Red Sky

Red Sky (2014)

Runtime: 108 minutes

Directed by: Mario Van Peebles

Starring: Cam Gigandet, Shane West, Rachael Leigh Cook, Bill Pullman

From: Aldamisa Entertainment

Yep, it's been awhile since I've seen a movie from Ms. Cook so I figured this was the time to. Actually, what inspired me to do this: a few nights ago I had a dream involving her! No, it wasn't any sort of lewd or inappropriate dream. Heck, what I remember of the dream she wasn't even my girlfriend. Sigh... shortly after that I discovered that for the latest issue of People Magazine was their annual deal where they list beautiful women and they had a wacky article up which gave a silly excuse for several famous ladies to appear tastefully NAKED, from Laura Prepon to Stacy Keibler to Rachael herself. I saw the photo and needless to say I greatly enjoyed it.

Anyway, after all that I figured I should check out a movie that I am not sure has actually come out in the United States but has come out elsewhere around the world earlier in the year after being on the shelf for at least a few years. As it's a United States and Russian film, it could be a number of things that made it sit on the shelf for so long. I stumbled upon this copy of the movie (nevermind how) without even looking for it and I've held onto it until the time was right to check it out, and the time is now.

The plot, stolen from the IMDb: “Disgraced Top Gun fighter pilot Butch Masters leads a rogue squad in recovery of a WMD. Masters must navigate a fractured friendship, a love triangle, and must take to the skies to reclaim his military and personal honor.” To expand, the movie starts off with the squad being tricked into killing some civilians and destroying a weapon the military was looking for. That weapon involves changing the composition of oil, making it useless... pretty silly, yeah. Then again, freedom fighters are also involved, so that take for what it's worth.

Besides stating which movie of the past obviously inspired this film, I am glad it mentioned that the hero's name is Butch Masters, as that's a hilarious name. By the way, this is based upon some book I hadn't heard of before called KEROSCENE COWBOYS and that was the original title of the movie until they changed it. I should also mention that director Van Peebles has a key role in the movie, and another co-star is J.C from 'N Sync.

Overall, I'd have to rate the movie as average, and that may only be due to my Rachael fandom. Otherwise... it's mainly a drama, which is fine. Problem is, things don't always make a lot of sense. Yeah, it's one of those films. Then, there's asstagonist behavior. The rogue pilots are assisted on their mission by a random Russian lady, and they start off by acting like pigs while talking to her; I could have done without that. 

But as I was saying, things are average overall, from the story to the action you do see, the dialogue and how things are filmed. At least there was some unintentional humor. There is an end credits song, which was pretty crappy... and thus pretty funny. Also, Rachael (she plays a documentary filmmaker, of all things) helps someone near the end fire off a rocket launcher because he's injured. If little old her would have fired it off on her own... oh my God I wish that would have happened! That would have been amazing and I would have howled with laughter. As is, like I said this is average.

I will return Tuesday night.