As one of the defining, if now rather jaded, movies of 1984, action-dramaRed Dawnis now ready to find a new audience after landing on Prime Video on December 1. Directed by John Milius, the film brings with it an all-star cast of the decade, includingPatrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Grey.
Red Dawnis set in an alternate reality, where World War III is upon the world and the U.S. is invaded by a coalition of forces. In this dangerous world, a group of teenagers forms a resistance group under the name of the “Wolverines.” Armed with nothing more than a will to survive and their basic hunting skills, they fight to save their homeland, while being subjected to the harsh truths of war, friendship, and sacrifice along the way. Capturing the anxiety of war is never a joyous affair, andRed Dawndidn’t exactly manage it according to many critics. However, the movie was a small financial success, and became one of the memorable movies released in a year filled with many iconic films.
The movie was notably the first PG-13 movie released in the U.S following changes to film classifications, meaning that it was marketed as a movie for both adults and teenagers. While the subject matter doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that would make a good family outing, the movie’s box office of $38 million was solid enough, and over timeRed Dawnhas fallen squarely into the category of a guilty pleasure for many.
Red Dawn Received the Remake Treatment Over a Decade Ago
Critical reviews ofRed Dawnmay have been mixed, but that doesn’t mean that has not found and held onto an audience over the decades.Although the film’s “wildly implausible” plot and “cynically provocative” telling did not make it a hit with critics, even in recent reappraisals, audiences were happier with the film, and it currently holds a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, as any movie of decades gone by, there is always someone looking to remake, rehash or retool the story for a new generation. It seems that if the originalRed Dawnwas destined to become a guilty pleasure,the 2012 remake starring Chris Hemsworth, which reworked the story to incorporate a North Korean invasion and a group of teens being led by an Iraq War vet, is one that was always going to head straight to the junkyard of forgotten, unnecessary remakes.
Patrick Swayze’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
Patrick Swayze’s famous movie quote “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” comes from his breakthrough film Dirty Dancing.
The legacy of the originalRed Dawnis one that, like many movies of the decade, has continued to endure through the years, and has influenced many other movies about youthful rebellion and resistance.The arrival of the film on Prime Video will allow those who remember it the first time around revisit the story again, in a time when war seems to be all around.Perhaps even a movie that cannot be taken quite as seriously as others on the subject, and one that’s historical relevance has shifted over the decades, can bring something to the table when viewed with modern eyes. You can check out some of the most memorable scenes courtesy of Amazon MGM below.
