Review of Red Dawn (1984) by Grayson W — 22 Feb 2015

With a teenagers vs. terrorists concept at the heart of the story, Red Dawn sounded like a worthwhile thriller.

Under the directorial vision of John Millius, Red Dawn has nothing to hide. It is a shallow film most of the time, and most of its attempts to be deep or dramatic just tend to get in the way of things. There is certainly a sense of connection to some of the characters based on the fact that the protagonists are innocent teenagers dragged into a harsh situation, and two of them are also brothers who share a sympathetic bond. Aside from that, Red Dawn is not a film which really tugs at the heartstrings of viewers too much. But that is not important, because the key elements of Red Dawn fall into the film's incredibly tense atmosphere, unpredictable premise and sense of patriotism.

The plot in Red Dawn is a rather ludicrous one, but at the same time it is an inspiring one. Capitalising on the cold war terror of the 1980's, Red Dawn projects an alternate timeline where Cubans and Russians invade America and the only hope lies in the nature of the few teenagers who were able to avoid the oppression. When I first watched Red Dawn I was a troubled teenager myself, and it inspired me to pick my life up and fight for what I believed in. Still to this day I wonder if my country will be invaded, waiting for the day that I will claim a weapon and become a Wolverine like the heroes in the film. The same way Top Gun inspired its viewers to join the Air Force, Red Dawn is likely to inspire viewers to join the military because of how it reveals just how heroic it is to fight an enemy to the death in such a complicated situation. Red Dawn does not take precisely a pro-war stance, but it takes a pro-military stance by depicting just what kind of heroism the teenagers of the story face when they are the only ones left to protect their homeland. I really got sucked into this because of the atmosphere in the film. The story is unrealistic in just how much the Wolverines are able to get away with when fighting against a communist army and still survive, but Red Dawn does not ignore the fact that the characters are mortal. There is no telling when one of them could get killed, and because they are trapped in a war zone where they are wanted dead, it is a very harsh environment for them. Because of this, the thrills in the film are hard to deny. Many people will find the shallow elements of Red Dawn to make it a by-the-numbers action film with a premise beyond belief, but a lot of people will be willing to embrace the film even if it chooses spectacle and concept over characterization. The sense of threat in the atmosphere felt very reminiscent of the nature of the thriller masterpiece First Blood, one of the greatest films ever made. By that sense, the tension in the film was so consistent and unflinching that I felt a genuine sense of threat by it all. Even the second time I watched Red Dawn I had to sleep with a weapon near my bed out of my slight paranoia that an invasion could be imminent. But goddamn, I embraced the thrills of the film with an absolute passion because it came off as really being believable. Having not lived through the cold war era or being an American Teenager, I never would have felt the real life threat that John Millius' film capitalized on. But I still remain prepared for the day that it may happen in Australia, so that should tell you something about how much I embraced the premise. I'll admit that the wait between the action scenes may have been dull the second time around, but I still admired Red Dawn and will never forget my first viewing of it.

Red Dawn feels legitimate from a technical perspective. The scenery and production design all fit the context of a country town, and the many explosions and stunts in the film make the warfare feel legitimate. The costumes also make the soldiers believable characters and it gives a visual edge to the protagonists. But more importantly, the action in the film is great. The explosions or blood may not always be perfect due to the fact that the budget is so low, but it is impressive just how far John Millius took this film with so little money. The action in the film tends to wait until the atmosphere is developed as tense before it strikes which may leave many viewers surprised in the best sense of the word. The stunts are staged and choreographed very nicely with atmospheric cinematography which reveals the involvement of the characters and the large scale of the events simultaneously. The action in Red Dawn is solid, so it is a thrilling action film even for people who don't care about the plot.

The cast of Red Dawn contains many big name actors, and it is certainly fun to see 80's stars like Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey and Lea Thompson helming roles as action heroes in their youth. But the standout actors of the cast are Patrick Swayze and C. Thomas Howell.

Patrick Swayze is a perfect fit for Red Dawn. Despite actually being 32 at the time that he portrayed a teenager in Red Dawn, he has the right level of tense strength to be the leader of the Wolverines. He maintains a true sense of leadership in his role, an aggressive nature which is fearless and the strength of an action hero. He grasps his weaponry with true confidence in Red Dawn and proves that he is not afraid to kill even though he has to take the entire concept of death into account. For one of his first leading roles, Red Dawn is an interesting part to see Patrick Swayze in because he is ideal from a physical perspective and delivers his lines very intensely.

C. Thomas Howell is also memorable. Though his limited amount of lines, small amount of screen time and lack of great relevance to the story or the other characters make him less relevant that others, he stands out on the basis of one aspect: C. Thomas Howell is the actor that delivers the famous battle cry of Red Dawn. The way that he stands up and proclaims the word "Wolverines" is aggressive, patriotic and heroic. He is the unsung hero of the film, and his battle cry is one that is unforgettable to me. Still to this day I shout it when I achieve success.

So although Red Dawn is a shallow film, its incredibly tense atmosphere, powerful action and inspiring premise make it a fine addition to John Millius' filmography and a patriotic piece.