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"Flyboys" can't get off the ground |
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Written by MICHAEL JAMES ALLEN
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Tuesday, 26 September 2006 |
Every once and a while a film comes along that sheds some light on a subject that has been ignored for one reason or another. The film deeply examines the subject, showing us unbelievable things we didn’t even know existed, and sparks newfound interest and deeply earned respect. Usually, this is the part of the review where I would say “Flyboys,” is that type of movie. Unfortunately, that is not the case. What we get instead is a movie that doesn’t trust itself, forsaking story and character development for clichés and spectacle.
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"Flyboys"
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 Entertainment
Art
Directed by Tony Bill
Written by Phil Sears, Blake T. Evans, and David S. Ward
Starring James Franco, Martin Henderson, and Jean Reno
Rated PG-13 for war action violence and some sexual content
Released on September 22, 2006
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The film tells the story of the LaFayette Escadrille, a group of American fighter pilots in World War I. America has not yet entered the war, so these pilots--most of them young, naïve men with no flight experience--are flying under France’s banner. Each pilot is there, volunteering their services, for different reasons. For some it is to gain respect; for others it’s for the free flight training; others, still, were just looking for an escape and had nowhere else to go. The pilots soon discover that war is nothing like they expected it to be. Between faulty airplane machinery and bloody dogfights, they have endless hurdles to overcome. It is stated towards the beginning of the film that the average life expectancy of a fighter pilot is a mere three weeks.
This is a fascinating topic, filled with rich (and often gruesome) details, and a number of interesting stories could have been set to this backdrop. “Flyboys,” however, is content to just give us a by-the-numbers hero story; the kind we've all seen a hundred times before. James Franco plays Blaine Rawlings, the inconceivably brave pilot who does everything right. Martin Henderson is Reed Cassidy, the hotshot rival who Rawlings hates but will eventually befriend. A group of relatively unknown actors play the rest of the titular Flyboys, each one endowed with a character flaw that will inevitably be overcome by the film’s end. Jean Reno (fulfilling the unspoken rule that if a movie takes place in France, he must make an appearance) plays the French captain who sends them all on a number of dangerous assignments. These assignments are never fully fleshed out, both visually and in exposition. As the film progressed, and as James Franco and his crew kept whizzing about the sky, they began to feel less like war missions and more like video game levels.
“Flyboys,” I’m afraid, is a bit of a mess. The special effects, which seemed so thrilling in the film’s trailer, end up being cheap and incomprehensible. The music is overpowering and schmaltzy. The actors, most in their early twenties, are far too young to sell the drama and pain that this story requires. The worst part, however, is that the film doesn’t seem to respect its subject. What could have been an excellent character study, is content to be mindless entertainment instead. I suppose this is no surprise: The film was produced by Dean Devlin, of “Independence Day” and “Godzilla” fame, who specializes in this kind of pulp. Still, for something so emotionally rich as World War I, I had really hoped for something more. |
Michael James Allen???
Written by Guest on 2007-07-31 12:01:08
1) There was nothing wrong with the special effects!
2) "The actors, most in their early twenties, are far too young to sell the drama and pain that this story requires."
Have you actually read anything about war before? Most flyers were in their late teens & early 20's. Soooo, that is actually correct and that DOES add to the drama. Having any actors older than that would have been unbelievable. Were you picturing Alec Baldwin or something?
I do agree with you on one note though: I hated Independence Day & Godzilla, Flyboys is a good movie. |
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Other Recent Articles by MICHAEL JAMES ALLEN:The Top Ten Movies of 2007An Interview with Diablo Cody and Ellen Page of “Juno”An Interview with “The Savages” director, Tamara JenkinsBang! Kapow! BOOM! ‘Nuff said.2 stars for “3:10”
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