Red Tails Review - 2.5 Stars

George Lucas tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen as action heroes.  The special effects take us into the airplanes with the black pilots who broke barriers during World War Two.   Opening the week of the Martin Luther King holiday gives this story an extra historic context.  I think most war movie fans would like “Red Tails” to take its place alongside the great war epics of our time, notably “Saving Private Ryan.”  Unfortunately the dialog weighs the story down—it’s wooden and not very interesting.  Stars Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. don’t get much to work with—Howard spends his time scowling while Gooding walks around smiling and puffing on a pipe.  Their roles seem inserted.  David Oyelowo strikes some sparks as hot dog pilot “Lightning” Little. “Red Tails” reminds a new generation of an important accomplishment, even if this story could have been told better.  Does it deliver what it promises?  War movie filled with war movie cliches.  Is it entertaining?  Great special effects.  Is it worth the price of admission?  As a history lesson.