THE RAVEN

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

THE RAVEN

GRADE: B -

John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally, Sam Hazeldine

Written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare

Directed By James McTeigue

Once inside a darkened theater, I sat to watch the latest feature, a rather strange and curious horror movie set in 1800's Baltimore.
As I sat there, in my press seat, the first two victims soon were dead meat, As the plot began and the cast of characters quickly took the floor,

"'Tis John Cusack," I muttered, "once a favorite-
                But in 2012 he was something of a bore."

As I remember, to be frank, his last good film was Grosse Point Blank, But since, he's underwhelmed me – sitting through his films has been a chore.

Eagerly I hoped for better - my fair date (I'm glad I met her)
Sat beside me as I watched this tale of mystery, and humor mixed with gore.

The collective works of Edgar Allan, filled with blood spilled by the gallon,

Contain many a haunting theme that I was longing to explore -
And this movie promised intrigue, and the director, a man called McTeigue, had

impressed me with his work on V For Vendetta several years before.

The story centers, rather simply, on a Police Detective, young and pimply,

Investigating murders based on works by Poe/Cusack, whom I believe I mentioned here before.
Inspector Fields (played by Luke Evans), makes a promise to the heavens

He vows to stop these ghastly killings, though they make the film more thrilling,

But he must have help to solve these crimes– a fact he simply can't ignore;
So he seeks the aid of  Poe to guide him, to solve the crimes, right there beside him.
A buddy cop team, like Gibson and Glover,

But Edgar is distracted by his lover,
Whom he plans to marry, though her father will not let him in the door.
                Tis' plot exposition, and nothing more.

Presently the film builds tension; and did I forget to mention,
The rather grim and spooky atmosphere created by the score?
Soon, the future bride is kidnapped, and Edgar finds himself quite entrapped,
And forced to join Inspector Fields in this deadly game of cat and mouse based on stories

written long before.

And there it is;
                A simple premise, nothing more.

Guy Ritchie's Holmes is a clear influence, mixed with Die Hard With A Vengeance,

And Stephen King's Misery is tapped as inspiration, as this recalls those films and probably several more.

Though the film is far from greatness, I couldn't bring myself to hate this entertaining and diverting piece of cheesy Gothic lore. It's watchable and kills an evening, and after all. that is the main thing that a film like this is aspiring to and striving for,
                Still, I think, it could have been much more.

Cusack gives a grand performance, his Poe is filled with haunts and torments,
A quite imperfect hero but one the audience can easily root for.
His biting quips are quite delightful, and though his attitude is spiteful,

He's rather sympathetic and his subtle charm impossible to ignore.

Fairing worse is the young actress who plays his love (she needs some practice)
Her acting isn't awful but she made me start to snore.
The film is dark, and rather gory, as scares are placed ahead of story;-
                'Tis a horror film and little more!

But I found it entertaining, and certainly nowhere near as draining
As many a serial killer yarn I have suffered through before.
Unlikely to be on my ten best list, but it hit more often than it missed, and fans of Poe should quite enjoy the literary references in store;

This film is rated R for ample violence, sensuality, profanity and gore. Not family friendly, 

But in the end me thinks the audience it's aimed at should enjoy

The Gothic atmosphere and blood and guts galore.
                A fun diverting popcorn film, and nothing more.

THE HUNGER GAMES

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs
GRADE: A -
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Stanlet Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Toby Jones
Screenplay by Gary Ross, Suzzane Collins and Billy Ray
Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins
Directed by Gary Ross

Unless you have been living in a cave on Mars for the past two years, you've probably heard of “The Hunger Games” book series, which has a rabid cult following of fans that take it far more seriously than most of us take our religious affiliations, and almost as seriously as some people take Twilight. 

Well, fans, Suzanne Collins novel has finally made it to the big screen: let the games begin.

Sometime in the future, the nation of Panem has risen out of the ruins of what was once known as North America. Due to an unsuccessful uprising by the districts of Panem, a raffle (known as the "reaping") is held to choose one boy and one girl, aged 12–18, from each of the twelve “districts” to participate in the Hunger Games, which is basically “the Triwizard Tournament” meets “Thunderdome” meets “American Idol.”Each contestant, or tribute, battles until only one is left. The winner receives honor, gifts, and enough food and supplies to never worry about anything ever again. The Hunger Games are a yearly reminder to the 12 districts of the Capitol's authority, and punishment for their rebellion over 70 years ago, in which the 13th district was supposedly destroyed.

