Red Dawn

Rating:
Summary: Classic Cold War Thriller still packs an explosive punch!
Review: I remember when this film was first released in 1984, and the controversy surrounding it, became a major topic of discussion among my friends in school. The first PG-13 rated movie to come out into theaters. Yet, despite its right-wing overtones, this film was definately a classic from the start. From beginning to end. And with a cast of brat-packers that would go on to major careers like Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, Powers Boothe, Jennifer Grey, and the like. It even had some classic actors from films from the past like Harry Dean Stanton, William Smith, Ron O'Neal, the late Ben Johnson, Roy Jensen, and the late Vladek Sheybal.

Filmed on location in New Mexico, Red Dawn tells the story of the Russians and Cubans invading the United States, and how a group of teenagers, along with a downed U.S. Air Force pilot, fight back against the Communists with everything they have. Like true patriots, they fight for their country, their families, and their homes. Yet, at the same time, while killing off as many of the Communists as they can, some of them get killed off as well. The scene where Robert (C. Thomas Howell) is killed by two Russian helicopters is the most memorable. the characters are muti-dimensional and real, as they are shown as young kids forced into manhood at an alarming rate. These are tragic characters that you feel for and care about as the movie progresses.

Despite what some people say about the film, I enjoyed it. This was a movie that I constantly watched when it was on cable, and I could immediately relate to it. Having grown up during the Cold War era, the idea of the Communists invading the USA, was a frightening scenario. And it was a real one. It could have happened, giving the circumstances that the Russians were going through at the time.

If you enjoy classic war movies and the works of the young actors in this film, check out Red Dawn. It's a film worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: "Because We Live Here"
Review: Cast your mind back to the 1980s. The Soviet Union suffers its worst agricultural crisis in fifty-five years. Communist Cuba and Nicaragua each reach troop strength levels of 500,000, infiltrating and fomenting Marxist revolution in Mexico. The Green Party takes control of the West German government and bans American nuclear missiles on German soil, leaving Europe undefended to Warsaw Pact troops in the East and causing the eventual dissolution of NATO. In Colorado, on a crisp, clear autumn morning, Soviet paratroopers who infiltrated the country on passenger planes drop from the skies on an unsuspecting little town in the heart of America, thus starting World War III. When the war starts, a group of teenagers in Colorado escape to the neighboring mountains where they eventually wage a limited guerilla war against the Russian, Cuban, and Nicaraguan soldiers occupying their town. This is the premise of John Milius's 1984 film "Red Dawn."

This group of kids call themselves "Wolverines" after the name of their high school. Using captured military weapons and equipment, they attack troop columns, tanks, a prison camp, and eventually the town itself in order to defend their homeland. The kids cannot expect much help from American military forces, as the region in which they fight sits some forty miles behind enemy lines. When an American pilot shot down by Soviet fighter jets encounters the Wolverines, the larger picture of the conflict becomes clear. The Russians launched tactical nuclear strikes against military installations throughout the middle section of the country, knocking out Omaha, Nebraska (where I live, of course), Kansas City, and missile sites in the Dakotas. England stands alone in Europe, and the only ally the United States can rely upon is a decimated China. In an effort to capture badly needed grain, the Russians refuse to use nuclear weapons again. Instead, they hope a conventional invasion of the American heartland will alleviate the food shortage. The land invasion came in two waves: the first arrived from Siberia via Canada; the second came from the south through Mexico. The American forces stopped both prongs of the attack and now wage war to drive out the communist invaders. Denver suffers under a lengthy siege as the federal government broadcasts messages of hope from free zones in California.

As one should expect, "Red Dawn" is not an upbeat movie. This is a violent war film filled with messages about the values of freedom, patriotism, and the belief that there will always be people in this country willing to stand up against foreign aggression. The cast list reads like a who's who of young Hollywood in the 1980s: Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey, and C. Thomas Howell all play large roles in the proceedings. Powers Boothe appears in the role of the American fighter pilot who briefly works with the Wolverines, and Harry Dean Stanton does a turn as an imprisoned father who pays the ultimate price for his beliefs in America. While the cast is solid, the script does suffer a few groan worthy moments. Lea Thompson endures the worst lines, as she is prone to cryptic statements about the new conditions all of the characters face after the invasion. Despite her crummy dialogue, Thompson is insanely hot in a beret and grubby military clothing. No one should look this good after living a guerilla existence for months on end, but Thompson manages it with an alluring grunginess. Swayze approaches perfection in the role of Jed, the oldest member of the group and its official leader. He does an excellent job conveying the pain of war and the sense of loss associated with murdered family members.

