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Red Dawn | Year: 1984 Classification: Action/Adventure Actors/Actresses: - Jennifer Grey - C Thomas Howell - Charlie Sheen - William Smith - Patrick Swayze - Lea Thompson "Because We Live Here" Cast your mind back to the 1980s. The Soviet Union suffers its worst agricultural crisis in fifty-five years. Communist Cuba and Nicaragua each reach troop strength levels of 500,000, infiltrating and fomenting Marxist revolution in Mexico. The Green Party takes control of the West German government and bans American nuclear missiles on German soil, leaving Europe undefended to Warsaw Pact troops in the East and causing the eventual dissolution of NATO. In Colorado, on a crisp, clear autumn morning, Soviet paratroopers who infiltrated the country on passenger planes drop from the skies on an unsuspecting little town in the heart of America, thus starting World War III. When the war starts, a group of teenagers in Colorado escape to the neighboring mountains where they eventually wage a limited guerilla war against the Russian, Cuban, and Nicaraguan soldiers occupying their town. This is the premise of John Milius's 1984 film "Red Dawn." This group of kids call themselves "Wolverines" after the name of their high school. Using captured military weapons and equipment, they attack troop columns, tanks, a prison camp, and eventually the town itself in order to defend their homeland. The kids cannot expect much help from American military forces, as the region in which they fight sits some forty miles behind enemy lines. When an American pilot shot down by Soviet fighter jets encounters the Wolverines, the larger picture of the conflict becomes clear. The Russians launched tactical nuclear strikes against military installations throughout the middle section of the country, knocking out Omaha, Nebraska (where I live, of course), Kansas City, and missile sites in the Dakotas. England stands alone in Europe, and the only ally the United States can rely upon is a decimated China. In an effort to capture badly needed grain, the Russians refuse to use nuclear weapons again. Instead, they hope a conventional invasion of the American heartland will alleviate the food shortage. The land invasion came in two waves: the first arrived from Siberia via Canada; the second came from the south through Mexico. The American forces stopped both prongs of the attack and now wage war to drive out the communist invaders. Denver suffers under a lengthy siege as the federal government broadcasts messages of hope from free zones in California. As one should expect, "Red Dawn" is not an upbeat movie. This is a violent war film filled with messages about the values of freedom, patriotism, and the belief that there will always be people in this country willing to stand up against foreign aggression. The cast list reads like a who's who of young Hollywood in the 1980s: Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey, and C. Thomas Howell all play large roles in the proceedings. Powers Boothe appears in the role of the American fighter pilot who briefly works with the Wolverines, and Harry Dean Stanton does a turn as an imprisoned father who pays the ultimate A classic Cold War movie that still packs a punch! One of the best action thrillers of the 1980s is now available to buy on DVD here in the UK, and it was well worth the money! I remember seeing this when it first came out. Amazing to see such an impressive cast that went on to bigger things - Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen and Lea Thompson among others. The story concerns a sudden invasion by Russian and Cuban forces into midwestern US, which takes everyone by surprise. Enter some spectacular military action scenes up Main Street as US Army helicopters blast Russian tanks to pieces, then our young heroes head for the mountains and learn to survive and develop guerilla warfare skills. They begin with pump-action shotguns and it isn't long before they end up with antitank missiles and AK-47s. Plenty of action and explosions for gung-ho fans and the new resistance, the Wolverines, take on the Soviet and Cuban forces. But . . . in time, they are not only trying to save themselves and their families from the enemy's firing squads and interrogation camps(at the drive-in. loved that nice touch!), but from their own fears and insecurities as their own comrades gradually get killed in action. The second half of the movie shows that wars can affect people in different ways - notably Powers Boothe as a downed F-15 pilot. Overall, this is one not to be missed. Authentic Russian military hardware(except the obviously disguised French Puma transport choppers which are too big for Hind Mi-24 gunships), pulsating action, great sound effects for your DVD, plausible scenarios(the descriptions of how WW3 was fought and how Europe fared was also thrown in well) and good performances from the cast. An eighties classic which should be in everyone's movie collection! Red Sunset Dreary "What-If" movie about a bunch of brat packers (a militia group calling themselves "The Wolverines") revolting against Soviet occupied America. The action/battle sequences are third-rate, the characters are one dimensional, and the script is very lame and predictable. The film's core point-of-view is a time-capsule for the Reagan Era paranoia of the evil red empire (Russia). Only thing worth watching in the film is the outdoor wilderness location shots, otherwise there is nothing that is remotely of value in this terrible John Milius film. If this reviewer was a wolverine, I would be very offended by this film. Buy Red Dawn at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Red Dawn Search with the Priority Search Engine on Red Dawn This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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