Flyboys DVD Review

James Franco stars in the World War I flick, Flyboys.

Courtesy of Electric Entertainment

World War I saw the very first air combat with dozens of brave men taking to the skies to defend their allies against the enemy. Flyboys tells their gripping story and Kidzworld had a chance to check it out. Find out if this movie soars or crashes and burns.

Flyboys - High Flying Fighting

When the boys of the Lafayette Escadrille take to their planes, this movie really lights up. The air-to-air combat looks magical on screen and is more about looking pretty than being unnecessarily bloody and gory. James Franco and his fellow comrades do battle with the Germans in support of France, long before the Americans actually joined in on WWI. While there is plenty of in-fighting among the soldiers to begin with, (they fight about race, money, priviledge, etc.) they soon realize that the only way they are going to survive is to band together and work as a real team.

Flyboys - War Rears Its Ugly Head

The biggest problem with Flyboys is that it's extremely predictable. All the cliches that you would expect from a war movie are front row and center and there's never a twist or turn that you didn't see coming.The characters' issues are summed up and sorted in sitcom-style speed, which is strange in a movie that runs for two hours and twenty minutes. As the plot drags on, you'll most definitely run out of popcorn and patience before the film wraps up.

Flyboys - DVD Features

The Flyboys DVD is great for all you plane enthusiasts. With tons of deleted scenes and a documentary on real life pilots from the war, this disc is full of interesting facts and scenes. You will also find a great featurette on the special effects from the movie!

Flyboys - Bottom Line

Flyboys attempts to re-create an old-fashioned, war hero flick but doesn't quite hit its mark. Sure, it looks old-fashioned and you'll definitely feel as though you've been transported back to the early 1900's, but that's not quite enough to hold your attention. This movie has some impressive CGI and beautifully crafted battle scenes, but not a whole lot else. The love story between James Franco's character and the French woman he meets while stationed in France adds a love story element, but it's unfortunately just as predictable as the rest of the plot. Save your allowance and rent an old-skool war flick instead.