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Contains moderate war action and injury detailFighter pilots are the heroes of Flyboys, a WWI drama set in 1916 France. As American allies train up to fell German bombers before they can strike, they discover it's a risky business and numbers dwindle. Star pupil Rawlings (James Franco) finds romance with a local lovely, but his adventures are rarely involving in this slow-moving drama. The airborne battle scenes should please aerial enthusiasts, but with a running time of well over two hours, Flyboys doesn't exactly fly by.
This is one of those films that should be deeply moving: it's inspired by the heroic efforts of real-life Allies who bonded while risking their lives to save others. But sketchy characters and clich茅d dialogue mean it's surprisingly hard to get involved. The usually enjoyable James Franco puts in a one-note performance as Texan rancher Rawlings. Supposed to be the most sympathetic character, he's actually a bit of a bore. His romance with doe-eyed farmgirl Lucienne has potential, but it's handled far too hastily in progression and conclusion - even die-hard romantics are likely to emerge dry-eyed.
"OCCASIONAL SUSPENSE"
On the plus side, the French countryside looks pretty, and there's occasional suspense as the pilots try to thwart German bombers. But most of the characters are so thinly-drawn - and often indistinguishable in their uniform and goggles - it's hard to remember who died when. Still, this is worth a watch for war movie completists, as well as fans of France's - and Franco's - visual charms.
Flyboys is released in UK cinemas on Friday 1st June 2007.
About as much fun as being machinegunned by the Bloody Red Baron.
