Red Dawn (1984)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alexander D

  
  There were many great, great films made in the '80s, some of them that even trademarked pop culture. Sadly enough, RED DAWN is not one of them. RED DAWN starts off with a high school. It looks like FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, in fact, the way everyone in class is bored,… More
  There were many great, great films made in the '80s, some of them that even trademarked pop culture. Sadly enough, RED DAWN is not one of them. RED DAWN starts off with a high school. It looks like FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, in fact, the way everyone in class is bored, jokes are being whispered among the class, etc. Then, out of the blue, a bunch of war vehicles come in and start shooting up the school. This is what Hollywood in 1984 titled "World War III". (?!) From there on, if you've ever read the comics or seen the TV adaptation of THE WALKING DEAD, then you know what I'm talking about when I say the rest of RED DAWN is just like THE WALKING DEAD, except with Spanish-speaking Russian military (?!) instead of zombies. It's just a movie about surviving from apocalyptic havoc. Like I said, there are many good '80s films out there. But like I also said, RED DAWN just isn't one of them, mainly because the plot is so superficial that it's silly, and the worst thing filmmakers can do to give film a bad reputation is to put the concept of war in a silly light. Believe it or not, the only real reason this one is remembered is because it was the first film to be released with a U.S. "PG-13" rating. If you're looking for a good film that has Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in a group together, don't waste your time with this. Try DIRTY DANCING instead. It's a lot more even, and it's so much less flawed.

• Dean !

  
  An entertaining non-stop action film, but plot wise not a lot happens. A bunch of kids hold up in the mountains when Russia and Cuban forces invade America at the start of World War 3. Over the months the group fight back as much as they can making quite a reputation as the… More
  An entertaining non-stop action film, but plot wise not a lot happens. A bunch of kids hold up in the mountains when Russia and Cuban forces invade America at the start of World War 3. Over the months the group fight back as much as they can making quite a reputation as the Wolverines! Starring an 80's star cast including Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze who paired up a few years later in Dirty Dancing. A good action film made at the height of the cold war, but looking dated now. It does still have some dramatic, iconic scenes though.

• AJ V

  
  This movie is cool for two reasons: the great teen cast and the blending of the teen and war dramas into a timely horror story. I think this movie could have been better in two ways as well: if we could have gotten to know the characters better, and if we could see more of what the… More
  This movie is cool for two reasons: the great teen cast and the blending of the teen and war dramas into a timely horror story. I think this movie could have been better in two ways as well: if we could have gotten to know the characters better, and if we could see more of what the teens did to prepare themselves to fight the soviets (give us a montage at least!). Overall, it's pretty good, but it could have been better.

• Jeff "

  
  Red Dawn is one of the most over exaggerated war films that I have ever seen. Yet there is something so appealing about it, that you can't dismiss it as crap. Starring Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson and C Thomas Howell, Red Dawn presents a total extravagant plot, the invasion of… More
  Red Dawn is one of the most over exaggerated war films that I have ever seen. Yet there is something so appealing about it, that you can't dismiss it as crap. Starring Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson and C Thomas Howell, Red Dawn presents a total extravagant plot, the invasion of the United States by Soviet Russia. A small group of teens ban together to repel the invaders. The film is preposterous, but it's a film filled with awesome action and is very entertaining. What makes the film work so well is the talented cast. Patrick Swayze delivers a great performance and so does Lea Thompson. The film is non stop entertainment and will definitely thrill you. The film is not for everyone, but to those who enjoy a mindless Cold War Era thriller, then Red Dawn is a must see film. Red Dawn is the type of film that you watch with your friends to have a good time, it's an adrenaline fueled film and the action is over the top. Action film junkies won't be disappointed because Red Dawn delivers insane amounts of action and thrills. The cast that portray the teens are an impressive bunch of talent and they deliver good performances. Red Dawn is simply put a mindless action film thats designed to deliver a great time to the audience, sure the plot is ludicrous, but it's still a wicked plot. Thats what makes this film so good. The film has been described as a Republican wet dream, which is saying a lot. The film presents good ol' fashioned Cold War paranoia and again showcases how evil are the Russians. All that makes Red Dawn an amusing piece of nostalgia from the 80's, flawed, but oh so good. This is a classic even if it looks dated by today's standards. The film is still fun to watch just like it was when it first came out, except now that the Cold War is over. Red Dawn is a pleasant time waster and is not a film to be taken so seriously. I don't understand why this film has gotten so many bad reviews, because at first glance you should know exactly what you're in for before watching it. If you expect a serious, well developed action film, then you will not find it here. Red Dawn is an exaggerated war film that succeeds very well at displaying an unconventional idea on screen, and if this type of film isn't your cup of tea, skip it.But to others who like these types of films, be prepared to have a great time.

• Cassie H

  
  Hmmmm....I wonder what I could do for an 1 hr and 54 min.....I know NOT watch this movie! Please don't!

• Anthony L

  
  When I was a kid I really wanted to be in Red Dawn. Dated but still worth a watch for prosperity and some good ole fashioned cold war paranoia!