In District 12, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen (played by Academy Award Nominee Jennifer Lawrence) cares for her mother and her sister Prim, and in her spare time, she illegally hunts for food outside the boundary fences with her friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth.)

When Prim's name is drawn as tribute in her very first year eligible for the Hunger Games, Katniss steps forward and volunteers to take her place. Soon, she finds herself on the way to the Capitol along with her male counterpart, Peeta Mellark (Josh Huthcherson), a boy whom Katniss barely knows, but nevertheless holds a certain significance to her.

Katniss and Peeta train for the games under the guidance of a mentor and former victor of the games (Woody Harrelson), a stylist (Lenny Kravitz) and overly made up, sticky sweet escort (Elizabeth Banks, who seems to be channeling Sarah Palin.). Together they prepare for battle, knowing that, at best, only one of them can come out alive.

Director Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville) directs with a deft and serious hand, and does the material proud, paying great attention to detail and treating the source material with great respect while at the same time not being afraid to add his own touch to it and take the liberty to explore aspects of the story that were less focused in the book, in particular the story of Seneca Crane (played by Wes Bentley), the “Gamemaker” of the Hunger Games, and the President of the Capitol, played by Donald Sutherland. While these characters are in the book, they are more vague presences than actual characters, and while the first person, “as it happens” narrative style that Collins' chose for the novel does not allow for cut- aways to any point of view but that of Katniss herself, Ross chooses not to stick with that restriction and introduces us to different aspects of this interesting world. Ross was faced with a difficult task – adapting a decidedly R rated book who's fan base relies heavily on the teenage crowd into a PG-13 movie that teens and pre-teens can see (nothing is offensive or potentially harmful in written form, because it doesn't have a letter assigned to it), without losing the brutal intensity of the source material. Fortunately, the highly talented director is up to the challenge.

In terms of adaption, this is one of the most faithful I've seen in some time, both in spirit and and in content – it even looks just like I pictured it when reading (except for Woody Harrleson replacing Jeff Bridges.). The klunkiest bit of adaptation, for me, was what I felt was an inadequate explanation of a bird called a “Mockingjay,” (the title of the third book) – if you haven't read the book, you don't know exactly what it is. However, the biggest genuine change from the book was one that I welcomed, as I found it to be a bit silly on paper and would have played as genuinely laughable on film.

The performances are very strong, in particular Lawrence as Katniss . “Winter's Bone” was no fluke. This young actress can really carry a movie. But it doesn't hurt that she is surrounded by pros like Harrelson, Sutherland and Stanley Tucci, who is delightful as Caesar Flickerman, sort of a cross between Bob Costas, Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest and the announcer at the Roman Colluseum.

If there is a major failure in the film, it is in losing some of complexity of the Katnis-Peeta relationship (what are they doing for the camera versus what they are really feeling.). No major changes are made – in fact, that may be the problem. In adapting so literally from the book it was hard to get the smorgasbord of emotions these two are feeling across, and perhaps greater liberty was needed. I would have liked to have seen more conflicted emotion, particularly when the two are last seen together. But I reserve the right to change my mind about this upon repeat viewing.

On the whole, this is a very satisfying and engaging film, and anytime a movie can keep me on the edge of my seat with suspense despite the fact that I know exactly what is going to happen next, that's a sure sign of strong direction (and the terrific and beautifully subtle musical score by James Newton Howard doesn't hurt, either – it's nice to see this talented composer move away from rehashing old Bernard Herrman scores for Shyamalan and get back to showing his versatility.).

The Hunger Games is rated PG-13 for quite a bit of violence, suspense, and mild profanity.

JOHN CARTER

 Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

JOHN CARTER

GRADE: A-

Screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon

Based on the Novel “Princess of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Directed by Andrew Stanton

First thing’s first: yes, this is one of the dullest titles ever for a blockbuster science fiction film, and no, it has nothing to do with the character Noah Wyle played on E/R.

Shortly after the Civil War, an embittered and war weary confederate veteran named John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), goes prospecting in Arizona after the war's end. Captain Carter was quite the soldier in his day, and speaks fluent Apache, and  an Army Colonel named Powell (Bryan Cranston, one of the great actors of our time once again in a smaller role than he deserves), is eager to enlist his aid in a campaign. But Carter is done fighting - having struck a rich vein of gold, he has better things to do with his time. But while evading Powell, Carter runs afoul of the Apaches. While hiding in a sacred cave, he is mysteriously transported to Mars, called “Barsoom” by its inhabitants. Carter finds that he has great strength and superhuman agility in this new environment as a result of its lesser gravity. He soon falls in with the Tharks, a nomadic tribe of Green Martians, as the planet's warlike, six-limbed, green-skinned inhabitants are known. Thanks to his strength and combat abilities, Carter rises to a high position in the tribe and earns the respect and eventually the friendship of Tars Tarkas, one of the Thark chiefs (Willem Dafoe.).

