The Red Baron

Do you want the whole truth? Or the basic facts with additions of a story worthy of a film. I have read countless books on Manfred Von Ricthofen and other German WW1 aces and if you have a vivid imagination you may be able to get a glimpse of what it was like to fly in Ariel combat in WW1.These thoughts would then lead to what is now CGI. While the Blue Max is still a firm fav with me, the time has gone when Tiger Moths are used as English and German plans.CGI is the way to go if you want to see Fokkers,Gothas,SPAD,s Sopwith Camels etc. AS a child and still now I love the film The Battle of Britain and would never have noticed the radio controlled stukas amongst the real planes used in the film. As the WW1 survivor list as about 200, with many as static museum pieces,the only way to go is with a few real planes and the others cgi. The attention to detail in the film is exceptional with even voss's motorcycle in the background in some shots.I also like the real rotary's in the dr1's. Many of the greatest war films are flawed in some ways,maybe with the exception of cross of iron and saving private Ryan which do depict the real horror of war.The story in the red baron may be a little from the truth but looking past that, the action is first class and I would give it 10/10 for the reasons above and also for having done it at all.

I consider this a fun and exciting movie. I knocked it down a little because of the historical inconsistencies, but the tale is well told, the movie does not drag and it was very easy to fall in love with this movie. I only want it released into the United States now. I saw it and fell in love with it. I think they did a marvelous job of recreating the feel of aerial combat, the uniforms and planes of the time (not to mention the cool automobiles) and I thought the acting was quite good. Til Schweiger is great as the role of Werner Voss. Lena Heady is a great nurse Kate and Mathias Schweighofer manages to give what I believe is a command performance as a young, idealistic Prussian lad called to war. I also thought they did a good job of re-creating the Kaiser and his generals. It was so convincing that I almost thought I was seeing Von Hindenberg and the Kaiser in the bunker. I would have liked to see Boelcke and others in the movie, but maybe you can only do so much in two hours. I watched this fine movie and felt a real kinship with these flying kids. As a part Prussian-American, it was easy to identify with them. Well done and well worth watching.

I have actually watched this movie and I wonder if most of the people who "reviewed" this film have done as much . I am an avid aviation buff and have watched any film no matter how bad, with a speck of combat aviation . As far as the errors in history go this is not a documentary and can therefore be forgiven . The CGI was simply stellar . I found the night flying scenes to be particularly breathtaking . I felt for Manfred as he made the journey from brash young pilot to a man older than his years scared as all his friends were killed one by one and the weight of countless deaths began to take there toll on him . This is one film where the negative reviews should be ignored . Take a chance on this one and you'll be pleasantly surprised .

Look, as a Canadian I'm all for sticking up for films produced outside of Hollywood. However, again as a Canadian, I can safely say that 99% it turns out like rubbish, and this is no exception. To begin anecdotally, For some reason, if you watch this movie with the added English subtitles for the deaf, you notice that they change most of the emotional scenes so they include many rather inappropriate expletives that aren't in the movie. It's actually quite funny - lots of subtitled F-words for the deaf kids to see. Another example of the lack of oversight on this project - it's disjunct, poorly filmed, poorly acted, poorly written. The dogfights glorify dogfighting, complete with inspirational music - like every kid should grow up and become these men, do what they do. The fighting scenes were graphically phenomenal, but completely unrealistic - they should have been simultaneously both mesmerizing and terrifying - planes shot down all over the place, death and fear, pride and elation palpable and very real. This movie makes it seem like these men are in a kid's TV show - invincible: a terrible message to give to children. The remainder of this heap is jilted and nonsensical dialogue. Emotions in the movie play out in a disorganized manic depressive fashion - strange calmness following by loud shouting. Lastly, it is completely historically inaccurate. It adds all the elements that make bad Hollywood movies bad - unnecessary romance, softening everything visceral and real so it can be kid-friendly, and embellishment of the truth in the hope of greater profit. See 'Australia' or 'Passiondale' for similar, outside-of- Hollywood flops. Hate it and love it, all at the same time.

This is what happens when you give someone a large budget for a film and that person has no idea about the subject. Now this was a German film! It therefore was a chance to accurately portray the historical facts and to give as good a picture of those who are the heroes. Apparently Lanoe Hawker was a fat man with a beard. He was not. Such a small point might not be considered important but if you want realism it immediately destroys any trust in the script writer and director. Roy Brown is given an important part. Roy Brown happened to be part of the dogfight in which Von Richthoven died. Technically it was impossible for Brown to have shot Von Richthoven down when modern analysis is made. There is little doubt he was shot down by machine gun fire with one bullet in his right side. But the truth is that most of this script is absolute rubbish. Von Richtoven had been to a Prussian Officer's School and would never have looked like the lout portrayed here. He comes across as an immature boy. He was not that nor was his brother. The tonality is of a director who wants to make a aerial combat picture and make money, not caring about his subject. He doesn't. The graphics are awful on a par with all else). I'm surprised this film has not been condemned by many in Germany. It is an insult to the spirit of the German military machine in the first world war.

