10 Most Intense Aerial Dogfights In War Movies
5. The Red Baron Strikes - The Red Baron
The Red Baron is a 2008 biographical film that chronicles the life of German ace fighter pilot, Manfred von Richthofen/The Red Baron's life during the second half of the First World War. He is considered to be arguably the best pilot in the war, having won a confirmed number of 80 dogfights between 1916 and 1918.
The film was negatively received due to its historical inaccuracies, lack of dramatic weight, and the glorification of war in general (this is seen as taboo in Germany). However, the film's dogfights, particularly the depiction of Operation Michael were well-crafted despite the film's other failings.
The German offensive is depicted in a manner that lacks the bombast of films in this genre but sells the horror of war without being excessively brutal, which is further aided by the scene's operatic and haunting score. It also highlights the deadly efficiency that the Red Baron is well-known for as he takes down enemy planes in an effortless and almost mechanical manner.