Apparently, some Americans who rooted for the Reds in the 1980s heaped scorn on this movie, attacking it for its unrealistic WWIII scenario. Maybe a land invasion of the United States does appear impracticable, but so did the idea that someone would fly two passenger planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Besides, Milius and company doesn't present the invading armies as mindless automatons. There are evil characters here, especially the Russian commander who discovers what it feels like to look at the wrong end of an RPG and the thug (played with chilling effectiveness by William Smith) brought in to hunt down the Wolverines. One need only look at the Colonel Bella character to know that "Red Dawn" isn't a total puff piece. Bella, an old Cuban partisan from the early revolutionary days, grudgingly comes to respect the Wolverines for their hardy resistance. Bella hates the endless killing and wishes to return to Cuba to spend time with his wife. The introduction of the Cuban colonel should deflect some criticism about how every communist portrayed in the film is a ruthless killer.

After recently viewing the film after some years, I discovered that it still works on many levels despite what the commissars in Hollywood claimed. "Red Dawn" still has the power to shock the viewer, still possesses the ability to bring to the fore a sense of patriotism and pride in American values. Sometimes it is difficult to believe anyone would stand up for this country, especially when we see the airheads on television and in movies with their endless blathering about such empty topics as their latest relationship and material possessions. "Red Dawn" reminds us that plenty of Americans, regardless of age, respect this country's ideals and don't like the idea of foreign armies invading their space. I still like "Red Dawn" after all these years, but I would like to see a decent DVD release. The transfer on this version is poor, and the only substantive extra is a trailer (which does contain several scenes not seen in the film). "Red Dawn" deserves better.

Rating:
Summary: Chest beating, flag waving, red blooded American entertainme
Review: Oh the 80's. Reagan was in office and those evil Russian Communists from the Godless U.S.S.R. wanted to wipe us off the planet. This film has Patrick Swayzee and Charlie Sheen fighting off a Russian invasion in the American heartland. They are civilians, but they create a group of guerilla fighters that would do John Rambo proud. Hey even Rambo never drank blood! Anyway as far fetched as this movie may be, you have to remember that ever since Sputnik went up, there was always Russian hysteria up until the final moment the Soviet Union fell apart. For a nostalgic look at 80's life and political views, Red Dawn is a slice of Hollywood history.

Rating:
Summary: Good Action Movie
Review: Wow, reading most of the reviews here you would think instead of reading a reivew of a "fictious" movie on Amazon.com you were on some liberal undergrould anti-Regan website. I suppose that this is the only place that you lib's and Regan haters can get your voices heard. If you would like a serious debate or conversation about Regan there are may places you can go, but you don't want to be there because you have no way of supporting your vision.

Anyway. This is a very good action movie. Many stars of today are presented here and they do a good job and help make the movie enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of action and a good but unrealistic plot !
Review: Alright, this movie is a typical 80's film that also plays during that time. Ronald Reagan was still in office at the time, and I believe "Red Dawn" was first released in 1983. I was in high school at the time and remember reading about this movie.

The plot was, even back in those days of the revived cold War (thanks to Reagan) pretty unlikely. Soviet and Cuban Troops using commercial airliners descend upon an unsuspecting America in order to reek havoc and conquer most of the continental USA. But nonetheless the story was somehow compelling and captivating.
Astonishing in retrospective is how many young would be stars were in the cast of this war and action thriller. Virtually all of them would become big movie stars of the 80's and beyond.

What makes this movie special, however, is the fact that it is not just some run of the mill war and action flick. The story is well conceived, since the surprise attack on America is not entirely successful and members of a local high school football team (somewhere in the midwest) decided to fight the invaders. The movie becomes rather dramatized when the viewers discover that most of the parents of that football team have been put in concentration camps. The kids of those misfortunate parents now swear to take revenage. While the motley crew of mostly scared teenagers first have to settle their own differences among themselves they begin to develop guerilla tactics against the invaders. These hit and run tactics become more and more effective as the rebels also capture modern weapons during their raids.

The movie has an enormous benefit for anyone who knows something about military weapons, since almost all of the weapons employed (whether soviet or US) are real or look very real. Back then in the 80's it was a lot of fun seeing russian tanks and jets and not some slightly disguised mock up models fight against those rebels.

A lot of reviews have mentioned that this movie was intended as a praise for the 2nd amendment; maybe so, I really don't know, but it seems like the makers were part of the then popular conservative right-wing pro Reagan Programm, who saw the Soviet Union as the "evil empire".
Anyways, if one can ignore the political message of this film, then it is a well done action thriller certainly worth watching. It should be kept in mind, however, that one really has to go back mentally to an 80's setting and atmosphere in order to fully enjoy this movie, since the world has obivously changed fundamentally since the demise of the Soviet Union and the former East Block.

Rating:
Summary: Swayze for President
Review: I agree with other reviewers on some points of their analysis of this movie: how it reflects cold war anxiety, is a bit gung-ho, doesn't exactly embrace reality and is a teenage Rambo dream fighting those nasty Reds!

