Rating: 
Summary: Great movie but...
Review: This movie is fantastic, however the DVD quality is somewhat lacking. The film, being produced in 1984, looks as though it was not upkept well and when transfered to DVD does not conform to DVD video standards. The sound, is great albeit only in Dobly Stereo (Digital). This feature would have gotten five starts, but for the picture and sound quality.
Rating:
Summary: How soon we forget
Review: For all those (especially those from the former Soviet Union) who dismiss this movie as simple-minded right-wing propaganda I would ask that you read about the Soviet invasions, and the resulting brutalization, of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Afghanistan. The Leninist-Stalinist strain of communism was aggressive and the brutal behavior of the Soviet army during that era is well-documented. The Maoist version is no better (see the Cultural Revolution and the Tianammen Square massacre). As for the idea of high school students managing a small guerrilla war being unrealistic, check out the recent news articles about Burmese rebels led by 12 year old twins. How completely far-fetched! How laughable! But it's true. For the open-minded, Red Dawn is an interesting and thoughtful examination of what could have been. Fortunately, the Reagan administration's economic and military policies led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War without a shot being fired. Quite an accomplishment for a bunch of right-wing warmongerers, don't you think?
Rating:
Summary: A great 80's action/drama
Review: No doubt written by Reagan speechwriters, this anti-communist action film sometimes borders on the ridiculous, (Cuban soldiers spearheading an invasion of the U.S. followed by Russian paratroopers) but it is both enjoyable and, at times, clever (for example,there is a scene where a bumper sticker elicits the slogan "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hand" followed by the camera panning over to a man's corpse holding a gun and a Russian soldier taking the gun out of his hand after having shot him.) At times, as far-fetched as the plot may seem, (especially in retrospect) this movie does stir good old-fashioned feelings of angry patriotism. This movie stands out as one of my favorite movies of the eighties. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10
Rating:
Summary: Why all the outrage?
Review: My goodness this movie can still get some folks worked up can't it? My wife calls me a moderate Republican - which I consider to be a compliment. I like this movie and what it has to say about patriotism, defending ones home, the destruction of the soul due to warfare, and standing by one's family and friends. Isn't it interesting that those films which push so hard beliefs that many find to be offensive, such that the American family is corrupt and dysfunctional ala American Beauty, are heaped with awards and critical acclaim. Yet let a movie be made that promotes somewhat more traditional beliefs like Red Dawn does and it is instantly attacked as a piece of right wing / white supremacist garbage. If one doubts this just look at the comments made by Hillary Clinton in regards to Mel Gibson's movie The Patriot. This movie isn't evil nor is it a handbook for right wing terrorists. It simply takes a scenario that seemed viable in the early 80's and runs with it. Throughout history gurreilla forces have been comprised of the young, old, fat, thin, rich and poor. A fight against an occupation force is alwys vicious and unrelenting. And the Soviets did engage in atrocities in Afghanistan, the Ukraine, and Hungary in 56 and so on. I don't understand why so many find it unbelievable that if they had occupied us they wouldn't have done the same. Perhaps because we are Americans and bad things like that don't happen to us? Well this movie is basically a war movie in the tradition of the forties and at times it isn't very sophisitcated, but by golly it does move out with a purpose. I just find the still active controversy over it to be fun. It definitely shows the difference between we nasty conservatives and the enlightened liberal elites. I for one thought that the mayor of the town, who serves the invaders so easily, could be the poster child for the "new" Centrist Liberals.
Rating:
Summary: Best movie of the '80s, if you grew up in my neighborhood.
Review: If you grew up in the '80s, buy this movie. I remember everyone in my neighborhood bought toy AK-47s and black berets after we saw this movie. I look at "Red Dawn" and it carries me back to a time when I had nothing better to do than run through my neighbors' yards with my buddies and shoot at immaginary Commies. The plot might seem ridiculous (today,) but so what? Aren't movies supposed to be fun? This movie will always have a special place in my heart, and I defy anyone who has a brother to watch the final scene at the railway and not get choked-up.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, but weak DVD transfer... is the VHS better?
Review: I've read enough in these reviews about the inaccuracies of the film's content... WHO CARES, it's a MOVIE! How realistic was "Pocahontas?" Anyway, this was the first movie I saw at the theatre on my own as a child & the FIRST PG-13 movie EVER released (Dreamscape was 2nd). It left QUITE an impression on me and it takes me back.I'd like to add that Amazon's ratings for sound/picture are VERY accurate! I bought the DVD knowing well that it received 3 points for both, and found every point made exactly correct (explosions needing more kick, etc.). But hey, what choice is there, VHS? At least w/ the DVD it won't get any WORSE play after play. Some shots look very dark, etc... but if you like the movie, and you know this coming in, it's worth it. Though there aren't "bonus features," the TRAILER has 3, maybe 4 shots that weren't in the film... including a sound bite by Lea Thompson! That was a nice treat :-) If you want REALISM, get Saving Private Ryan & stop complaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Get out your popcorn and don't choke on the kernels!
