Set against the backdrop in the skies above 1944 Italy at the height of WWII, Red Tails opens up on four squad fighters in pursuit of a low-profile target. Nicknamed ‘Easy’ (Nate Parker), ‘Lightning’ (David Oyelowo), ‘Joker’ (Elijah Kelley) and ‘Junior’ (Tristan Wilds), these four fly outdated P-40 fighter planes for the first African American aerial combat unit known as the Tuskegee Airmen. However, these dedicated flyers are only assigned to eliminate ground-based targets because it is widely assumed within the military that men of color lack the intelligence or skill to handle situations such as dog fighting. Based on actual events, this film tells the story of these highly-accomplished heroes who had to fight fascism in the air… and prejudice on the ground.
This Review is also posted to MovieFloss
