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Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag [Blu-ray]
![Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag [Blu-ray] Image](/shop/cache/B001BEK88S.jpg) |
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
Find all by Image Entertainment
Directed By: Stephen Low
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Theatrical Release: December 2, 2008
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Starring: John Stratton, Robert Novotny, Sam Morgan, Randy Cason, Michel Perron
A state-of-the-art, edge-of-your-seat experience! Get in the cockpit with the world's best pilots to witness the most challenging flying of their careers! Follow a young American pilot as he makes his way through Red Flag - the world's most intense, simulated air war, training event - where U.S. and international pilots, ground crews, mechanics and rescue personnel are taken to the limits of their endurance. Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag delivers speeds of up to 800 miles per hour with thundering, roaring, screaming sound and stunning aerobatics that will blow you away! Filmed over the Nevada desert with unprecedented access to military procedures, the film features an enormous armada of aircraft!
User Submitted Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag [Blu-ray] Reviews
November 9, 2008
This hurts my brain...
I'm watching the movie as I type this and I gotta say, I agree completely with Flightjunkie's comments. I have an aviation background so of course I wasn't expecting to learn anything new in an IMAX movie of all places but jeez, this film insults my intelligence. I was expecting *at least* some spiffy in-flight shots to show off my HD setup but I'm *extremely* disappointed to find that many, many of the shots have been tampered with in post-production. This consists of VERY apparent (to the educated eye!) insertions of green-screened cgi jets, bogus HUD shots, videogame-style AWACS graphics and really just green-screen effects galore. And to my friend that testified that the explosions are not fake, well okay they're not CGI but you obviously have not seen what an A-10 can do to a tank in real life. Hint: It does more to a than toss a few pretty sparks into the air. SQUIBS! And dear god, enough with the obligatory flare shots! I have visions of the director sitting in his director's chair acting out his favorite scene from Office Space and screaming, "Yes! Give me more FLARE! MORE FLARE!" Why they are using flare during close-range gun combat I'll never know... Wait I do know, because the movie was directed and edited by morons and they think the audience doesn't know the difference. The lighting, editing, general direction and "story" are in the usual flavor of IMAX Cheddar Cheese but that's to be expected, and even forgiven if it contained some decent shots but it does not.
The only cool part in the movie was the C-5 in-flight refueling; that's something you don't see everyday. Oh, and the cover photo is sorta neat. Ya I'm pretty sure that's about it.
In conclusion, unless you are 6 years old or know absolutely NOTHING about aviation or air combat, you are wasting your time and money. They gave this film such a Hollywood treatment that it ends up feeling like a Bruckheimer B-movie. You would be better served watching Top Gun. The IMAX guys have hit an all-time low. It ends up feeling like a horrible parody of the real thing and it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. I give it 2 stars because I got it for cheap (well compared to other BD's), it did in fact contain a film on the disc and hey, I should have known better. Joke's on me! Very, very disappointing.
November 3, 2008
tennesseecurt
Excellent video, if you love the air and our military you will love this video. Thank you for explaining how great our military is.
October 28, 2008
Fighter Pilot - Operation Red Flag
If you stare into the sky until your neck hurts when you see a jet fly by, if you love our Air Force pilots for their bravery, patriotism, and all the sacrifices they have made and are still making, then you must watch this video. This is a multinational exercise and shows not the competition, but the great cooperation and comradery that exists between fellow aces. This is the real deal. The skill, the training, the dedication are all apparent. And you get to watch some really incredible flying!
October 25, 2008
A view from the inside
I know this world well--flew from Nellis for 3 years against all of these aircraft, targets, and all through this airspace. Overall, I think this documentary does what they set out to do, and I think it tells a good, but overly spectacular story of Red Flag.
There is no doubt that this film is filled with CGI aircraft effects, rigged explosions, questionable flying tactics, and conversation/terminology that you just don't hear in a real training battle. I thought I would offer up the "why." Much like Top Gun, movie producers quickly learned that the "real thing" doesn't make for very engaging movie material. The real thing includes spread out formations, intense radar work, and shooting long range missiles from 30,000 feet, often without ever seeing the bandit with your own eyeballs. None of this shows too well on the big screen, so they have to "juice it up" by bringing all of the aircraft together into the same video frame, move the fight down to treetop level to convey the speed, and throw in a bunch of aileron rolls because they look cool (even though they don't make the guy behind you spit out in front of you). The CGI fills in the gaps where the AF wouldn't fly the requested maneuvers due to safety reasons.
