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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Aerial spectacle gives this World War II drama a lift. Based on the true adventures of the Tuskegee Airmen, who battled Nazis in the air and racism on the ground, Red Tails is built around four pilots, each with a character-type-appropriate nickname: the daredevil is named Lightning (David Oyelowo), the likable boozer is Easy (Nate Parker), the kid trying to prove himself is Junior (Tristan Wilds), and the joker is called, uhm, Joker (Elijah Kelley). While these four chafe at their lousy assignments at the front, Colonel Bullard (Terrence Howard, applying his steely rasp to fervent, inspirational speeches) fights back in Washington to give these men a chance to prove themselves… and when they get that chance, prove themselves they do. This is a crucial bit of history--racial integration in the military was a key step leading to the civil rights movement decades later. Regrettably, this powerful material has been reduced to ham-fisted clichés, groaning under the weight of clumsy exposition. Such flimsy hokum is particularly surprising coming from co-screenwriter Aaron McGruder, creator of the sharply satirical The Boondocks; one suspects that the heavy hand of producer George Lucas was a factor. Nonetheless, when Red Tails takes to the air, the movie--like the pilots--shows its mettle. Though the digital effects are inexplicably uneven, the dizzying dogfight choreography will make your nerves tingle. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
Academy Awardr Winner Cuba Gooding Jr.* and Academy Awardr Nominee Terrence Howard** lead a powerful ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the first African-American combat unit to serve in World War II. Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky...even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial action and thrilling special effects, Red Tails is a breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 51 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
See it for a terrific documentary, some great dogfights and a beautiful film transfer to Blu ray
June 11, 2012
By M. Oleson
Format:Blu-ray
I'm going to address the Blu ray version of this film as I had not seen it in the theaters when it was released. The best thing about the disc isn't the theatrical film itself but "Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War," the 1 hour documentary "extra." While the theatrical film addresses some of the history of the courageous Tuskegee airmen, the documentary focuses of the "second war" back in the United States. Using excellent interviews with many of the survivors of the Red Tails and their African-American bomber crew confederates, many of the injustices they lived through are fleshed out. They are supplemented by some remarkable film footage from the time. These great Americans effectively launched the Civil Rights movement even before Jackie Robinson integrated baseball or Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat.
The next best thing about this film is the aerial combat photography, some of which is done with real planes and real pilots and some is done with some amazing CGI and George Lucas's technicians. I was especially taken with the introduction of some early German jet fighters as they engaged the Red Tails' P-51 Mustangs. The other big positive is the magnificent transfer to Blu ray. From the opening scenes the film sparkles in this Lucas authorized release. The colors are bright and vivid. The textures are finely tuned, especially in close ups. The audio likewise is demo ready. As you might expect, the audio is an important feature with planes shooting at each other all over the Italian and German skies. In addition to the aforementioned documentary, other extras include comments by Lucas and director Anthony Hemingway, composer Terrance Blanchard and the cast. There is also a 5 minute feature at how the CGI came into play. The film and the extras are in 1080p with the film shown in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.
Unfortunately the film itself isn't so good. While the actors in key roles are fine, some of the secondary actors come off like bumpkins or amateurs. Of course some of the cornball dialog they are given is equally bad. In a few sequences when the Red Tails are escorting bombers flown by a white crew, the bomber pilots make some of the most ridiculous comments that I had to laugh. I don't know if this was done intentionally or not but it comes across as just dumb. There are also a couple scenes with the black pilots that slang terms and pronunciations are spoken that were not used in 1944. What is important is that this story got visibility with this film. It could have been better.
The next best thing about this film is the aerial combat photography, some of which is done with real planes and real pilots and some is done with some amazing CGI and George Lucas's technicians. I was especially taken with the introduction of some early German jet fighters as they engaged the Red Tails' P-51 Mustangs. The other big positive is the magnificent transfer to Blu ray. From the opening scenes the film sparkles in this Lucas authorized release. The colors are bright and vivid. The textures are finely tuned, especially in close ups. The audio likewise is demo ready. As you might expect, the audio is an important feature with planes shooting at each other all over the Italian and German skies. In addition to the aforementioned documentary, other extras include comments by Lucas and director Anthony Hemingway, composer Terrance Blanchard and the cast. There is also a 5 minute feature at how the CGI came into play. The film and the extras are in 1080p with the film shown in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.
