An Okay Anti-Cold War Film

Rating: 6/10 (4 December 2009)

In times of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union have competed against each other in getting their first spaceships into space,building nuclear weapons that could destroy all human kind in one day, and the battle between communism and the free enterprise system. Although war is a bad thing that'll end with bad consequences, Kurbick direction into the film was good and to the point in showing what would happen if the United States had used nuclear weapons on Russia during the Cold War.
The cinematography in the film was good. The various shooting angles on the US Air Force planes flying towards Russia in close up views was good. The use of dramatic lighting shined on the generals, ambassadors, and the president was clear in focus, well lit on their faces, and very dramatic sense of light that establishes the characters as important, privileged leaders that are willing to fight and prevent the war against Russia. The lighting on the pilots and the soldiers fighting outside a building were dull in their mid-tone gray contrast emphasizing the gloomy mood and their need to be the people that'll be disposed in the fight against Russia, as a result of their deadly weapons. The use of back light on the general sitting in a chair was really nice. The special effects that were used for a full-view airplane flying towards Russia made the plane feel like it was flying in the older Superman series style. The duration of the plot throughout the film dragged causing the overall mise-en-scene of the film to drag and cause the viewer to lose interest in the film.
Although the screenplay dragged the plot and storyline throughout the film, the overall message was strong and to the point. If you're interested in seeing a Cold War film, come see this film.