Too bad for all that effort put in the movie. German producer spend / raised some 18 Million Euros, to make a movie about THE flying ace of WWI - Der Red Baron. Why didn't they spend some money on a decent script? The film starts off with a band, you lean back in your seat and think, this is gonna be fun, well at least for the first 15 minutes, then, well, then there is simply not a story in the film. We jump from one air battle scene into the next, who cares that those old planes have a speed like they have to battle the death star in Star Wars.... Worst is, and its not a spoiler, the end, when the baron dies, this segment is told OFF screen. No battle, no nothing. You have the feeling they ran out of money. Casting wise, a huge mistake trying to connect the hero with his lady. Headey & Schweighoeffer don't match, there is NO believable connection between them. Not for one second you understand the love they should feel for each other. She is simply too old, he is too young. Schweighoeffer plays great, so does the rest of the cast, except Fiennes. The poor fellow has simply not one good scene for himself. He was just cast to give an international flair to the pic. Too sad, for what could have made a great story....

Despite an ending that can't help but make the viewer feel a little cheated, this film is a success on many levels. Only a little historical inaccuracy, which while certainly not a problem for most films but is almost demanded in a biopic, is a noticeable flaw. Also, while perhaps not as "gritty" as one would like to see in a modern film, the ambiance of the film feels very "right." The viewer is seldom distracted by the realization that one is seeing CGI. The set decoration and costuming are rich and look accurate. The photography is excellent, although there is some mixing of exposure which is sometimes distracting. There is quite a bit of "floating" camera-work in establishing shots, which adds a little playful interest, almost as if one is watching from a small biplane buzzing through the scene. The performances are understated, although the dialog does feel a little sparse at times. Viewers who are hoping to experience another version of the exuberant athleticism of "Flyboys" from the German perspective may be underwhelmed by this film, but I found it most satisfying, especially in its restraint in delivering its anti-war message.

Have you ever ordered a really great ice-cream and then got something that's just tastes like cotton-wool. Yup, you got it. This totally lacks teeth - there is something incredibly soppy about the whole thing - even the sense of chivalry is somehow really wet and weedy. Here is a Baron I would neither follow or can believe others would. All the flying pieces look great, but what we get somehow never gels, they certainly lack nail-biting excitement. The costuming and production values are outstanding, especially the trench warfare scenes, but really all in all not anywhere near the film it could have been. I personally blame a savagely disappointing script. Very disappointing and a waste of the great production values. OK, if not passable, if it is absolutely your favorite historical period, otherwise prepare for a crash landing...

The movie seems a bit slow at first. One wonders if it's going to be a realistic crude harsh war movie, as we have grown accustomed to in the last years, or a romantic poetic depiction of this folk hero/legend. As one gets into the film, one discovers it's both things. There are several sub themes. The jealousy and competitiveness between brothers, the strong contrasting point of views from how the German pilots lived and saw the war as compared to their infantry mud submerged counterparts, the beauty of the initial sportsmanship displayed by Richthoffen and many other airmen in their practice of war, the love story, and many more. Perhaps the most appealing to some of us is the gradual turn of things towards the impending tragedy, how the characters seem to express it just in the way they look at each other and how this epic sized hero, well represented by the unknown actor Tomas Koutnik, embraces his fate with a powerlessness and dignity that reflects the whole of humanity's ultimate choices when faced with the certain end: play out the role you've been assigned in this life with dignity. Congratulations to this director, his craftsmanship, the actors, the staff, and let me not forget specially that wonderful Lena Heady who is very sensual and sublime!

I was so eagerly awaiting to view this movie and finally had the chance yesterday. I really disappointed and with great sadness I see another opportunity go by to finally produce a quality movie about a German hero reaching a big audience. Historical correctness is a virtue of German movies, so sets, costumes, planes and such were as I imagined them. But how can you tell a story about Manfred von Richthofen and his fellow pilot without putting Hermann Goering into the picture? Duh. The story is told too quickly, it jumps from scene to scene, sometimes you don't even realize it does. You lose track quickly and you are basically looking at loosely appended scenes. I wanted to see amazing plane dog fighting. This is one thing you can expect from a Red Baron movie made in 2008. CGI has no limits in that regards. Well, this Red Baron movie is more one bla bla scene after the other filled with a few CGI plane fights. Most depressed, yes totally crashed I was when Richthofens last flight was up - it was not shown at all!!! Nothing, nada! And this last flight and the shooting down of the Baron is the most controversial discussed event in his legend. And it was not Mr. Brown from Canada who shot him down, as was lately convincingly explained. But hey, why bother to put a single bit of film into this. He landed his plane clean and without a scratch even though deadly wounded. No, we're not showing any of that. He was buried with highest military honors by the French army - the enemy who had the highest respect for him. No, we're not showing any of that. Duh. And what the heck are Lena Headey and Joseph Fiennes doing there. Joseph was probably hired for a few minutes of appearance just to borrow a know name to the movie. Shame on you. Lena, to me extremely attractive (so don't misunderwstand me), is totally misplaced as the nurse Richthofen was dating. Heck, Richthofen was 20 years old and with Matthias Schweighoefer playing the role of the Baron she was more looking like his mother. Great beauty does not automatically fit in every movie. What I expected was the storytelling and effects mix of the movie Flyboys mixed with the true story of Manfred von Richthofen, specifically including the important persons and events. This movie here fails badly. Let the German historians go to Hollywood and try aagin please...