Unfortunately the film itself isn't so good. While the actors in key roles are fine, some of the secondary actors come off like bumpkins or amateurs. Of course some of the cornball dialog they are given is equally bad. In a few sequences when the Red Tails are escorting bombers flown by a white crew, the bomber pilots make some of the most ridiculous comments that I had to laugh. I don't know if this was done intentionally or not but it comes across as just dumb. There are also a couple scenes with the black pilots that slang terms and pronunciations are spoken that were not used in 1944. What is important is that this story got visibility with this film. It could have been better.
86 of 109 people found the following review helpful
By S. Hall
Format:DVD
I was so excited to see the movie, that I posted ahead of time. Now that I've seen it, I thought it was a great telling of a true story. I give it a solid 4 stars, because the actors were excellent, the cinematography was good, the combat effects were actually better than okay. The music could have been better, but despite that it is an instant classic in my book.
The movie is fantastic because it shows the story of men who had to fight with honor and dignity against extreme odds in order to fight with bullets and power against our country's enemies. Their story has been represented before on film, and hopefully will again; it's a story worthy of being told over and over. Thumbs up to the actors, producers and all involved for doing a very good job. Was it the best of the best job possible? Maybe not, but it was entertaining and enlightening. I respect George Lucas for caring enough to put his money into this story, to bring it to the big screen like a major film, despite the reluctance of many other parties in the film industry. Could some other director/producer combination have made a technically more outstanding movie? Maybe, but they evidently don't care enough about the true story to do it. Kudos to all involved!
The events portrayed a version of history that was very engaging, and in a way that was also realistic. The heroes weren't shown to be perfect, with the flight leader having a drinking problem, for example, which seemed to cause problems, and one of the other pilots being a real hotshot. Overall, I gained a lot of insight into the difficulties that the "colored" pilots encountered but at no point did I feel like I was being "taught" a history lesson.
It seems like they didn't add a lot of extra drama to the story, which I almost wish they would have, altho the history as is has plenty of drama and heroism. The drama developed on several levels; first, the reluctance to put "colored" pilots on the front had to be overcome. Then, each mission had dramatic action, with all of the pilots and ground crew adding his sparky personality to the dramatic tone. I felt rise and fall and release of each dramatic thread.
I was already aware of the Tuskegee Airmen, and was excited to see what a George Lucas production would do with the story. Overall, I was satisfied, altho it didn't have the melodrama of a Star Wars episode, and I was looking for him to go overboard a bit, maybe just with the music. Those airmen were heroes and they really deserve to have a first class feature document the important, if not vital, contribution they made to the war effort. Now I know some of their names and I fell in love with them as patriots and gentlemen.
I saw Lucas on Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and he talked about how difficult it was to get this film distributed, because the big film distributors feared the audience would not be there for a film with a mostly-black cast. I hope their fears are wrong and this film is welcomed globally for it's production values, it's entertainment qualities, and it's documentation of a historical reality. I loved it, it's an instant classic in my book on many levels and am so happy to see this story make it to the big screen this way.
The audience showed up in droves, with the house being overflowing Friday night. The audience got engaged with the story, applauding at the end. I know a lot of us were happy to see the film and enjoyed seeing these heroes brought to life on the big screen.
Previous entry:
Feature film executive produced by George Lucas, who felt compelled to bring the inspiring legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots and crew, to the big screen. He called it the first all-black action film of modern times. We can expect to see an exciting true story told of the heroism of the people who rose above, aimed high, believed in themselves and used their brain, in service to our country at a time when their effort is credited with turning the tide of the war.
The "Red Tail Angels" were skilled pilots and fierce fights, often requested by bomber pilots, who wanted their escort to base. The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 1500 missions between June 1943 and April 1945, many of which were as bomber escorts.
Unlike our beloved hero Luke Skywalker, who George Lucas made unforgettable, he is now bringing to our imaginations the real-life adventures of men who helped win the real historical fight against tyranny and hate. Let's get out there on January 20th and make it a blockbuster weekend!!!
The movie is fantastic because it shows the story of men who had to fight with honor and dignity against extreme odds in order to fight with bullets and power against our country's enemies. Their story has been represented before on film, and hopefully will again; it's a story worthy of being told over and over. Thumbs up to the actors, producers and all involved for doing a very good job. Was it the best of the best job possible? Maybe not, but it was entertaining and enlightening. I respect George Lucas for caring enough to put his money into this story, to bring it to the big screen like a major film, despite the reluctance of many other parties in the film industry. Could some other director/producer combination have made a technically more outstanding movie? Maybe, but they evidently don't care enough about the true story to do it. Kudos to all involved!
