303 Squadron

This Polish-made biopic tells the story of a squadron of Polish pilots that played a crucial part in the Battle of Britain. Emphasising the heroism of the real-life pilots, the movie displays a sincerity in its message that is, unfortunately, not matched by spectacle. It looks cheaply made, and struggles to balance a multi-language script that mires itself in melodrama. Plot points are abandoned with frustrating regularity, and characters' motivations aren't always that clear. The aerial combat is thrilling at times, although it's not always terribly clear, and again is held back by the switches in language. Star Maciej Zakoscielny is dashing as the maverick pilot with a past, but his romance with British intelligence worker Cara Theobold feels hollow and unresolved. It's an ambitious but flawed film; the true story behind 303 Squadron is a lot more interesting than this basic re-enactment.