WOLVERINES!
John Milius’ Red Dawn from 1984 envisions a scenario where the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Nicaragua invade the US, triggering World War 3. It is perhaps silly in its patriotic fervor, but it’s an undeniably action-packed thriller that’s beautifully shot. The first movie to be released in the US with the then-new PG-13 rating, I think it would probably get an R today as there’s a ton of onscreen violence (though I wouldn’t describe it as particularly graphic). For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen the remake. August 10th marks the original film’s 40th anniversary, though, so let’s celebrate!
The opening scenes relay a scenario of Cold War-era geopolitical turmoil that sees the collapse of NATO along with a USSR rendered desperate by famine. This brief prologue sets the stage for the invasion sequence that kicks off the story with a bang. Frantically escaping vicious paratroopers, our group of mostly teenage heroes flees into the Colorado wilderness. Circumstances soon evolve the kids into a guerilla fighting force that plagues the occupying soldiers while news of the greater conflict trickles in, here and there.
Patrick Swayze stars as Jed, the leader of the group. Charlie Sheen is his little brother, Matt. C Thomas Howell, Darren Dalton, Brad Savage, and Doug Toby filled out the initial team. Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey show up a little later to bolster the ranks. Powers Boothe has a small but significant role. We also get Ron O’Neal, Ben Johnson, William Smith, Frank McRae, and even a little bit of the legendary Harry Dean Stanton.
Kevin Reynolds’ initial script was conceived as an anti-war polemic. When the famously macho Milius was brought on board, though, he rewrote the story to match his more conservative and bombastic worldview. Unfortunately, with a ballooning budget and a greater emphasis placed on battle sequences, character development is sacrificed. Some of the performers shine on-screen presence and charisma alone, with Swayze, Howell, Thompson, and Boothe providing some energy, but most of the rest of the main cast fade into the background. Sheen, who is capable of delivering fine work, is fairly hammy here.
Depending on your personal politics, you may find the subtext to be either affirming or off-putting, but the surface story is straightforward and engaging. I wouldn’t say the violence, which is plentiful, is necessarily glorified, but it seeks to excite. The morality of the film also isn’t as black and white as its detractors might suggest, either. It’s not exactly morally ambiguous, but it goes out of its way to illustrate some brief moments of psychological trauma caused by bloodshed.
The amount of military vehicles onscreen is quite impressive, providing a ton of ambiance and production value. There are lots of tanks, jets, helicopters, jeeps, and giant guns on display. So, despite the relatively young cast, this feels like a war movie. The number of explosions is prodigious, with the mayhem inflicted by guerilla tactics positioned front and center. Of course, everything is done practically, making for a visceral and pleasingly weighty watch.
Additionally, Ric Waite’s photography showcases the forbidding beauty of the New Mexico (doubling for Colorado) countryside. Combined with the authentic military equipment, the rural scenery gifts the story a gritty realism, allowing us to absolutely buy that the characters are living a hardscrabble existence in the wooded foothills and mountains. The legendary Basil Poledouris delivers a slightly mournful but meaty militaristic score that compliments the tone and accentuates the dramatic heft. It’s a very fine suite of music.
I’ve never bought into writer/director John Milius’ particular worldview. However, his talents as a filmmaker are unassailable. He always brings a distinctive grit to his work and Red Dawn is no different. I will give anything he was involved with a shot. As an aside, for those who don’t know, John Goodman’s character of Walter Sobchak from the Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski is based on Milius to a certain extent. In any case, I had a blast revisiting the film. Recommended for fans of mountain men, Cold War what-ifs, and holding a rifle in the air while shouting “Wolverines!”
Michael Cavender