The Tharks subsequently capture Dejah (Lynn Collins), Princess of Helium, a member of the humanoid red Martian race, and it's not long before Carter becomes embroiled in the political affairs of both the red and green men.

Based upon the novel Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of Tarzan, John Carter was planet hopping long before Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon, let alone Han Solo or Luke Skywalker. It's the prototypical B science fiction “space opera story,” and it's silly, convoluted, and at times very cheesy. It's also hands down one of the most enjoyable blockbusters I've seen in a very long time, transporting the audience back to days of childhood wonders and rousing space adventures – I found myself wanting talk my Mom into taking me to the toy store to buy all of the action figures, and then grudgingly remembering that I'm 37.

Director Andrew Stanton, who has given us some genuine modern classics, such as Finding Nemo and WALL-E, makes a major impression with his first major live action feature (thought the designation is debatable – at least two thirds of what you see on screen is C.G.I. But Stanton and the other folks at PIXAR have always known how to use the tool to tell the story, rather than letting the story be an excuse to use the tool. While those two so called “kids films” are both deeper and more profound than John Carter, the name level of commitment to detail and excellence in film making is applied here, and this movie, pulpy and goofy as it is, is so breathtaking, so exciting, and so comfortable with it's own silliness that it's very hard to find any real fault with it.

The lead performances are very solid, with Kitsch, best known for TV's Friday Night Lights and his appearance as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, shows a surprising amount of screen presence and star potential as Carter, though at times he seems perhaps a bit young for the role, particularly in the final section. Lynn Collins, who plays Princess Dejah, ironically, is also best known for Wolverine, which begs the question: did the folks at Disney PIXAR actually watch that film and find something worthwhile? Collins also shows a lot of charisma and a commanding presence. Let's face it – neither of these two are called upon to deliver Oscar caliber performances. They are playing larger than life pulp figures, and they are there to be likable and to look good exposing as much skin as they can in a movie released under the Disney label, and they succeed. Mark Strong, the Alan Rickman for the new generation, gives what can best be described as “a Mark Strong performance.” Nothing new, nothing Earth shattering, or Mars shattering, but as always, he makes a good villain. The best performances come from the Tharks: Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, Samantha Morton as Sola, and Thomas Hayden Church as Tal Hajus, go above and beyond to make these green, tusked Martians surprisingly believable. But I have to admit, for me, the movie was about the giant dog.

In addition, the Moab scenery and the rousing score by Michael Giacchino, who is well on his way to becoming the next John Williams, are both stunning.

This is not a deep, thoughtful film. It's not a great, profound story of vivid characters searching deep within their souls to find out who they are. It's a rollicking and unapologetic throwback to the golden ages of space fantasy – namely, the early '80's, the 'early '40's, and of course, 1912, when Burroughs first put pen in hand and used his imagination to influence countless others for generations. This movie is pure fun and pure adventure, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

John Carter is rated PG-13 for a profanity, violence and mild sensuality – don't let the Disney name make you just assume that this is suitable for all ages.

DR. SUESS' THE LORAX

Reviewed by Paul Gibbs

 GRADE: B+

Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Ed Helms, Dannny Devito, Betty WhiteB
Screenplay by Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul
Directed by Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda

To start with let's get the politics out of the way: The Lorax is a tree-hugger movie, based on a classic tree-hugger children's book. It's never tried to hide that fact. If you're the type of person who is offended by environmental messages in children's movies, you should probably just steer clear of this one. But don't blame Hollywood, blame Dr. Suess. Despite additions made to expand the story to feature length, they've stayed pretty close to the source material, and completely true to its spirit. Personally, I happen to agree with the message of the book/film, but even the best of messages can be hurt by bad presentation. Fortunately, that doesn't happen here.

