Red Tails

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  • Opened January 20, 2012 
  • 2 hr 5 min
  • PG-13 | Some sequences of war violence
  • Parents: Common Sense Media says OK for kids 13+. More on child suitability

  • During World War II, the Civil Aeronautics Authority selects 13 black cadets to become part of an experimental program at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The program aims at training "colored personnel" to become fighter pilots for the Army. However, discrimination, lack of institutional support and the racist belief that these men lacked the intelligence and aptitude for the job dog their every step. Despite this, the Tuskegee Airmen, as they become known, more than prove their worth. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Bryan Cranston, Nate Parker, David Oyelowo
  • Director: Anthony Hemingway
  • Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

What's the Buzz?

Must Go!
Fans say Must Go!
2,879 fans
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So-so
Critics say So-So
46 out of 100
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Fan Reviews

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If you're an African American, you should see and support this film...

by HakatRe

As an African American and a pilot, I take the history and accomplishments of the 332nd Fighter Group (The Tuskegee Airmen) more seriously than most, I guess. This film was well made from a technical...

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im inspired

by mrm711

i was having a really bad day at work. i was going to skip this movie...but i thought, perhaps going to the theater will take me away from my miserable day. sure enough, it did. call it a sign,...

Must Go!
Must see!

by bethand3girls

This movie was a terrific story, interesting, engaging and compelling. Not perfect, but a great story well told. The characters could have had more depth, but that would have bogged the story down...

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Critic Reviews

67
Entertainment Weekly
| Owen Gleiberman

As long as it stays in the air, Red Tails is a compelling sky-war pageant of a movie. On the ground, it's a far shakier experience: dutiful and prosaic, with thinly scripted episodes that don't add up to a satisfying story. Read full review

63
Philadelphia Inquirer
| Steven Rea

There isn't a real, flesh-and-blood figure in the bunch. Everything about Red Tails - the breaking down of racial barriers, the military achievements, the courage and sacrifice - is diminished in the process. Read full review

63
USA Today
| Claudia Puig

David Oyelowo stands out as the daredevil Joe "Lightning" Little, the unit's best flier. With his bravery and bravado, he's the film's most complex character. Read full review

60
Movieline
| Stephanie Zacharek

In the end Red Tails is mostly about the coolness of flying. Its heart is in the clouds, instead of with the men at the controls. Read full review

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Michael B. Jordan as Maurice 'Bumps' Wilson, Nate Parker as Marty 'Easy' Julian and Kevin Phillips as Leon 'Neon' Edwards in ``Red Tails.''