RED SKY

US, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cam Gigandet, Rachel Leigh Cook, Shane West, Bill Pullman, Troy Garity.
Directed by Mario Van Peebles.

Red Sky is the drama, with memories of Top Gun and the Iron Eagle series. It was directed and co-written by Mario Van Peebles who, since the 1990s, has directed quite a number of action adventures.

In this film he plays a key role, a CIA agent, who is rogue, involved in conspiracies in Iran but is interested only in financial gain.

The film opens with an attack on an installation which is considered an enemy installation with a powerful weapon, but is, in fact, under investigation by the Americans and the rogue agent steals the weapon. The crew of the planes are court-martialed and lose their jobs, while one of them, Troy Garity, is actually in league with the rogue and, seven years later, the hero of the film, Cam Gigandet, meets the former girlfriend, Rachel Leigh Cook in Moscow, and an investigation into the whereabouts of the co-pilot who disappeared is launched.

This leads to a series of action adventures, some action in the sky, some split-second timing, the exposure of the rogue agent and the reinstating of the pilots.

Action adventure with a good dose of conspiracy theory.


1. The tradition of films like? Top Gun? Iron Eagle? Flying, missions to foreign countries? Pilots, their skills, camaraderie, their lives?

2. The Middle East settings, the Gulf of Hormuz, the desert, the installation and the bombing? The American navy? The court, the transitions to Nevada, the plant for aircraft, Russia and air shows, the tourism of St Petersburg, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria? The atmosphere, and audience bringing the history of these countries to bear on the plot and the conspiracy? The musical score?

3. The introduction to the characters, then names, Masters as leader, Cajun and the men putting the whiskers on his face? Tom as part of the group? The other members, comradeship, the special mission, their skills in flight, the target, Warlord and his control and commands? The Americans emerging, waving flags, the bombing, the death – and the footage of the widow and her son? The importance of Rainmaker as target?

4. The court-martial, the judges, the prosecutor and his arguments, the presence of Warlord? The judgement, Masters and his accepting responsibility for the team? The aftermath, in the bar, discharge, Tom and his seeming jealousy, the relationship with Karen?

5. Seven years passing, the members of the group, working in Nevada, on planes, Masters living in the plane, his setup, the jobs?

6. Going to Russia, St Petersburg, the air display, Karen and her photographer, the footage? The details of the aerial stunt work? The discussions, friendship, the relationship, the photo? Masters and his wanting information about Tom? Karen, her research?

7. Masters and his return from Russia, the Navy official getting in touch with him, information, Rainmaker, a new mission, the puzzle about Rainmaker and its disappearance? The background with Saddam Hussein? The prospects of the mission, destruction of Rainmaker?

8. Warlord, his presence at the court-martial, at the discussions at the Pentagon, his CIA background? The discussions with the prosecutor? His going to the Kurdish contact, his being an agent, his son, fighting for freedom, Warlord’s promises, wanting obedience? The mission control? In St Petersburg and his assassinating the scientist? The plan, the mission, his observing, controlling the son, Tom, his demanding the cash? The truth about Rainmaker and its nuclear fallout and destruction?

9. The motivation, money, the disintegration of the oil, getting stocks cheaply, the reconstituting of the oil and the making of money? Irrespective of the nuclear fallout and destruction?

10. Karen, in Russia, planning to meet the Professor, his information, the assassination? Her contact, his phone call, supplying the information about Rainmaker? Her going to Syria?

11. The group, the men deciding whether to be in or out, the flights, Anna and her expertise with the bomb, the plan to going to Iran, destroy Rainmaker, return to freedom, no documentation? The irony of the plan going wrong, the group being detained, imprisoned? The guards, and her standing on the shoulders to see the situation, the cigarette, getting the keys, getting out, the military attack, the deaths, taking the small plane, flying out? Going to Syria and the difficult landing? The Russian presence? Collaboration?

12. The attack, the plans and the destruction, the elaborate scenes of the manoeuvres in the sky? Hits and deaths?

13. Resolving the situation, Karen and Masters, the Navy prosecutor and the truth, the honourable discharges?