The Lorax is, to date, probably the best feature film adaptation of Dr. Suess (though I did find quite a bit to enjoy in Horton Hears A Who). While it's inherently difficult to adapt the charmingly simple, rhymed-verse stories to feature length, this time it's been done with a gentle simplicity that doesn't detract from the work (unlike, say, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, which for some reason decided it was a good idea to replace “His heart was two sizes too small” with “He was abused and ostracized as a child, and had his heartbroken by a slutty Who played by Chrtistine Baranski”). Two stories play out simultaneously: Ted Wiggins (voiced by Zac Efron) is the kind of lovable, daydreaming adolescent protagonist who is semi-secretly in love with “the girl next door”, Audrey (voiced by Taylor Swift). Both reside in Thneedville, a plastic dystopia where no real trees or any sort of planet life has been seen in what appears to be several generations. In order to impress the girl by bringing back a real tree, Ted leaves Thneedville to find the mysterious Once-eler (voiced by Ed Helms). The Once-eler provides us with the films prinicipal narrative, the story of how he began chopping down trees to make a do-all product called a “thneed” (I can just see them being advertised for order on basic cable), and encountered the Lorax (voiced by Danny Devito), the guardian of the forest.

The wrap around segments with Ted stray farther from the book (which features a young boy who goes to seek the Once-eler to learn about what happen to the trees, but doesn't give him a love interest or his own story). I was less immediately charmed by them than by the main story, but I have to admit I was one over by them by the end of the film, and that includes Efron's likable voice performance. For me, nearly everything in the Lorax story worked. Thankfully, Devito's performance captures the gentle wisdom of the beloved book character, instead of just focusing on being loud and obnoxious as the trailers might suggest. And Helms fares equally well, including getting a chance singing some bouncy tunes that Andy Bernard would annoy co-workers with for weeks. The various non-speaking forest animals are some of the best characters in the films, rendered by animation that is gorgeous and expressive.

The Lorax isn't up there with the best Pixar works, but it's a very solid animated film that will delight kids, and should be at least fairly enjoyable to most adult audiences. It's one of the better films I've seen so far in 2012.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

 GRADE: A

Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Will Arnett, Amy Poehller, Carol Burnett
Screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki & Keiki Niwa
English Adaptation by Karey Kikpatrick
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Just a small sized girl, living in a lonely world.

Arriety  is a “borrower,” one of a disappearing race of little people who live under the floorboards of houses. When little things go missing inside your house, and you have no explanation for it – it just might be “The Borrowers.” But borrowers aren't thieves – they take only what they need.

Arrietty is a spirited young girl, living alone with her parents, and reaching adolescence. She longs for more than her isolated word. Excitement, friends – anything. When young Shawn arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt Jessica, Arriety is intrigued by the boy. When Shawn leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shawn goes to see what the cat was trying to attack – and catches a glimpse of Arriety.

That night Arrietty's father, Pod, (voiced by Will Arnett of Arrested Development) takes Arrietty above the floorboards to show her how he gets sugar – her very first “Borrowing.” Their first stop is the kitchen, then they walk within a wall to reach a dollhouse in Shawn's bedroom, to get tissue. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shawn is awake, and accidentally drops the sugar cube they got. Shawn tells them not to be afraid of him.

It's not long before things spiral out of control, and Arrietty's high strung mother, Homily (voiced by Arnett's real life wife, Amy Poehller) is terrified of being discovered, and talk of picking up and moving begins. But the lonely Arriety may have found a reason to stay.

Generally speaking, I am not a fan on Anime, but Hayao Miyazaki doesn't make ordinary anime. I find his works to be wildly inventive and captivating, and once again, Disney has expertly adapted it for an American audience. Typical to the Disney treatment of Studio Ghibli films, this is a heavily Americanized take on the original Miyazaki screenplay, complete which American names replacing the Japanese names (Sho becomes Shawn, for example) and American stars, including Disney Channel flavor of the month Bridget Mendler of Lemonade Mouth fame (yes, it is sad that I know that) as Arrietty, and Poehller earning big laughs as the fragile Homily, not to mention the the great Carol Burnett as the housekeeper, Hara. The film has been given a lot of American sensibilities, and it would be easy to forget that it wasn't made for English original without the little tell tale signs (Konji writing, a worker drinking cold coffee out of an aluminum can.). At the same time, the style and the spirit of the atmosphere are distinctly Miyazaki. There are a few moments in particular that shout out Miyazaki's influence on this magical world, and the result is really quite delightful. This is quite little a grand adventure on a small scale, or vice versa, depending on your perspective, and Arrietty herself is quite the resourceful heroine.

Based on the Award Winning Novel The Borrowers, which was the basis for a 1997 film, The Secret World Of Arriety may be a bit more distinctly aimed at kids than Spirited Away or Howl Moving Castle, but it's one that can be readily enjoyed by adults, and is an excellent family film. The pacing is fast, the characters involving, and the vivid world of the Borrowers is one I could disappear into for a long time. This is a wonderful little film that deserves an audience, and one that I could see many times.

