Red Dawn raises questions of America’s character
In light of the recent election, numerous Americans have expressed concerns about the future of the country’s foreign relations. The film Red Dawn, released in 2012, explores America’s core values through the reaction of its youth to enemy invasion.
The film opens with high-school football player Matt Eckert living a typical teenage life. He shares a home with dad Tom Eckert, a Spokane Police Sergeant, and brother Jed, a Marine-Corps veteran. It’s business as usual until the rumblings of military jets shatter the glass of this picturesque snow globe town. Silhouettes of rifle-bearing paratroopers darken the sky amidst a backdrop of screaming neighbors and burning houses.
Craftily evading enemy forces in a dramatic car chase, Jed takes the initiative, leading Matt and his friends to the family’s secluded cabin overlooking the city. Before they have a chance to react, North Korean Captain Cho captures and executes their father. Forced together by the common inability to return home - or to whatever remains of it - the group of determined teens establishes a rebel organization named after their local team, the Wolverines.
The 2012 production came as a re-make of the 1984 film Red Dawn, a Cold War-inspired story set in Calumet, Colorado with Soviet and Cuban forces fulfilling antagonist roles. The original movie starred talented actors such as Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, and Jennifer Grey and sparked national interest; however, the newer version- set in Spokane, Washington with North Korean enemy forces- found significantly less success.
One of the film’s few attributes rests in the casting of Chris Hemsworth (Thor) as Jed Eckert, accompanied by Josh Peck (Drake & Josh) as Matt Eckert. Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) plays the role of Robert Kitner, but doesn’t stand out. Will Yun Lee (Witchblade, Bionic Woman) stars as Captain Cho, the Wolverines’ main rival.
The remaining actors fail to give compelling individual performances, including Michael Beach (Soul Food, A Family Thing) as Mayor Jenkins, Adrianne Palicki (G.I. Joe 2) as Jed’s love interest Toni Walsh, and Isabel Lucas (Immortals) as Erica Martin. Dan Bradley, known for his work on The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007), directed the film.
Certainly, the film exhibits a great downfall in its lack of realism related to logistics of the Wolverines’ attacks and the immediate neutralization of U.S. military forces. Furthermore, the 114 minutes of the movie feel drawn-out and repetitive. Rather than drawing to a neat close, the storyline trails off without resolution. The first movie to receive the rating Pg-13, Red Dawn (1984) received attention for containing the most violence of any film produced at that time. Guinness Book of Records counted 134 violent acts per hour (2.23 per minute). The remake followed suit, crammed from beginning to end with repetitive (and unrealistic) gunfights.
On the other hand, the film does spur introspection on the behalf of the viewers, leading them to wonder, “What would I do if my home came under attack?”
The film, with a budget of $65 million, only made $48.1 million after all was said and done, reflecting the public’s lack of interest. To provide some perspective, Red Dawn earned only a 5.4/10 from IMDb. Giving the production a similar rating, film critic Kofi Outlaw said, “Red Dawn feels like more of an overly-fantastical propaganda action film than the serious war drama the original aspired to be.” Overall, viewers should not spend their time and money on Red Dawn, opting instead to check out one of several recent Golden Globe winners.