The events portrayed a version of history that was very engaging, and in a way that was also realistic. The heroes weren't shown to be perfect, with the flight leader having a drinking problem, for example, which seemed to cause problems, and one of the other pilots being a real hotshot. Overall, I gained a lot of insight into the difficulties that the "colored" pilots encountered but at no point did I feel like I was being "taught" a history lesson.
It seems like they didn't add a lot of extra drama to the story, which I almost wish they would have, altho the history as is has plenty of drama and heroism. The drama developed on several levels; first, the reluctance to put "colored" pilots on the front had to be overcome. Then, each mission had dramatic action, with all of the pilots and ground crew adding his sparky personality to the dramatic tone. I felt rise and fall and release of each dramatic thread.
I was already aware of the Tuskegee Airmen, and was excited to see what a George Lucas production would do with the story. Overall, I was satisfied, altho it didn't have the melodrama of a Star Wars episode, and I was looking for him to go overboard a bit, maybe just with the music. Those airmen were heroes and they really deserve to have a first class feature document the important, if not vital, contribution they made to the war effort. Now I know some of their names and I fell in love with them as patriots and gentlemen.
I saw Lucas on Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and he talked about how difficult it was to get this film distributed, because the big film distributors feared the audience would not be there for a film with a mostly-black cast. I hope their fears are wrong and this film is welcomed globally for it's production values, it's entertainment qualities, and it's documentation of a historical reality. I loved it, it's an instant classic in my book on many levels and am so happy to see this story make it to the big screen this way.
The audience showed up in droves, with the house being overflowing Friday night. The audience got engaged with the story, applauding at the end. I know a lot of us were happy to see the film and enjoyed seeing these heroes brought to life on the big screen.
Previous entry:
Feature film executive produced by George Lucas, who felt compelled to bring the inspiring legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots and crew, to the big screen. He called it the first all-black action film of modern times. We can expect to see an exciting true story told of the heroism of the people who rose above, aimed high, believed in themselves and used their brain, in service to our country at a time when their effort is credited with turning the tide of the war.
The "Red Tail Angels" were skilled pilots and fierce fights, often requested by bomber pilots, who wanted their escort to base. The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 1500 missions between June 1943 and April 1945, many of which were as bomber escorts.
Unlike our beloved hero Luke Skywalker, who George Lucas made unforgettable, he is now bringing to our imaginations the real-life adventures of men who helped win the real historical fight against tyranny and hate. Let's get out there on January 20th and make it a blockbuster weekend!!!
112 of 146 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Left the movie theater thinking "When am I going to see this again?"
January 20, 2012
Format:DVD
I'd heard a critic tear this movie up (on the radio) before I walked in. I'd been counting down the days to see the film and it just so happened to be a huge snowstorm tonight in Chicago (six inches and counting), but I was so determined to see this film that I simply didn't care. If I had to march to see it, I was going to march, fall and slide all the way there but I was going to show my support opening night. And I did. And after I finished watching the film, I thought, "I want to see this movie again. How quickly can I return to the show?"
I know the backstory of how hard it was to get this two decade old film in theaters. I definitely appreciate George Lucas for bringing this film to the big screen. Even better I think it's cool that so many actors who weren't as popular in films (even if they were great on TV) got to show their movie chops, like Tristan Wilds ("90210," "The Wire") and music artists like Ne-Yo and Method Man. I was already a big fan of Nate Parker from "The Killer Bees" movie and "The Great Debaters," so I knew he'd be good. Same deal with Terrence Howard. I only knew Marcus T. Paulk as the little brother on the TV show "Moesha." I didn't know a thing about David Oyelowo, Elijah Kelley, Michael B. Jordan or Leslie Odom Jr. And while I knew of Cuba Gooding Jr., I hadn't really been a fan of any of his work since "Boyz in the Hood" so I went in not really knowing what to expect, other than looking at some incredibly attractive brothas who may or may not have been able to pull this movie off.
By now we know the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Those who know their history know how black soldiers were treated, and if you've seen the documentary or the movie with Laurence Fishburne, you may wonder, "Why would they make remake a film that's already been covered?" I remember seeing the Fishburne film when I was a kid, but I don't remember whether I liked it or not. I think I did, but I'll have to revisit it. What I do know is these guys all pulled equal weight in this film. The "stars" played the background and let the rookies be the stars, and the rookies really showed off their acting chops. I think they represented the history and the plot well. I think the humor may fall flat on those who don't know characters like these in real life, but for those of us who know the "black Jesus" guy, you'll get it. And I definitely know a few of David Oyelowo's characters. There's been some criticism about how an officer would keep rebelling against a higher officer, but keep in mind that these guys were fighting for not just a war but their reputation, too. I related to Oyelowo's character more than any of the rest of them.