The Secret World of Arriety is rated G.

THE GREY

                                                     
 Reviewed by Paul Gibbs
GRADE: B+
Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulrooney

Directed by Joe Carnahan

The Grey is a difficult film to review. It's made with stunning skill and talent. In fact, on that level, it matches many of the films nominated for this year's Academy Awards. And I consider this a particularly strong Oscar year. This is a huge surprise for a film released in January, typically Hollywood's dumping ground for duds. However, as brilliant made as The Grey is, it's not a pleasant film to watch. That's not always a bad thing, but viewers are likely to be very split on the issue of whether the movie is worth the downbeat feelings it inspires.

Liam Neeson stars as John Ottway, employed in the Alaskan wilderness to hunt wolves. When Ottway and a group of co-workers go down in a plane crash, Ottway becomes the de facto leader of the group, leading them back while protecting them from the elements, and, most importantly, from a ferocious pack of wolves. By description, and judging by the trailer, this is a fairly simple variation on the 1992 drama Alive (wherein a Uruguyan rugby team crashes their plane in the Andes and stuggles for survival) with the classic creatures feature. And, in it's basic structure, that's still an accurate description of the film. What's different is that Alive was a “triumph of the human spirit” story that balanced it's gruesome, harsh realities with an uplifting story of hope. There is no hope to be found in The Grey. On some levels, the brutal, bleak honesty of the film is refreshingly forthright. But it's hard for me to remember the last time a movie was likely to leave it's audience feeling as depressed as this one.

Director Joe Carnahan has fashioned some masteful suspense sequences that rival the best films of this type. I found myself utterly compelled and mesmerized, and more genuinely unnerved than I can any film making me feel in a very long time. In fact, at a couple of points, when an audience member who had forgotten to to turn off his cell phone let out a loud ring, I actually felt a sense of relief at being pulled out of the reality of the film for a moment. I wasn't actually stuck in the freezing cold and being hunted by wolves. It was just a movie.

Neeson, one of our greatest living actors, does some of the best work of career. He certainly has reached the pinnacle of his new-found “tough guy action hero” persona. One can almost imagine a Clint Eastwood character being intimidated by Neeson's character in this film. But it goes much deeper than that. Neeson's Ottway is a fully-fleshed out human being, and every emotion he feels resonates deeply with the audience. The supporting cast is also excellent, in particular Dermot Mulrooney, James Badge Dale, and Frank Grillo, who offer moments of devestating emotional realism. Neeson and Badge Dale share a scene which I would probably rank as among my top ten unforgettable moments in film history. And I don't say that lightly.

The Grey is also far more thoughtful than it's “Liam Neeson beats some wolves” trailers suggest. It deals with complex philiosphical and theological issues. I haven't decided yet whether it answers those questions. If it does, I disagree with the conclusions it draws. But I still respect the artistry of Carnahan and company in how they express them. But those questions add greatly to that disturbing, unsettling quality that makes it so hard to recommend the film to viewers. There's a difference between respecting a film and enjoying it, and I respected The Grey much more than I enjoyed it. Part of me wants to see the film several more times to study the brilliance of its technique. Another part of me doesn't think I can afford the vast spectrum of antidepressants that would require.

So, balancing out my conflicting feelings, I give The Grey a B+. The film easily earns it's R rating for violence, gore and profanity.

RED TAILS

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

 GRADE: B -
David Oyelowo, Nate Parker, Tristan Wilds, Ne-Yo, Daniela Ruah, Bryan Cranston,
with Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrence Howard
Executive Producer George Lucas
Story by John Ridley
Screenplay by John Ridley and Aaron MacGruder
Directed by Anthony Hemingway

First off, in writing this review, I feel that I need to state where I stand on George Lucas, because for many dedicated film fans, your opinion of the original Jedi Master is likely to impact the attitude you have going into the movie, and continue as you watch it.

Like most fans, I have been disappointed by Lucas on more than one occasion (for me, it started with the Star Wars Special Editions.). The name that was once synonymous with movie magic has definitely lost some it's luster. But unlike many, I can't bring myself to hate George. I still think he has an undeniable visual flair and enthusiasm that he brings to each project, and while he has made some very bad decisions, unlike many fans, I believe those decisions were his to make. So while I am puzzled by the people who look surprised and say “You thought Jar Jar was annoying? Really?” I also do not agree with the crowd that has declared Lucas to be the cinematic anti-Christ and think he has ruined their childhood.

