Rated PG-13 for language, violence and some intense sequences

By Patrick Sessoms
Beacon Columnist

posted Nov 23, 2012 - 2:41:09pm

The Patrick Swayze "classic" Red Dawn really wasn’t a very good movie. Sure, it’s a fun kind of film for a Sunday afternoon with your buddies, but it’s just so incredibly outdated. So, needless to say, the bar was set pretty low for the remake. This is probably why I hate myself a little for liking it so much.

Chris Hemsworth (better known these days as Thor) takes over the Swayze role, slightly modernized as a marine on leave visiting his dad (Brett Cullen) and brother (Josh Peck), when the North Koreans decide to attack America. It’s a small change, but it makes so much more sense as he gathers a bunch of random high school students to help defend the country. The story revolves around this group of freedom fighters, under their high school mascot's moniker - the Wolverines - utilizing guerrilla tactics to create chaos and destroy the Koreans' moral.

The story is just as ridiculous as the original, but this time around, the Wolverines take on the tactics that Hemsworth learned during his tour in Iraq. This, of course, evokes the very interesting idea that one side's freedom fighter is the other side's terrorist, surprising for a movie so shallow (Hemsworth at one point even says, “Now they’re the bad guys”), but one that really adds to the stakes.

Red Dawn takes a down-and-dirty approach to warfare, thanks to stuntman-turned-director Dan Bradley. When one member of the Wolverines comments that he misses the game Modern Warfare, another reminds them that they are living its tactics. The film is less about them bravely charging into battle and defeating their enemies than about them hiding in the shadows and playing “dirty.” This is not a film that tries to glamorize war.

That being said, it’s still filled with plenty of shootouts and explosions that even Michael Bay would enjoy. However, Bradley’s inexperience behind the camera shows when he resorts to quick cuts and shaky camerawork, which mainly serves to stifle the action sequences. At times it’s almost impossible to tell what’s going until the dust has settled.

Still, Red Dawn is an action flick, which means that no one is really expected to give a performance that will bring audiences to tears. That being said, Hemsworth does what he does best as the hero of the film, delivering a stirring speech or two to call his troops to arms. Morgan is a breath of fresh air when he enters during the third act to shake up the group dynamic of the characters, because they all wear their motivations on their sleeves.

Red Dawn is one of the best remakes I've seen: It gets the job done and improves on the original. I certainly had no intentions of liking it when the opening credits started rolling, but it proved me wrong. Trust that it’s worth the price of admission even despite its shortcomings.

Stars & Popcorn grade: 2 1/2 stars, 4 popcorn

— Born and raised in the sunshine state, Patrick grew up loving movies. He’s currently attending the University of Central Florida and is a Cinema Studies major. Along with being the president of Stars and Popcorn, he’s a player in the independent comics scene.

Sponsored by Liebe Entertainment Group, Marketplace 8. Click here to see showtimes for Red Dawn

Visit Stars and Popcorn at www.starsandpopcorn.com

Patrick Sessoms — Born and raised in the sunshine state, Patrick grew up loving movies. He’s currently attending the University of Central Florida and is a Cinema Studies major. Along with being the president of Stars and Popcorn, he’s a player in the independent comics scene.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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