Review of Red Tails (2012) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012

The first film to be produced by George Lucas that isn't Star Wars or Indiana Jones related since Radioland Murders (1994), it's something Lucas has wanted to do since the late 1980's, and by the sounds of things, it'll be Lucas' last big production.

Shame really, as it's not as bad as what some people make out. True, it does rely a lot on old film cliches, but the action in the sky makes the film. Italy in 1944, and it focuses on the Tuskegee training program, the 332d Fighter Group, which consists of African-Americans, who fly old worn out airplanes that are in bad shape.

Under the leadership of Major Emanuel Stance (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) and Col. A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard), they face prejudice and scorn from the white soldiers, but they are good at what they do and show determination.

The main characters are a tight knit group of pilots, Joe "Lightning" Little (David Oyelowo), Martin "Easy" Julian (Nate Parker), Ray "Ray Gun" Gannon (Tristan Wilds), and Samuel "Joker" George (Elijah Kelley), and how their talents make them stand out from the rest, and how they prove they can do their bit, and they are given bigger operations and are able to see action.

It's well made, despite the odd shade of racism here and there, it doesn't quite explode as it should do, it makes up for Lucas ruining Star Wars and nuking the fridge in Indy, but it does feel a little inconsistent in places, and you kinda wish they had a better script, (Lucas did uncredited reshoots, what does that tell you??).