The thing that makes both the original and the remake of “Red Dawn” so specacular is that the characters are so incredibly relatable and it plays on the fear of the United States no longer being in control. In 1984, Patrick Swayze fought off Russian troops, and in 2012, Chris Hemsworth is fighting off Korean and Russan soldiers, and both of them do it in style. For both fans of the original, and those who simply like good movies, “Red Dawn” is a must.
“Red Dawn” is a film that explores the possibility of World War 3 taking place on American soil. After Jed Eckert (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) and his brother Matt (Josh Peck, ATM) wake up to find North Korean soldiers invading their home, they gather a group of friends and take to the woods. There, they witness their father’s execution and decide to fight to protect their home against the invaders. Soon, the high schoolers find themselves branded as a terrorist group by the enemies, and a savior by the American people.
After the first five minutes of the movie, the action is almost non-stop. Only a minute or two is given for the audience to cath their breath before more plot twists, shootouts, and explosions commence. Once the film ended and the credits began to role, the entire theater was silent. It took a good minute or two before anyone even began to get out of their seats.
Although it is based off of the 1984 “Red Dawn,” this film doesn’t feel like a re-hashing of the same story. Everything is modernized in order to make the characters and the story relatable and everything is so incredibly well done. But how does it compare to the original? I’d honestly say it’s a tie. They both have their good and bad points, but in general, they are both seriously awesome movies. Either way, “Red Dawn” will keep your pulse pounding until the very end.
“Red Dawn” is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense war violence and action (a lot of gunplay and typical war-like battle) and for language (scattered profanity and one use of the “F-word”).