The only downside I found in the whole movie was how unbelievable Ne-Yo's accent was. I thought Method Man was going to have a problem toning down a thick East Coast accent, but he did a much better job of disguising his than Ne-Yo did trying to have a southern accent. Other than that, I loved the whole film and highly recommend it. I will definitely be going to see this a few more times before it leaves movie theaters and buying it as soon as it comes out.
I know the backstory of how hard it was to get this two decade old film in theaters. I definitely appreciate George Lucas for bringing this film to the big screen. Even better I think it's cool that so many actors who weren't as popular in films (even if they were great on TV) got to show their movie chops, like Tristan Wilds ("90210," "The Wire") and music artists like Ne-Yo and Method Man. I was already a big fan of Nate Parker from "The Killer Bees" movie and "The Great Debaters," so I knew he'd be good. Same deal with Terrence Howard. I only knew Marcus T. Paulk as the little brother on the TV show "Moesha." I didn't know a thing about David Oyelowo, Elijah Kelley, Michael B. Jordan or Leslie Odom Jr. And while I knew of Cuba Gooding Jr., I hadn't really been a fan of any of his work since "Boyz in the Hood" so I went in not really knowing what to expect, other than looking at some incredibly attractive brothas who may or may not have been able to pull this movie off.
By now we know the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Those who know their history know how black soldiers were treated, and if you've seen the documentary or the movie with Laurence Fishburne, you may wonder, "Why would they make remake a film that's already been covered?" I remember seeing the Fishburne film when I was a kid, but I don't remember whether I liked it or not. I think I did, but I'll have to revisit it. What I do know is these guys all pulled equal weight in this film. The "stars" played the background and let the rookies be the stars, and the rookies really showed off their acting chops. I think they represented the history and the plot well. I think the humor may fall flat on those who don't know characters like these in real life, but for those of us who know the "black Jesus" guy, you'll get it. And I definitely know a few of David Oyelowo's characters. There's been some criticism about how an officer would keep rebelling against a higher officer, but keep in mind that these guys were fighting for not just a war but their reputation, too. I related to Oyelowo's character more than any of the rest of them.
The only downside I found in the whole movie was how unbelievable Ne-Yo's accent was. I thought Method Man was going to have a problem toning down a thick East Coast accent, but he did a much better job of disguising his than Ne-Yo did trying to have a southern accent. Other than that, I loved the whole film and highly recommend it. I will definitely be going to see this a few more times before it leaves movie theaters and buying it as soon as it comes out.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Preposterous
OK, the point of this movie is drama and not realism. But, c'mon. The drama is one dimensional, the acting amateurish.
And the realism, or lack thereof. Read more
And the realism, or lack thereof. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Richard F. Colarco
1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste time and talent.
The movie seems to consist of individual parts made by men in their spare time as they thought of scenes. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Lloyd W. Deramus
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bought as a gift
The receiver gave great reviews, I haven't seen this version of it but I trust its good, because he isn't that easy to please.
Published 6 days ago by Kaleena Cn Arnold
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good War Drama with Numerous Awesome and Harrowing Flight Scenes
RED TAILS is a riveting war film that's based on the true story of the 332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen) who, though one of the finest groups of fighter pilots in WWII, faced... Read more
Published 7 days ago by Doug Park
2.0 out of 5 stars
CG effects the only redeeming feature
I love the genre of WW2 films, but after Pearl Harbor, I thought a worse WW2 film could not be made. I was wrong.
Published 8 days ago by Peter Roberts
3.0 out of 5 stars
it ok
the story itself is intriguing but I guess there are many such tales as these. the actors do a decent job but I guess there is nothing particularly compelling about the way the... Read more
Published 12 days ago by mom12
5.0 out of 5 stars
Red Tails
A very well done film on a history that is only now becoming well known in this country. The action and special affects of this film are extremly well done. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Raymond D. Grosser
5.0 out of 5 stars
Red Tails
I liked this movie as well as The Tuskegee Airmen, both of which are about the 332nd Fighter Squadron in WWII. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Conrad T. Heslin
5.0 out of 5 stars
A FILM FOR THE AGES
This is a film which did not do as well as it should of when it was released in theaters.
It is a much better movie than given credit for by most of the critics. Read more
It is a much better movie than given credit for by most of the critics. Read more
Published 14 days ago by chas. floyd johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!!
this movie was just great I love true story movies and this one was wonderful, Everyone should see it. Great
Published 14 days ago by Joan A. Quinn
