The Flyboys is a 2008 American adventure film starring Jesse James, Reiley McClendon, Stephen Baldwin, and Tom Sizemore. It is directed by Mr. Rocco DeVilliers who directed all but one other movie in his career. The movie has surprisingly similar title with the 'Flyboys', which is a 2006 American drama film set during World War I, starring James Franco. Besides the quintessential 'THE' the two movies are worlds apart. One is a patriotic, top class dogfight movie from First World War and the other one supposedly a kids movie.
There are many disturbing elements in the movie. The beginning school fights with Kyle and the school bully legitimizes kid violence. It sends the message that its OK to punch out all the school bullies by breaking their noses.
The most disturbing thing about the movie is the character of Tom Sizemore. He is apparently a criminal gangster who amassed a huge amount of wealth and live in a gaudy mansion. The first scene we see him, he picks up the phone and tells his goons to find the guy who stole his money and kill them. The movie leaves no Grey area to misjudge him. And yet, at the end, he turns out to be the good guy who gives a brand new plane to the protagonist. When his brother is shot and they go back to find his dead body, we see that he is averting the police. And yet, we are asked to believe that he is a good guy with a heart of gold.
When Stephen Baldwin is making his final phone call, bloody and lying in the ground, it has got to be the worst acting among Baldwin brothers we have ever seen. Besides, how does a bloody killing fit a kids movie? We also see Lenny the looser randomly killing a household man and the airport mechanic. Aren't these killing scenes belong only in R rated movie? The movie became an embarrassment for the studio. It was shelved for six years before it saw the light of the day. When it came out, it was a critical and commercial flop. It got 40% rotten at rottentomatoes.com. It neither qualifies for a good adult movie, nor a wholesome kids movie.
There are many disturbing elements in the movie. The beginning school fights with Kyle and the school bully legitimizes kid violence. It sends the message that its OK to punch out all the school bullies by breaking their noses.
The most disturbing thing about the movie is the character of Tom Sizemore. He is apparently a criminal gangster who amassed a huge amount of wealth and live in a gaudy mansion. The first scene we see him, he picks up the phone and tells his goons to find the guy who stole his money and kill them. The movie leaves no Grey area to misjudge him. And yet, at the end, he turns out to be the good guy who gives a brand new plane to the protagonist. When his brother is shot and they go back to find his dead body, we see that he is averting the police. And yet, we are asked to believe that he is a good guy with a heart of gold.
When Stephen Baldwin is making his final phone call, bloody and lying in the ground, it has got to be the worst acting among Baldwin brothers we have ever seen. Besides, how does a bloody killing fit a kids movie? We also see Lenny the looser randomly killing a household man and the airport mechanic. Aren't these killing scenes belong only in R rated movie? The movie became an embarrassment for the studio. It was shelved for six years before it saw the light of the day. When it came out, it was a critical and commercial flop. It got 40% rotten at rottentomatoes.com. It neither qualifies for a good adult movie, nor a wholesome kids movie.