Flyboys (B+ or 3/4 stars)
That's right. I'm giving 'Flyboys' (directed by Tony Bill) a B+/3 stars out of 4. Comparatively, I reward it simply because so many other films this year have paled. It's a shame that some other critics aren't in agreement with me. I personally & publically thank my good friend & critic, Kevin Lawlor, for convincing me to give this film a shot. It is 1917 & France is in trouble against the Germans in World War I. 'Flyboys' tells the story of a young group of Americans who come to France with a chance to fight personal demons, learn the innovation of flying, & defeat the German air onslaught. They are the 'Lafayette Escadrille', led by Captain Thenault (a superbly stoic, but underused Jean Reno). Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) is a loose cannon from Texas who comes over to France to escape a jail sentencing.
William (Philip Winchester) comes to fight because all of his relatives were in previous wars. Eddie (David Ellison) comes but soon learns that he is a poor shooter up in the air. Skinner (Abdul Salis) is the black man aboard. He's a prize fighter who gives it up for a life of purpose. And Briggs (Tyler Labine), an elitist, comes to France to prove to himself & his dictatorial father that he can accomplish something in life. These guys are all quietly led by Reed Cassidy (a great Martin Henderson, of The Ring), a man who has killed more Germans than any other pilot in the escadrille. We meet them, learn a bit about their lives, watch their lessons, witness their immediate camaraderie ... and up & away in the air they go.
The young men are put through many rigorous, thought-provoking drills to prepare them for what's ahead. But the only way they can truly learn is by blunt battle in the sky. And we see each & every battle that they must endure. Some guys fall by the wayside. And some of our guys kill their fair share of Germans. But the way in which we see it occur is breathtaking! I know that a fair share of CGI techniques went into effect, but you really could not notice them, that is how good these air battles are. Even if you're not a die hard war movie fanatic, you can appreciate how these 5 or 6 scenes are shot. The aerial maneuvers & elements of mortal combat made me perk up in my seat; that rarely happens with me.
It's important to note that these air sequences are more effective because the director actually took the time to create exposition for both the lead characters (Blaine & Reed) and all of the minor characters. Speaking of Blaine (Franco), another 'arc' to make his perils more meaningful is the love story between him and local girl, Lucienne (a beautiful Jennifer Decker). Their romantic scenes together are both hesitant & sweet (just as they should be). She speaks no English, he speaks no French, and yet, they somehow find a way to make our hearts flutter. This is a throwback to old Hollywood where 'love' feels real, and it doesn't have to include gratuitous sex. The combination of love, drama, & action make this a winner.
That's not to say there aren't shortcomings. Could it have been 10 minutes shorter? Sure. Would I like to have known a bit more about the intriguing Reed (Henderson)? Yes. Is it too cliche to include the token black man, Skinner, and 'only' hear about his struggle to overcome adversity? Yep. But this is nit-picking. It's been so long since I enjoyed a movie like this, one where I don't have to keep a mental note of things that bother me along the way. I was purely entertained!
James Franco recently impressed me in Tristan & Idolde, and he impresses here, as well. Maybe he's finally hitting his stride after some early success (Golden Globe winning portrayal of James Dean). His style of acting works here because Blaine is actually likeable, a trait that some of his more recent roles has lacked. But Franco is only part of the successful equation. Solid acting, storyline, action, & directing put a smile on my face. It's a real shame that this film's success isn't soaring as much as Escadrille's war planes had. I'm tired of reading brilliant reviews of heralded films where multiple Oscar winners lead the cast, only to see that the story stinks. Here's a film with a great story, but no big stars, & delayed backing ... thus, it suffers.
Hollywood war dramas aren't my genre of choice. But I cannot deny a great one when I see it. You feel like you are right in the fuselage, living every nerve-wracking minute with the fellows of the Lafayette Escadrille. You feel their devotion, their fear, their hopes & dreams. Happy endings are hard to find in films like this. There are tears of happiness & sadness. This is what makes the film feel authentic; another reason I respect it. As mentioned earlier, there is an old Hollywood feel to the film. Its look, its lack of obscenities, and lack of vulgarity is refreshing to see. I am almost giving 'Flyboys' a B+ to spite all the 'professional' critics who racked their brains for reasons to dislike it.
William (Philip Winchester) comes to fight because all of his relatives were in previous wars. Eddie (David Ellison) comes but soon learns that he is a poor shooter up in the air. Skinner (Abdul Salis) is the black man aboard. He's a prize fighter who gives it up for a life of purpose. And Briggs (Tyler Labine), an elitist, comes to France to prove to himself & his dictatorial father that he can accomplish something in life. These guys are all quietly led by Reed Cassidy (a great Martin Henderson, of The Ring), a man who has killed more Germans than any other pilot in the escadrille. We meet them, learn a bit about their lives, watch their lessons, witness their immediate camaraderie ... and up & away in the air they go.
The young men are put through many rigorous, thought-provoking drills to prepare them for what's ahead. But the only way they can truly learn is by blunt battle in the sky. And we see each & every battle that they must endure. Some guys fall by the wayside. And some of our guys kill their fair share of Germans. But the way in which we see it occur is breathtaking! I know that a fair share of CGI techniques went into effect, but you really could not notice them, that is how good these air battles are. Even if you're not a die hard war movie fanatic, you can appreciate how these 5 or 6 scenes are shot. The aerial maneuvers & elements of mortal combat made me perk up in my seat; that rarely happens with me.
It's important to note that these air sequences are more effective because the director actually took the time to create exposition for both the lead characters (Blaine & Reed) and all of the minor characters. Speaking of Blaine (Franco), another 'arc' to make his perils more meaningful is the love story between him and local girl, Lucienne (a beautiful Jennifer Decker). Their romantic scenes together are both hesitant & sweet (just as they should be). She speaks no English, he speaks no French, and yet, they somehow find a way to make our hearts flutter. This is a throwback to old Hollywood where 'love' feels real, and it doesn't have to include gratuitous sex. The combination of love, drama, & action make this a winner.
That's not to say there aren't shortcomings. Could it have been 10 minutes shorter? Sure. Would I like to have known a bit more about the intriguing Reed (Henderson)? Yes. Is it too cliche to include the token black man, Skinner, and 'only' hear about his struggle to overcome adversity? Yep. But this is nit-picking. It's been so long since I enjoyed a movie like this, one where I don't have to keep a mental note of things that bother me along the way. I was purely entertained!
James Franco recently impressed me in Tristan & Idolde, and he impresses here, as well. Maybe he's finally hitting his stride after some early success (Golden Globe winning portrayal of James Dean). His style of acting works here because Blaine is actually likeable, a trait that some of his more recent roles has lacked. But Franco is only part of the successful equation. Solid acting, storyline, action, & directing put a smile on my face. It's a real shame that this film's success isn't soaring as much as Escadrille's war planes had. I'm tired of reading brilliant reviews of heralded films where multiple Oscar winners lead the cast, only to see that the story stinks. Here's a film with a great story, but no big stars, & delayed backing ... thus, it suffers.
Hollywood war dramas aren't my genre of choice. But I cannot deny a great one when I see it. You feel like you are right in the fuselage, living every nerve-wracking minute with the fellows of the Lafayette Escadrille. You feel their devotion, their fear, their hopes & dreams. Happy endings are hard to find in films like this. There are tears of happiness & sadness. This is what makes the film feel authentic; another reason I respect it. As mentioned earlier, there is an old Hollywood feel to the film. Its look, its lack of obscenities, and lack of vulgarity is refreshing to see. I am almost giving 'Flyboys' a B+ to spite all the 'professional' critics who racked their brains for reasons to dislike it.