Tuskegee Airmen because their story is an overlooked bit of history that I don't think gets enough attention, along with the Montford Point Marines.

I didn't care for the romance at all in this film. Instead of Lightning's individual personal life there could have been some more emphasis placed on the loved ones back home. They touched on Ray having a wife and kid but that was it. Most war movies feature parents and siblings as well as the struggles one faces afterwards. I agree they should have added more information on the fight it took to stand up the 332nd. I am in awe of these men and their courage. For me the characters/story did a good job of generating empathy and respect for their sacrifices but honestly, it didn't take much because I will always respect the sacrifices of all veterans no matter time served, war fought, skin color or gender.