Review of Red Dawn (1984) by John P — 15 Jan 2009
Caught this late one night on cable. Missed the first fifteen minutes or so, but tuned in just in time to see the token black character get gunned down by Soviet/Cuban forces.
The concept of foreign armies invading the United States is fascinating. How would average Americans react to living under military occupation? Paranoia and nationalist sentiments were a sign of the times, so the bleeding-heart patriotism didn't bother me.
All the principle roles are filled well, Powers Boothe's character in particular. I doubt eight teenagers hiding out in the woods would have the wherewithal to form a band of guerrillas skilled enough to take out so many troops, but if viewers can suspend disbelief, it's fun to watch the small-but-ferocious "Wolverines" kick commie butt.
This almost feels like a zombie picture. Battle scenes are surprisingly grisly and brutal. No way would such a violent teen action flick fly by today's standards. It will be interesting to see how Hollywood pulls off a remake and what nation(s) they choose to depict as the bad guys.
This review of Red Dawn (1984) was written by John P on 15 Jan 2009.
Red Dawn has generally received mixed reviews.
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