(Review originally written at 25 July 2007)
The story is kept pretty simple and straightforward and also touched a sensitive nerve at the time, since the cold war was still fully going on at the time. It's about the Russians and Cubans invading the United States and thereby unleashing WW III. The movie focuses on a small group of teenagers in a small American town, who turn themselves into an effective guerrilla force, named the Wolverines, to battle the communist invaders.
But the movie does not really have a sense of realism. The movie doesn't feel like this could have ever or shall ever really occur. It's because the movie is rather simple. It also doesn't really tries to provoke or anything. This movie feels more like a spoof of what can actually happen than a serious movie trying to make a statement and sent out a warning. It's hard to ever take this movie seriously and just see it for what it is; pure entertainment.
All of the Russians and Cubans are extremely stereotypical evil and their methods and regime reminds more of the WW II Nazi-regime. But I think that the movie also does a good job as portraying the Americans not as kind-hearted peace loving folks. It shows that nobody is really innocent in a war time situation and you're being forced into things you normally wouldn't ever do or even think of.
The movie its battle sequence are pretty good looking. The invasion forces and their weapons look good and realistic and the movie has some nice action sequences. Overall the movie really does give you the sense and feeling of an actual war-time situation.
The movie also has some nice looking scenery and with yet another awesome musical score from Basil Poledouris, who did some of his best work with director John Milius.
The movie has a great '80's cast with big names from that period such as Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey and Harry Dean Stanton. Grey and Swayze would later work together again as the two main characters in "Dirty Dancing", despite the fact that they didn't like each other very much personally.
It's not really a great movie but interesting to watch nevertheless because of its concept.
6/10
Watch trailer
The story is kept pretty simple and straightforward and also touched a sensitive nerve at the time, since the cold war was still fully going on at the time. It's about the Russians and Cubans invading the United States and thereby unleashing WW III. The movie focuses on a small group of teenagers in a small American town, who turn themselves into an effective guerrilla force, named the Wolverines, to battle the communist invaders.
But the movie does not really have a sense of realism. The movie doesn't feel like this could have ever or shall ever really occur. It's because the movie is rather simple. It also doesn't really tries to provoke or anything. This movie feels more like a spoof of what can actually happen than a serious movie trying to make a statement and sent out a warning. It's hard to ever take this movie seriously and just see it for what it is; pure entertainment.
All of the Russians and Cubans are extremely stereotypical evil and their methods and regime reminds more of the WW II Nazi-regime. But I think that the movie also does a good job as portraying the Americans not as kind-hearted peace loving folks. It shows that nobody is really innocent in a war time situation and you're being forced into things you normally wouldn't ever do or even think of.
The movie its battle sequence are pretty good looking. The invasion forces and their weapons look good and realistic and the movie has some nice action sequences. Overall the movie really does give you the sense and feeling of an actual war-time situation.
The movie also has some nice looking scenery and with yet another awesome musical score from Basil Poledouris, who did some of his best work with director John Milius.
The movie has a great '80's cast with big names from that period such as Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey and Harry Dean Stanton. Grey and Swayze would later work together again as the two main characters in "Dirty Dancing", despite the fact that they didn't like each other very much personally.
It's not really a great movie but interesting to watch nevertheless because of its concept.
6/10
Watch trailer
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