"Hey Johnny! You saw Flyboys, right? May I ask a couple of questions?"
Yeah, but make it snappy. I've got a life to get back to, and I ain't exactly getting' paid for this.
"You all right? You seem a little testy."
Yeah, sorry. I was just listening to Ray LaMontagne's Jolene. Great song, but man, it'll make you slit your wrists if you're not in the right mood. Please, continue.
"So this is based on a true story?"
Pretty much. There's only one real name used in the movie (Jean Reno's Capt. Georges Thenault), but the rest of the characters are composites of real-life WWI pilots. Beware of "Internet geniuses" (AKA "keyboard warriors") trying to show off their unjustified self-supposed wisdom by complaining that they don't think there were black fighter pilots in WWI.
If they'd bothered to do about two minutes of research then they would have learned that the character of Eugene Skinner (Abdul Salis) is probably the most complete parallel to a historical character. Skinner's real-life counterpart, Eugene Bullard, fled to Scotland, worked as a boxer in Europe, joined the Lafayette Escadrille, and became history's first black fighter pilot. Take THAT, Mr. Type-First-Ask-Questions-Later!
So while names may have been changed (for what reason, I don't know), the filmmakers maintain that the majority of the movie (approximately 90% if you believe the press notes) is based on real characters and actual events.
"How's the movie?"
I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's somewhat predictable, it enlists the help of tried and true clichés, there's not much depth beyond the story's surface, and there's an obligatory romance that guys will have to tolerate, but the film knows not to linger too long and is always quick to jump back to the fantastic action.
If you want a comparison then think of it this way - Titanic is a romance with ship-sinking action thrown into the mix, whereas Flyboys is an action film with a little romance thrown in. I prefer the latter.
"You liked this more than Titanic?"
Yep. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio's overly round, perennially prepubescent face disturbs me, but I digress. The aerial cinematography and dogfights are so impressive that if you have any interest in seeing the movie at all then it definitely should be seen on the big screen. The Zeppelin scene especially can't be done justice on a paltry home entertainment system. I'm telling you, you won't be able to distinguish between what's real and what's CGI.
I also liked most of the characters and the inherent humor that results from their interactions. James Franco is on the cusp of becoming a major star.
"How does this compare with other war movies?"
To be honest, I wouldn't classify this as a "war movie" in the Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down sense of the phrase. Rather than preach one way or the other about atrocities or necessities of war, Flyboys simply sets out to give us a brief glimpse at a forgotten group of heroes from a war that Hollywood has neglected for the past 40 years, all while entertaining audiences with a unique look at the aerial combat that military and aviation historians have come to call "the last gentleman's war."
If you want a more in-depth historical study regarding the events portrayed in the film then I'm sure there's a documentary or two out there. If you're just in the mood to watch lots of cool stuff go boom then Flyboys is the best the Fall has to offer. There aren't many "action" films that are safe for family consumption, but this one passes with *wait for it* flying colors!
*ahem*
I apologize for that.
Yeah, but make it snappy. I've got a life to get back to, and I ain't exactly getting' paid for this.
"You all right? You seem a little testy."
Yeah, sorry. I was just listening to Ray LaMontagne's Jolene. Great song, but man, it'll make you slit your wrists if you're not in the right mood. Please, continue.
"So this is based on a true story?"
Pretty much. There's only one real name used in the movie (Jean Reno's Capt. Georges Thenault), but the rest of the characters are composites of real-life WWI pilots. Beware of "Internet geniuses" (AKA "keyboard warriors") trying to show off their unjustified self-supposed wisdom by complaining that they don't think there were black fighter pilots in WWI.
If they'd bothered to do about two minutes of research then they would have learned that the character of Eugene Skinner (Abdul Salis) is probably the most complete parallel to a historical character. Skinner's real-life counterpart, Eugene Bullard, fled to Scotland, worked as a boxer in Europe, joined the Lafayette Escadrille, and became history's first black fighter pilot. Take THAT, Mr. Type-First-Ask-Questions-Later!
So while names may have been changed (for what reason, I don't know), the filmmakers maintain that the majority of the movie (approximately 90% if you believe the press notes) is based on real characters and actual events.
"How's the movie?"
I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's somewhat predictable, it enlists the help of tried and true clichés, there's not much depth beyond the story's surface, and there's an obligatory romance that guys will have to tolerate, but the film knows not to linger too long and is always quick to jump back to the fantastic action.
If you want a comparison then think of it this way - Titanic is a romance with ship-sinking action thrown into the mix, whereas Flyboys is an action film with a little romance thrown in. I prefer the latter.
"You liked this more than Titanic?"
Yep. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio's overly round, perennially prepubescent face disturbs me, but I digress. The aerial cinematography and dogfights are so impressive that if you have any interest in seeing the movie at all then it definitely should be seen on the big screen. The Zeppelin scene especially can't be done justice on a paltry home entertainment system. I'm telling you, you won't be able to distinguish between what's real and what's CGI.
I also liked most of the characters and the inherent humor that results from their interactions. James Franco is on the cusp of becoming a major star.
"How does this compare with other war movies?"
To be honest, I wouldn't classify this as a "war movie" in the Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down sense of the phrase. Rather than preach one way or the other about atrocities or necessities of war, Flyboys simply sets out to give us a brief glimpse at a forgotten group of heroes from a war that Hollywood has neglected for the past 40 years, all while entertaining audiences with a unique look at the aerial combat that military and aviation historians have come to call "the last gentleman's war."
If you want a more in-depth historical study regarding the events portrayed in the film then I'm sure there's a documentary or two out there. If you're just in the mood to watch lots of cool stuff go boom then Flyboys is the best the Fall has to offer. There aren't many "action" films that are safe for family consumption, but this one passes with *wait for it* flying colors!
*ahem*
I apologize for that.