Flyboys (2006)
Average Rating: 4.9/10
Reviews Counted: 127
Fresh: 42 | Rotten: 85
A poorly scripted history-rewriting exercise with mediocre acting and unconvincing CGI battle scenes.
Average Rating: 4.2/10
Critic Reviews: 32
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 27
A poorly scripted history-rewriting exercise with mediocre acting and unconvincing CGI battle scenes.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 87,556
My Rating
Movie Info
As World War I rages in Europe and Allied forces in France, Italy, and England find their resolve quickly diminishing due to the overwhelming force of the German juggernaut, a handful of brave American soldiers volunteer to join their French counterparts in learning to fly and fighting for freedom from above as the true story of the legendary Lafayette Escadrille comes to the screen in a breathtaking war adventure from Academy Award-winning director Tony Bill and famed producer Dean Devlin. They
Watch It Now
Cast
-
James Franco
Blaine Rawlings -
Martin Henderson
Reed Cassidy -
David Ellison
Eddie Beagle -
Jennifer Decker
Lucienne -
Jean Reno
Captain Thenault -
Tyler Labine
Briggs Lowry -
Abdul Salis
Eugene Skinner -
Philip Winchester
William Jensen -
Daniel Rigby
Ives -
Barry McGee
DeWitt -
Augustin Legrand
LT Giroux -
Lex Shrapnel
Grant -
Keith McErlean
Vernon Toddman -
Michael Jibson
Lyle Porter -
Christien Anholt
Higgins -
Pip Pickering
Nunn -
Kyle Hesner Smith
Jacques -
Alain Boublil
Luc -
Lauren Downing
Marie -
Hayley Downing
Marie -
-
ADVERTISEMENT
Flyboys Trailer & Photos
All Critics (135) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (89) | DVD (23)
Aafter a while -- there must be six major fights against unending numbers of German planes -- it feels like special effects run amok.
Top CriticWhy make such a corny and incredibly predictable film?
The painstaking authenticity and appealing cast of Flyboys can't overcome the cloyingly formulaic nature of its story.
This is old-school moviemaking, for better or worse, which means rat-a-tat dogfights in the sky combined with overripe romantic and social clichés on the ground.
Besides some fine dogfight sequences, it often feels threadbare, just an exercise in recycling.
Flyboys has computer imaging and a fleet of vintage aircraft on its side, but it remains considerably less convincing than Wings (1927), and less exciting.
Each air battle has been scripted as a set piece that not only shows off the capabilities of the pilots and their machines, but also advances the plot. Bring your Dramamine!
It may indeed be inspired by a true story, but what we see onscreen is simply "Star Wars" set in some fantasy French air base circa 1917.
The characters, although based on real life people, are one-dimensional stereotypes that exist for the sole purpose of presenting indistinguishable flesh-and-blood pilots for superabundant air battles.
WWI pilots make like heroes in bland adventure.
The best of Pearl Harbor meeting the worst of HBO's Band of Brothers.
Yearning for a time when warfare seemed so much simpler and more honourable, Flyboys is a thrilling, spectacular ride - but only when its dull characters get off the ground.
This well-produced, engaging film somewhat overreaches itself, trying to turn a crackling adventure into a sweeping emotional epic.
With great flight sequences and a storyline rooted in facts, Flyboys provides some pretty good entertainment and recreated history.
It's as family-friendly as a war movie can be these days, relying on the daring of its amazing aerial sequences rather than carnage or vulgarity to promote its authenticity.
Flyboys doesn't just use cliches - it wallows in them, feeling more like a film based on old war movies than actual history.
With its meticulous attention to detail and superior production values, the film promises much more than its unseasoned cast and thin plotting deliver.
Audience Reviews for Flyboys
Super Reviewer
The effects are great and do the job, the dogfights are really excellent and quite tense whilst the acting is ok, not great but worthy enough. The story sucks you in with its brash tale of young aces and romance and its not hard to get behind the heroes and cheer as they bring down the bosh haha. Overall its not really graphic with the bloodshed and not extreme in any way but it does the job of showing how the pilots fought and what they went through, with alittle Hollywood sparkle of course ;)
Think 'Memphis Belle' with better effects and abit more realism, good fun with a caring heart to the facts. Scarfs on and chocks away chaps.
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Flyboys yet.
Latest News on Flyboys
September 20, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Jovovich vs. Alba in Multiplex MayhemJodie Foster will find herself in the middle of a catfight over the number one spot this weekend....
October 9, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: Leo and Matt Face Off at #1 with The DepartedMartin Scorsese scored the best opening of his career, and his first number one film in fifteen...
October 5, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Departed" Arrives with a BangMovie studios are offering something for every age group over the Columbus Day holiday weekend....
What's Hot On RT
Bradley Cooper's Best Movies
Trailer for new Coen Bros movie
Fast & Furious cars gallery
Blockbusters ranked!
Featured on RT
- Total Recall: Bradley Cooper's Best Movies 0
- Parental Guidance: Epic and Beautiful Creatures 0
- Comic Book Movies You Can Watch Online 2
- In Pictures: The Cars of Fast & Furious 0
- Digital Multiplex: Warm Bodies and Aftershock 6
- Discover the Best-Reviewed Films in Summer Movie Scorecard 2013 0
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Last Stand and Side Effects 17
Top Headlines
-
Vin Diesel Says Fast & Furious 7 Will Take Place in L.A.
0
-
10 Things You (Probably) Don't Know About the Hangover Movies
1
-
Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan, and David S. Goyer Talk Man of Steel
0
-
New Transporter Trilogy in the Works
0
-
Richard Linklater Plans "Spiritual Sequel" to Dazed and Confused
0
-
King of Kong Filmmaker Seeks Funding for Lost Limb Documentary
0
-
Which Film Franchise Has Been the Best for Female Characters?
6
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek Movies Ranked
HitFix offers their own take on the worst-to-best of the Enterprise crew's cinematic adventures.
Top 10 Star Trek Villains
Rolling Stone unveils the Enterprise's most irksome adversaries.
Celebrity Yearkbook Flashback
We'll bet you never realized how many stars were cheerleaders and high school athletes!
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