Red Tails is the last of the big, long in development Lucas projects – for those of us who read his biography, Skywalking, as kids aspiring to make movies, we have been waiting for his take on the story of The Tuskegee Airmen for a very long time. The question is, was it worth the wait?

The story beings in Italy, where black pilots who trained in Tuskegee, Tennessee are given old, banged up P-40's, and kept to light duty – the closest these guys get to any action is blowing up a few trucks or trains, not dog fighting or any of the combat missions they expected. The group is made up of the stock characters from this kind of move: Joe “Lightning” Little (David Oyelowo, last scene as the villain in Rise of the Planet of the Apes) is Maverick from Top Gun, the cocky but brilliant young aviator with a chip on his shoulder who needs to let it go and realize his full potential so he can be the best damn pilot the military has ever seen yadda yadda yadda. His best friend and squad leader, Marty “Easy” Julian, is an overachiever pushed by a overly demanding father, and he has been driven to drink at a young age to deal with his self doubt. The young guy, Ray “Junior” Gannon (Tristan Wilds), is Radar O'Reilly from M*A*S*H, except he carries a Buck Rodgers pistol instead of a Teddy Bear. And then we have the token religious guy, who carries a picture of “Black Jesus”which he speaks to frequently, and everyone else is meant to be comic relief.

Just when these guys are about to resign themselves to the fact that they are reduced to “mop up” missions, and that they may soon lose that if some of the top brass has its way, “The Old Man,” Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard) stands up to the man and gets his flyers assigned to their first real mission, which they pull off spectacularly. Soon, they are assigned to bomber escort, where the Red Tails distinguish themselves by following orders and, unlike previous squadrons, stay with their bombers and don't fall for the distraction of chasing German fighters to go for the glory and rack up notches on their kill ratio. It's not long before the Red Tails are the talk of the Air Corps, and because of what they did, and the respect these men earned, there would never again be any discrimination in the United States Armed Forces, or America in general, and not only would we one day have a black President, but there is certainly no way anyone would ever be so ignorant and unenlightened as to publicly demand to see his birth certificate.

Seeing these men overcome racism and earn respect is obviously enjoyable, but it is glossed over quickly and plays as something that comes far too easily. The movie is filled with cheesy dialogue that is so straightforward and on the nose that at times it's almost embarrassing. In addition, the romantic subplot between Lightning and a local Italian girl (Daniela Ruah), is about as compelling and convincing as a Nicolas Cage marriage. It's a shame that with so many compelling stories to be told, especially a great subplot involving one of the men getting captured and placed in a P.O.W. Camp, that this intrusive and tacked on romance gets in the way of what is otherwise a briskly paced film that is entertaining enough to overcome it's shortcomings (and there are many, not the least of which is the musical score, which can't decide if it is going for Captain America, Top Gun or Shaft.).

Despite it's flaws, this movie actually does have a lot going for it. It's packed with action, and the aerial combat sequences are truly dazzling. The computer generated visual effects here are far more convincing than most of what we saw in the Star Wars prequels or Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull (which, for the record, I still like), and actually may represent some of the the most impressive seen in a Lucas film since the original Star Wars trilogy – these don't look like cartoons, they look like real airplanes, doing real stunts (even if some of them are aerodynamically impossible.). Also, while the characterizations are weak, much of the cast does an admirable job of trying to rise above the dialogue. Oyelowo in particular has a star charisma that leads me to believe he has a real future, and Terrence Howard is still one of the most engaging actors working today. Every time he is on screen he brings such an intensity and earnestness that it lifts up the quality of the film several notches. Fairing worst are Cuba Gooding, Jr, who seems to have been told “You can have a character or a pipe – not both. You choose” and the incredibly talented Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad), who is so silly as a a racist General that the best that ban be said is that his mustache is not quite long enough to twirl.).

Red Tails is not to be confused with Saving Private Ryan - it's more comparable to Memphis Belle. It's an entertaining thrill ride, and judging by the reactions at the two screenings I attended, a real crowd pleaser. This is a movie you can really pick apart, but the fact is, it plays, and it's a rousing and enjoyable time. Yes, there is a much deeper, realistic and meaningful film to be made out of this material. But at this point, if you were really expecting that from Lucas, you are deluding yourself. This is not even close to a great film. But it's a solid piece of entertainment, and I'm sure I'll own it on Blu-ray.

Red Tails is rated PG-13 for combat violence, profanity, and a few racial slurs.