I saw this movie as an early teen in that tender age when certain movies have the potential to blindside you and completely freak you out. Had I seen this recently this wouldn't have happened but as it was, this movie stands as the ultimate testament of scared teens caught up in the violence and bizarreness of the cold war.

Viewed through mature eyes you will notice the acting flaws, silly dialogue and some melodrama. But Red Dawn is the classic cheeseball "cold war-turned hot" type of movie that you shouldn't miss. Festooned with brat packers, gun battles and New Mexico scenery, how can you go wrong? The DVD clearly should have more features on it but MGM took the easy way out unfortunately. Interviews, "making of" and other aspects would have been great but oh well.

Rating:
Summary: Great action epic!!
Review: This is the review the liberal censors don't want you to see: The fact that whining liberal saps yip and yap and complain - "Oh no, people in this movie fight for their country! Oh, the horror of it all!" - should not take away from the simple fact that this is a fun, shoot 'em up action flick that the gung ho guy who remembers playing guns in the woods will surely enjoy.

"Oh no, guns!" cry the worthless liberals. That's right, guns. Lots of cool guns in great action scenes, showing the "Wolverines" knocking out invading Ruskies. Watch this and you'll remember cries of "RPG!" Awesome action as these kids defend against invaders from the sky.

"The Americans are fighting invaders! They sing God Bless America! Oh, the horror of it all!" say the people ashamed of their country. Somewhere along the line it became a crime to be a person with strength of will and a belief that one should be willing to fight for what one loves and believes in. Those people should shut up and cower in the corner. This is a powerful movie.

Is this a political movie? No, it's a action movie! You'd have to be drinking the Kool Aid to think otherwise. It's a movie about war in your own backyard! Whine, whine, whine, but the facts won't change: This is all about the cool action, with a great young cast. Go whine about this movie to your vegan friends, not here.

This is a great movie from the 1980s, and while this DVD release stinks - we want a Special Edition - it is good enough to satisfy action buffs. Just don't show it to your pathetic liberal "friends."

Rating:
Summary: Good Action Movie
Review: Wow, reading most of the reviews here you would think instead of reading a reivew of a "fictious" movie on Amazon.com you were on some liberal undergrould anti-Regan website. I suppose that this is the only place that you lib's and Regan haters can get your voices heard. If you would like a serious debate or conversation about Regan there are may places you can go, but you don't want to be there because you have no way of supporting your vision.

Anyway. This is a very good action movie. Many stars of today are presented here and they do a good job and help make the movie enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of action and a good but unrealistic plot !
Review: Alright, this movie is a typical 80's film that also plays during that time. Ronald Reagan was still in office at the time, and I believe "Red Dawn" was first released in 1983. I was in high school at the time and remember reading about this movie.

The plot was, even back in those days of the revived cold War (thanks to Reagan) pretty unlikely. Soviet and Cuban Troops using commercial airliners descend upon an unsuspecting America in order to reek havoc and conquer most of the continental USA. But nonetheless the story was somehow compelling and captivating.
Astonishing in retrospective is how many young would be stars were in the cast of this war and action thriller. Virtually all of them would become big movie stars of the 80's and beyond.

What makes this movie special, however, is the fact that it is not just some run of the mill war and action flick. The story is well conceived, since the surprise attack on America is not entirely successful and members of a local high school football team (somewhere in the midwest) decided to fight the invaders. The movie becomes rather dramatized when the viewers discover that most of the parents of that football team have been put in concentration camps. The kids of those misfortunate parents now swear to take revenage. While the motley crew of mostly scared teenagers first have to settle their own differences among themselves they begin to develop guerilla tactics against the invaders. These hit and run tactics become more and more effective as the rebels also capture modern weapons during their raids.

The movie has an enormous benefit for anyone who knows something about military weapons, since almost all of the weapons employed (whether soviet or US) are real or look very real. Back then in the 80's it was a lot of fun seeing russian tanks and jets and not some slightly disguised mock up models fight against those rebels.

A lot of reviews have mentioned that this movie was intended as a praise for the 2nd amendment; maybe so, I really don't know, but it seems like the makers were part of the then popular conservative right-wing pro Reagan Programm, who saw the Soviet Union as the "evil empire".
Anyways, if one can ignore the political message of this film, then it is a well done action thriller certainly worth watching. It should be kept in mind, however, that one really has to go back mentally to an 80's setting and atmosphere in order to fully enjoy this movie, since the world has obivously changed fundamentally since the demise of the Soviet Union and the former East Block.

Rating:
Summary: RED DAWN
Review: In short dangerous offensive rightwing/republican nonsense.
I am sure Donald Rumsfield loves this horrible pile of crap!