Review: The commies pick the wrong town to start their invasion.
This is a fun get even with the bad guys movie. You might anticipate what is going to happen; but you will never outguess the details. Don't ask if an invasion can take place. It has. Now what are you going to do about it? ...
Rating:
Summary: Good movie overall, has some flaws
Review: I saw this movie when I was a kid on cable years ago. I remembered liking it when I was buying DVDs so I picked up a copy. For me the best aspect of the film are the well-executed guerilla fighting scenes. Some war movies will show 2 or 3 battles, this one shows nearly a dozen, and they all work beautifully(realistic firefights, explosions, strategy). The premise was also original and quite strong. Being from Minnesota and living in a rural area, I would watch this movie and go "If I were in that situation, I'd do [whatever] to survive," And in the next scene, the kids were doing that. Or parts where I'd think, "If there was a war going on, wouldn't [whatever] be going on?" and in the next scene, that thing, whatever it may be(executions, interogations, disloyalty, etc.) happened. The part I didn't like about the movie was the rapid killing off of characters in the end half. There are a couple of freedom fighters who die in situations that will leave you thinking "Wait, they survived years of guerilla fighting and were stupid enough to do THAT and get killed?". Well anyway, this movie is definitely worth seeing if you're into the war movie genre. It seems just too good in that it explains everything that is happening and leaves no gaps in the story. I don't think that so many characters had to get killed in the end, though.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting story of occupied America
Review: I like films presenting alternate futures, as long as they don't ask you to accept too many unrealistic premises. This one asks you to accept only one: that Soviet Bloc forces could mount an invasion of the United States in the 80s. This is not altogether unreasonable: as the doctrine of mutually assured destruction made nuclear war untenable, an invasion by conventional forces would have been one way to try to win the Cold War, and the Soviet Bloc did have plenty of conventional forces. But this is not so much about the Cold War as it is about war in general, and the pain and debasement it inflicts on people. Red Dawn could be the story of the French partisans or Philippine guerrillas in WWII, the mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 80s, or any people whose lives are shattered by an invasion of their homeland. Some will fight, some will collaborate, most will suffer. Red Dawn's characters are not cartoon characters. They are kids whose innocence is deformed by merciless guerrilla warfare. They are soldiers who fight fiercely but long to return home. They are frightened men and women trying to survive in an occupied land. The heroes are not perfect, and the villains are not pure evil. The scenes of occupation are also believable: concentration camps filled with possible "troublemakers"; executions of uncooperative civilians; interrogations of key people to ferret out possible threats; or simply even off-duty soldiers playing tourist. These contribute to the authenticity of atmosphere of occupation, as does the extra effort to have the invading forces speak their real languages, translated in subtitles. The scenes of guerrilla warfare are particularly well-crafted. Combat scenes are magnificently shot in all types of environment: forests, valleys, deserts, canyons, mountains; from firefights in falling snow to raids in the scorching heat of the sun. War film fans will not be disappointed. That in essence is what Red Dawn is: a war film. Not an action film like Rambo. Not a piece of cheap patriotism. Rather, an intriguing and credible portrayal of what an occupied America would be like, as seen through the eyes of the resistance.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining paranoia
Review: This is an entertaining piece of mild, right-wing paranoia which centers on a group of teenage partisans fighting World War III in Colorado. The film is interesting for the numbers of soon-to-be stars that it brings together, including Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey. Watch for Ben Johnson as the embattled rancher-type who aids the partisans, and Powers Boothe as the "Eagle driver" (that's an F-15 for the uninitiated) who joins the band after being shot down. I am continually amazed at the numbers of people who invest fiction with the obligation to have a solid grounding in fact (so far as that is even possible in storytelling-- or history). This is an entirely made-up scenario. The Cubans and Nicaraguans are nowhere near ready to take us on . . . um . . . so far as I know. As a story, as entertainment, the film works. I saw it in the theaters at the shank end of the Cold War and the audience was in no way critical of a bunch of Red soldiers getting blown away. Though less relevant in the context of the New World Order (`doubt if this will be on the viewing schedule at the White House) _Red Dawn_ evokes a feeling of militant patriotism-- just what I expect from John Milius. Great shoot-em-ups, but also a thought provoking scene a the local drive-in turned "re-education camp." One suspects that "the drive-in" is where a lot of us would end up. If not up in the hills. Why four stars and not five? There are some gaps in the plot (particularly with respect to how the bad guys got hold of and implanted a homing device in one of the partisans) that really jar. But again, that is a criticism directed towards the storyteller, not to the essence of the story. Best viewed with like-minded friends.
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