Unsettling and effective film that takes the viewer on a disturbing journey with the main characters. It reminded me of Lord of the Flies the way ordinary youth were dealing with extraordinary circumstances. Some of the characters adapted to this survival at all costs better than others. The casting and script was smart for this type of picture. Howell got a taste for killing and hungered for more. Thompson played a hardened woman who was also game for warfare. Swayze was the leader and was conflicted; at the beginning he was gung ho but as the movie wore on his conscious caught up with him. I enjoyed seeing the reaction of war veteran Powers Booth to the characters. To me this film was very thoughtful and did not glorify the violence. It was actually quite disturbing and made me wonder if the better fate was to die or survive such an event.

Red Dawn (1984) is one of the best movies ever made. The movie is about a group of friends that love their homes, country, and families, and is deeply meaningful. Its also about kids maturing to adults during an ultimate 'what if' scenario.Some of my favorite scenes include:Jed writing the names of his loved ones on pride rock, including his own and Matti's, so they can be remembered after they die. The group's debate and turmoil over Daryl's betrayal. The cold hatred of Robert to shoot a life long friend. Daryl stumbling to pull down Robert's mask in a gesture of 'who have you become,' and Robert jumps on his horse and rides away. The next scene when Jed is crying in the forest. This is especially meaningful because earlier in the movie Jed's Dad asks him to never cry again, and Jed later instills the message to his friends when their families are killed, "never cry as long as you live".. but after Darryl dies, Jed sneaks off to the woods to cry alone. Robert sawing off the barrel of his shot gun.. Dani says, "they were people", and Robert, "yeah well so was my Dad." Tony asking Jed to kill her so that the Russian's won't torture her, and Jed can't bring himself to do it. Instead he kisses Tony goodbye on the forehead as she passes away. Aardvark defiant "Wolverines!" and later Aardvark running into the Cuban tent, speaking in Spanish to the soldiers, "follow me quickly" into the Wolverine's trap. Matti reminiscing through old pictures saying to Jed, "Its hard being brothers"Robert to Erika, "If you didn't love any body you'd never even be here" The soundtrack and the drums.The overall themes of this movie include being self sufficient, tough, and defiant in keeping with one's principles. Examples of this include the citizens singing America the Beautiful right before being executed.. Jed yelling to the political prisoners "We're all going to die, die standing up." Darryl being an Eagle scout.. Jed and Matti hunting and camping.. Robert's dad owning a supply store.. The rancher guy owning horses..The movie also does a good job portraying the psychologies of many characters on both sides affected by a prolonged conflict (i.e. Robert, Erika, Colonel Bella) .Lastly to comment on reviews about how this movie is unrealistic because Russia could have never invaded US during the 1980's or that kids can't fight Spetsnaz. (Because Fast and the Furious, Ironman, and most every movie made could receive stronger criticisms than Red Dawn about being unrealistic)... I would point out that French freedom fighters, with little experience, fought the Nazis in WW2, and both Iraqi and Afghan insurgents have effectively fought the best trained US forces for years. I would also point out that the Wolverines were initially fighting occupation forces behind the front lines which are typically not trained well. In the first fight scene the Wolverine's ambush three sight seers, and in the second fight scene Tony plants a bomb in a cafe, not too unrealistic. As the Wolverines gain experience over months, including from Colonel Tanner, they become better fighters.

It is the dawn of World War III. In southwestern America and Colorado, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces."Red Dawn" is one of those films that becomes legendary in hindsight. With Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Lea Thompson and more before their biggest roles, you cannot help but be impressed by the ensemble cast. But despite that, there is a lot left wanting here. Much of the plot is nonsense. We are given the impression that either a) the Russians control this one city in the middle of the country or b) they have taken over most of the United States overnight. I am not sure which is more hard to believe.The message is also very unclear. Coming from John Milius, there has to be a message. He is a towering personality, with strong opinions. But is this pro-war, anti-war, pro-freedom? We cheer for the Wolverines, but at the same time we see the Cuban (or Mexican?) colonel in a very human way, and at one point the question is bluntly asked -- how are we (Americans) different from them (Russians)? The answers are hard to find.

I'm not a big fan of '80s teen movies here – show me a John Hughes title and I'll probably run a mile (apart from HOME ALONE, which I have a nostalgic soft spot for). So when I heard about RED DAWN, a film about American teenagers fighting back against a Russian invasion, I didn't get my hopes up too much. The film is far too mainstream to offer any really cutting edge kind of thrills, so instead we're left with a bloated mess, full of average action scenes shot with little flourish or flair and plenty of soul-searching dialogue which got on my nerves after a while. I have a feeling that the Chuck Norris B-movie INVASION USA is a lot more entertaining than this flick.However, it's not all bad. It has a great director in John Milius, and he re-teams with CONAN THE BARBARIAN composer Basil Poledouris so there's a decent soundtrack. There's a big budget and action a-plenty involving shoot-outs, tanks and RPGs; some of the good guy deaths are quite moving. The script isn't all I hoped for, but there's an epic, wide-scale sense to the action which isn't half bad. It's mainly the youthful cast I have problems with. The likes of Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, and Charlie Sheen are all here, but they lack the definition that made them successful Hollywood actors in their own right. There are touches of individuality and acting ability but for the most part they seem faceless, just another figure in an ensemble group. The same goes for BACK TO THE FUTURE's Lea Thompson and DIRTY DANCING's Jennifer Grey. It takes some older actors like the excellent Powers Boothe and baddie William Smith to show them how to act.All in all, RED DAWN is a 'big' '80s film but in the end I found it a little bland for my tastes. There's a good downbeat climax, but the pacing issues up to then make it feel like an all-too-simple case of fight-talk-fight-talk ad nauseum. I enjoyed it, but it's not one I'll be watching again.