Review of Red Dawn (1984) by Lisa S — 03 Mar 2011

The wonderful thing about the 80's is that the films did not fall into the pits we find ourselves in today when regarding movies about young adults.

This is a classic invasion film essentially about a band of youth who make a stand against an invading Soviet military. This film was good because it stuck to the plot with little extraneous activities. It keeps to what one might imagine we hope we would do in this kind of situation. See our families for the final time and isolate ourselves into a band of fighters.

Although there are interpersonal relationships and struggles within the group, this film wonderfully avoids plot points we are stuck with today. One great thing this movie does not do, that I believe is a pitfall today, is it simple does not create some pointless love triangle. Of course there are emotions and talk of love, there is not 'highschool' relationship drama that movies today tend to include (much to my dismay).

This movie is a classic, starring young actors who went on to successful careers such as Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze. Although the directing is no landmark, it at least avoids any type of 'stylistic' obsession we see in certain directors.

I give it a 80 because it is a simple story that stuck to the plot. It wasn't childish (no love story and the fact one actually sees blood). I am not a gore whore, but in movies about war, a bloodless movie isn't a movie at all. The acting is decent, surprising from the young cast. However, the directing is bland.