Red Dawn Review

Red Dawn
When North Koreans start landing in their small town, US Marine Jed Eckert (Hemsworth) and his friends take the fight to the invader.

by Nick de Semlyen |
Published on
Release Date:

15 Mar 2013

Running Time:

109 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Red Dawn

Playing its dunderheaded premise (evil Asians invade America!) confoundingly straight, this remake of a best-forgotten ’80s actioner limps into UK cinemas after flopping in the States. On the one hand, it’s cravenly cynical: the nationality of the villains was switched from Chinese to North Korean in post-production, so as not to offend a major market. On the other, it’s leadenly humourless, ramping up the Big Speeches and shaky-cam like it’s Saving Private Ryan 2. The only relief from the tedium: spotting digitally de-Chinesed shots, and the array of accidental innuendo (“Stay on my ass!”/“I won’t give you dick!”).

Long-delayed. Arguably not long enough.

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