5 War Movies That Real Veterans Hated (And 5 They Approve Of)

2. Red Tails

In an effort to be positive about Red Tails, it can be said that it was at least a well-intentioned film. The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first unit of African American combat pilots in the US air force, is a brilliant one, and certainly one that has gone largely ignored save for the made-for-TV movie made by HBO in 1995. George Lucas had had the film flying around - if you'll excuse the pun - in his head since the late 1980s, and was more than eager to get the neglected airmen back on the screen, even going so far as to finance the film out of his own pocket. Unfortunately, Lucas was very much stuck in Star Wars mode for the duration of production, which means the aerial combat in Red Tails is about as believable as their science-fiction equivalent. Veterans have voiced their displeasure with the over-the-top Hollywood-ification of an already incredible story. The stiff acting and comic book like dialogue ("How do you like that, Mr Hitler?" exclaims one pilot as he perpetrates one explosive feat completely interchangeable with every other explosive feat in the movie) have contributed to a film held largely with disdain, causing just about everyone who sees it, whether a veteran or not, to note that surely such a unit deserve a more fitting tribute. Seriously, the P-51 Mustangs flown in the film may as well have been X-Wing fighters.