• Nani V

  
  LOL...this movie is hilarious now that I watch it again.

• Randy T

  
  Wolverines!!!

• Curtis L

  
  If your kids are reading Engels, or have crazy notions of sharing, make them watch the documentary Red Dawn! Nothing like the 80's to produce a 'trying to be serious' anti-communist propaganda movie featuring teenagers killing people and being killed. I did really… More
  If your kids are reading Engels, or have crazy notions of sharing, make them watch the documentary Red Dawn! Nothing like the 80's to produce a 'trying to be serious' anti-communist propaganda movie featuring teenagers killing people and being killed. I did really like the story, how a bunch of high school kids end up becoming hardened soldiers, and there comes a great satisfaction when they (finally) start getting picked off (cause as we all know, teenagers would kills hundreds of trained soldiers and escape each time). Fun, and would have received more stars if the first half of the movie wasn't so cheesy and poorly acted. It turned around halfway. Go 80's!

• Tsubaki S

  
  "Mark my words! Anyday now, you're sitting in school, passing notes, and talking about the prom when suddenly you look out the window and there are Russian paratroopers dropping in to take over. What can you do? Run into the woods with your friends? Call yourselves The… More
  "Mark my words! Anyday now, you're sitting in school, passing notes, and talking about the prom when suddenly you look out the window and there are Russian paratroopers dropping in to take over. What can you do? Run into the woods with your friends? Call yourselves The Wolverines? Put twigs in your hair and beat back the Russkies?" Two stars just for being so hillariously over-the-top. The peak of cold war propaganda, makes Rocky 4 and Top Gun look like serious drama/war flicks.

• Lenny M

  
  "Cold War" meets the 80's.

• Michael S

  
  So 80s. but really good.

• Tim S

  
  I wish the Russians would attack.

• Daniel J D

  
  This movie is about as campy and unrealistic as you can get. Then again, it came out 2 years before I was born and I didn't see it for another 12 years or so after it was made.

• Jason S

  
  Great flick. The amount of people who became names later on blows me away. Great story also.

• Dean M

  
  American high school kids vs. the Russians and Cubans in the Soviet War. Way to go, USA of Wolverine.

• Steve K

  
  Cheesy, but also legitimately fun. A real product of its time.

• Byron B

  
  A handful of the same actors from The Outsiders that was released the year before appear in this joke of a movie. A carnage filled, unintentional laugh filled, and ultimately depressing movie. I wasn't excited about seeing it, but my wife picked it out of my UA anniversary… More
  A handful of the same actors from The Outsiders that was released the year before appear in this joke of a movie. A carnage filled, unintentional laugh filled, and ultimately depressing movie. I wasn't excited about seeing it, but my wife picked it out of my UA anniversary collection because of Swayze. I hated it more and more as the movie progressed. Swayze and Sheen are brothers in this one. They're from a small town in Texas in a fantasy/alternate reality time when all of America's allies against Communism have been defeated or given up. The boys' town is attacked by Cuban and Russian forces who parachute in and take over the town. I really don't understand this conservative, militaristic, small town, redneck, fear of invasion type of story that is so full of propaganda. I mean, talk about re-education camps. There is a bumper sticker shown with the "The only way they'll take my gun is to pry it out of my cold dead hands" message. And then a civilian does actually have a hand gun pried out of their dead hands by one of these Communist invaders. The boys, six in total, go hide in the nearby mountains. The two brothers initiate Howell's character in hunting by having him drink blood from the deer he shot to make him a man. The brothers' father, from inside the re-education camp, euphemistically admits he beat the boys to make them stronger and asks that they AVENGE him. Swayze is constantly slapping around the other guys and yelling at them to stop crying because real men don't cry. He was the star quarterback of the high school football team and immediately takes control refusing to have a democratic vote for anything. Two girls join the group hiding in the mountains. They pick up an amazing array of rifles, handguns, and bows and arrows then begin guerrilla warfare against the Commies. They do amazingly well without a single member of their group taking a single bullet over a couple months and several missions. They're able to replenish their ammunition and find camouflage outfits for all seasons. An older guy, a US air force pilot who crashed nearby, joins them, because high school students fighting this war is sort of unbelievable, but adding one adult into the mix makes it all so much more believable. They continue to have lots of success for awhile, but eventually some members of the group begin to die off from enemy fire. It's all so ridiculous and full of plot holes! Don't waste your time unless you want to laugh at something really bad.

• Cameron J

  
  More power to the film for the originality, some solid performances, decent score and improvement in progression. Still, the film stumbles, anchored down by dullness, total lack of development, forced character roles, forced emotion, some poor dialogue and some improvable… More
  More power to the film for the originality, some solid performances, decent score and improvement in progression. Still, the film stumbles, anchored down by dullness, total lack of development, forced character roles, forced emotion, some poor dialogue and some improvable performances. Ultimately, "Red Dawn" predominantly falls short on its potential, but has enough points where it meets the bar set.

• Andrew F

  
  I really wasn't into it.

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