As for the rigged explosions, there are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that the directors/producers wanted a "from the target" view of the bombs and bullets hitting, which I must say came out really cool. To film that actual aircraft's ordnance hitting the target would have meant losing their camera and the film in the course of the explosion. The other thing is that the rigged explosings can be crafted to be especially "fiery" whereas real world bombs look like gray, soot-filled explosions and don't cut the mustard for the Hollywood types.
The last thing that really varies from the real battle is the communications between pilots. To put it simply, it they were to use real terminology, only other military pilots that knew the lingo would be able to follow the action. The target audience would be totally lost. So they toss in some of the lingo, and then typically have the pilot "explain it" in english, all in the same radio call.
Does any of the above wreck the movie? Only if you're really familiar with the way it really happens. My biggest complaint is that the CGI additions to the dogfight look fake. On the other hand, they look a lot better than they did in Air Force One, which I'm sure had a lot bigger special effects budget. For whatever reason, the CG folks just haven't figured out tactical aviation yet, so I'd rather them just show me the real thing, even if it isn't quite as spectacular.
October 18, 2008
awesome - Made My BlueRay Player Purchase Worth It
I purchased this, like my blueray player on a whim. It sat unwatched for a couple of weeks until today. OMG - if you like military aviation - there is nothing better out there. The photography is incredible. Be warned - there are some inflight combat shots that I had to rewind to make sure they were real - they are. It is just that you have never seen it from the perspective that It was shot - amazing stuff. Tip: crank up your surround sound and sub woofer. Some of the take off scenes in particular sound and feel like you are standing right there on the flightlne when they take off - simply awesome .
October 14, 2008
Saw on Netflix View it Now. Gotta have now!
I found this video on Netflix. I watched it on the "View it Now" feature. Now I've gotta see this in full resolution. I would have been happy getting the DVD, (don't have a blue ray player, or compatible television yet) but finding out that the bonus disc is a Windows Media Player compatible format that plays at the full 1080p makes me want to order this next day air. From a production standpoint, anyone that loves airshows MUST HAVE this DVD. This from someone who has only seen it in a low quality format. I can't wait to see the WMVHD quality on my computer. Funny thing is I don't remember hearing about this when it would have been new in Imax theatres. What a bummer that I wasn't able to see it on the big screen.
September 15, 2008
awesome!
This is an awesome film about the red flag excercise that happens every year @ nellis afb nevada. the sounds on this thing are phenomenal when viewed with a bose or similar system. my only complaint is the picture is a little jumpy at times due to formatting to fit the screen. the film has been formatted from imax to dvd....it won't be seamless. if you have ever been in the AF this is a no brainer purchase. excellent addition to my dvd collection!
September 13, 2008
Fighter Pilot - Operation Red Flag
Great videography and narration. Excellent footage of a wide-range of uses for jet fighters. Highly recommended to all!
August 3, 2008
Great inside look at the Air Force
This is a short 40 minute IMAX movie that I saw at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum. I really enjoyed learning more about the Air Force and how they train. It is a great look at the sophistication of their machines and training programs. It's a little disorienting, but the effect on IMAX is awesome. It would probably be only 4 stars on a regular screen. Highly recommended.
June 12, 2008
One of the best!
I currently have about 23 IMAX DVDs, and Fighter Pilot ranks among my favorites. It's a look into the intense training and responsibility given to the pilots, and a having a seat in the jet is thrilling. You get a handle on how these jets, under the guidance of an experienced pilot, are formidable weapons. You also get a feel for the intense multi-tasking the pilots must do during combat. I definitely have a greater respect for these pilots. This film is one of few that I can watch multiple times and enjoy it just as much each timne. I am using a 7 x 9 foot screen, and if you want to get the most of the IMAX film techniques, this is the way to go.
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