The film "Red Tails" . Anyone seen it? Patriotic or America bashing?

[notluzn]

Would have been good to see them fight in the beginning of the war and not towards the end of the war. The real pilots were the Bomber pilots IMO. They had it worse than any other pilots.

[RWReaganfan]

Would have been good to see them fight in the beginning of the war and not towards the end of the war. The real pilots were the Bomber pilots IMO. They had it worse than any other pilots.

The Tuskegee Airmen did not see combat until 1943 and the majority of the movie was set in the summer of 1944.

[Historian1912]

I just returned from seeing the film and it was great! The race divide was included in as much as it is important to the story but, overall the American WW2 military was treated with respect (a pleasant relief). Spielberg did not make this the center piece of the film, descending into America bashing, but rather focuses on the courage of the pilots - this being one of many obstacles they had to overcome. To do otherwise would have been a dis-service to ALL veterans, including the Tuskagee fliers, who were portrayed as God fearing American patriots (another plus). Thank you, Mr. Spielberg.

The fighting sequences were fantastic. My only complaint, and this is probably the Lucas influence - was the over the top gung ho talking by the pilots during the fighting scenes (I was expecting to hear a reference to "Beggars Canyon" from Star Wars it was so bad. LOL!!).

Those who saw it might have noticed a little tribute to the Great Escape (the scene where a German guard is standing right beside a hole where an allied prisoner is escaping near the woods). It is a literal copy of the original.

Lots of Warhawks, P51s, ME109s, ME2623s, forts and Nazis who were appropriately bad guys.

As for the Tuskagee pilots themselves, anyone seeing it would applaud their courage, not as "hyphenated Americans" but as "Americans". Real heroes deserving of the tribute.

As I said, a pleasant surprise. A thumbs up!!

Good review, though I disagree with the dialogue being bad. I've heard weirder in real life.

[nunyadb]

Would have been good to see them fight in the beginning of the war and not towards the end of the war. The real pilots were the Bomber pilots IMO. They had it worse than any other pilots.

Were it not for those men, a great number of the bomber pilots and crews would
not have survived. Period.

Learn to give credit where it is due.
Those men willingly gave their lives if that's what it took, to protect a bomber and crew.

[treadmill]

Agreed. Only 2 recent films on that topic - "Memphis belle' and an episode of "Amazing Stories' back in the '90s. I agree they were real. My Dad was one of them.

Would have been good to see them fight in the beginning of the war and not towards the end of the war. The real pilots were the Bomber pilots IMO. They had it worse than any other pilots.

[Vic Daring]

To even ignore or gloss over the racial inequality of the armed services and society during the time would be a gross dishonor to their contribution to the war effort and the history of our country.

This.

History is not anti-American.

[notluzn]

Not to rain on your bubble but everyone that fought gave their lives. Those pilots had it better than most and even 20 times better than those storming the beaches. Sorry but Color wasn't a factor in the war.

Were it not for those men, a great number of the bomber pilots and crews would
not have survived. Period.

Learn to give credit where it is due.
Those men willingly gave their lives if that's what it took, to protect a bomber and crew.

[treadmill]

How history is presented, though, can be.

This.

History is not anti-American.

[treadmill]

Unfortunately for many color was a factor. Certainly for Germany - it was a "raison d'etre". African Americans certainly endured racism when they served during the 1940s. My concern was that Speilberg and associates, as liberals, would run away with that part of the story and turn the film entirely into an expose on race and how unjust America was. As for pilots having it "better", as someone who wasn't there, I can not choose between dying slowly in a burning plane, being machine gunned on Omaha beach or drowning in a sinking ship at sea. ALL who served in combat are better men than I. That's as far as I can take that one.

Not to rain on your bubble but everyone that fought gave their lives. Those pilots had it better than most and even 20 times better than those storming the beaches. Sorry but Color wasn't a factor in the war.

[Moderate In Modesto]

It is a good movie.

[Jagergeist]

It is a good movie.

Have you seen it yet? Everything I have seen and everyone I talked to that has seen it said it sucked. Bad dialogue, cartoon CGI planes, stupid plot holes (i.e. a black airman somehow escaping out of Germany) and dripping with nationalistic cheesy sentiment. That and racial stereotypical characters with little substance or back story as to the rigors the real guys went through to even become pilots.

I even heard Lucas scheduled Star Wars I 3d to hit the screens at the same time in case the movie flopped.

Sounds like its a shame another great WWII story was botched by Hollywood again.

[treadmill]

I get the odd feeling you did not like this film.

Have you seen it yet? Everything I have seen and everyone I talked to that has seen it said it sucked. Bad dialogue, cartoon CGI planes, stupid plot holes (i.e. a black airman somehow escaping out of Germany) and dripping with nationalistic cheesy sentiment. That and racial stereotypical characters with little substance or back story as to the rigors the real guys went through to even become pilots.

I even heard Lucas scheduled Star Wars I 3d to hit the screens at the same time in case the movie flopped.

Sounds like its a shame another great WWII story was botched by Hollywood again.

[Jagergeist]

I get the odd feeling you did not like this film.

I want to like it and hope everything I heard has been wrong. I was excited when I heard the movie was coming out since I love WWII history. I was kind of hoping for another spike in interest like when Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan were big. I just am worried that all I have heard are negative comments and reviews.

[treadmill]

Point taken. Agreed, it can be interpreted either way.

I want to like it and hope everything I heard has been wrong. I was excited when I heard the movie was coming out since I love WWII history. I was kind of hoping for another spike in interest like when Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan were big. I just am worried that all I have heard are negative comments and reviews.

[RifleM1]

For our Country having the RED TAIL Squadrons was historic. Unfortunately the statistics for the squadrons was in line with other squadrons. The fact they lost no bombers on the missions is not true. At least 25 bombers were lost. It’s been reported they flew over 15,000 missions, not true, they flew 311 missions.
Why the difference? Sorties were counted as missions. On a mission there could be 20 to 50 aircraft or more. Each aircraft is a sortie. Sorties were counted as missions.
Additionally, The Red Tails were assigned more aircraft then other Squadrons
These facts were compiled by
Robert H. Powell, Jr.
Author/Editor/Historian/Pilot 352nd Fighter Group
1545 Rainier Falls Dr
Atlanta, GA 30329
I gleamed this facts from his large report. He was the historian for the fighter groups.