Film Review: Reviewed By Terry Staunton; 3 out of 5

This action-packed movie inspired by real-life events tells the story of the Second World War's first all-black fighter squadron, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Stationed in Italy, but restricted to picking off the remnants of German ground forces because military top brass believe the "negro" has the wrong temperament for aerial combat, the fliers (overseen by major Cuba Gooding Jr) campaign for the chance to engage the Luftwaffe in the skies. Director Anthony Hemingway, a veteran of TV series The Wire and Treme, weaves a powerful civil rights message into an otherwise traditional wartime yarn of conflict and camaraderie. The acting and dialogue may veer (perhaps intentionally) towards the stiff-upper-lip clichés of vintage fighter ace films, but executive producer George Lucas brings a healthy dose of his Star Wars magic to the CGI of the spectacular aerial sequences.

Plot Summary

Black US fighter pilots serving in Italy during the Second World War face a struggle against the racism of their fellow airmen and are relegated to patrol duties. However, as the air force faces dwindling numbers, they are given the chance to prove their worth in combat against the German luftwaffe. Fact-based adventure, starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr.