Red Dawn Remake

[charl_huntress]

lol...dude...at this point I'm not even sure you really seen the original Red Dawn, or at the very least you watch a poor edition. There are NUMEROUS subtitles in the movie.

Anyhoo...I'm starting to think some of the things you don't understand or didn't see in the film are due to this. I suggest you get the 2007 edition on DVD. I know for a while Netflix had it onDemand. Seriously though, it does seem though like you missed an awful lot. Though, I am glad you liked the remake, but for me the original stands on its own as a good film for it's time. I would have preferred they never remade it, but Hollywood can't seem to find any original ideas of late.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Wait, there are subtitles? Lol. I got the 2-disk DVD from the library, there weren't really any subtitles other than saying what month it was. How do you watch it with subtitles for the foreign characters? Is there an on or off switch (like two different versions)? The foreign characters were basically like watching a silent film for me lol. I thought that was intentional - the Wolverines don't know what they're saying so neither do the audience...

 

[charl_huntress]

WOW!!!!!!!! All this and to find out you haven't seen the version with subtitles. LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! That explains A LOT!

My two disc version (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PMFS14/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER) has all the subtitles. I actually own two copies and they all have subtitles for the foreign characters. I'm not sure what happened with yours. Maybe you have to physically turn on the subtitles??? Don't know. I'm not sure to be honest. When I start the movie the subtitles come on automatically. Maybe that's not the case with the library edition. It also could just be a bad copy. Again, they had it on Netflix OnDemand for a while. You could also try Amazon Prime OnDemand.

LOLOLOL......LOLOLOLOL. Please do yourself a favor and watch the version with subtitles...lol

 

[Ultimatehero]

I really couldn't figure out if it was something the director intended for (putting us in the heads of the characters) or if there was a manufacturing problem. Didn't know there were versions without subtitles, and never knew that actually happened. On part I liked that idea of not knowing what they were saying lol - made it more authentic, but created holes too. I also thought it was really odd there was sometimes whole scenes with just them talking and devising strategies when the audience couldn't understand what they were talking about. Has this ever happened with any other film?

 

[charl_huntress]

I didn't think there was a version without subtitles. You can watch it on TV and it has subtitles. It was recently on AMC and SpikeTV. You probably got a bad copy. My guess is if someone donated it to the library they didn't want it for a reason.

Bad copies happen. LOL.....so I guess this ends the discussion because we have now established you have not seen the original Red Dawn as the director intended....LOL

 

[Ultimatehero]

I even checked a site online and couldn't find subtitles even there for some reason. I can say it really was an interesting exercise of trying to find out what the hell was going on with the foreigners in a "silent film" format basically.

 

[charl_huntress]

Don't know where you are checking, but I would suggest Amazon OnDemand. You can watch it there for 2.99 I think.

lololololol....Hopefully when you do see the subtitles it will help clear things up for you. Still glad you liked the remake...I bet that one DID have subtitles...LOL

 

[Ultimatehero]

I don't want to say what site it was. Just that none of the links have subtitles apparently, so there is somehow a version - more than just this DVD - rotating around without subtitles. Unsure what would ever lead to something like that happening.

Only other story I know that's similar is director Ditto Montiel (Guide to Recognizing Your Saints) saw a film in a run down theater that had the sound all out of whack. He thought it was how the director intended it and it went on to inspire his choices in that film. Only to later find out - the actual film he was inspired by did have the sound in synch, it was just that one version of it. Just reminded me of that for some reason lol.

 

[charl_huntress]

Well good luck to you in finding the original version that includes the subtitles...lol. I think when you finallly find it....you may enjoy the movie a bit better and some scenes will make a lot more sense. That...or you can learn to speak Russian and Spanish...lol

 

[jnmx2000]

I saw this movie the other day, it was pretty bad. The fact that people were allowed to walk freely in and out of the quarantine zones was absolutely stupid and in no one of those attacks on a check point would they have walked away alive. I have a suspension of disbelief but this movie made me shake my head more times than I could count.

 

[Matt]

lol...you really do kind of keep going back on things, Ultimate. You say you like the the remake and got all the things you wanted that the original should have been, but it also seeems you want to convince those who like the original that it could have been better. As I have said, anything could be better. I do know what mis-en-scene means and it's a very general term to basically say you don't like Miliius' style. I get that...emphatically. Again, I just don't agree. I think the direction was fine and the style, tone, context...it all worked for a movie of that period. I personally think you don't like the style because it's a movie that's not of your era and those things stand out to you like a sore thumb. You're probably not a big fan of Rambo, Commando, or a lot of the action movies of that period.

I really do think you need to rewatch the movie again. I don't know why the scene on the hill stands out so much to you. The soldiers were sightseeing and goofing off...while on patrol...so they probably weren't a crack team to begin with. The kids surprised them and they initially tried to take them captive, but they had guns and a shoot out began. The kids who were already aware of them got the jump on them and c'est la vie.

Bella was from Cuba. It was shown very early on in the movie that once he was on the side of the rebels in his own country, so he had some empathy for the rebels to begin with. He also had issues with the way the Soviets were running things. There is a very poignant moment right before the big climax at the end where he's writing his wife and he clearly states he's really tired of war and wants to be home with this family. After he sees Jeb carrying Matt, he cannot shoot two wounded teenagers and decides to let them go. He then looks at his hands. I think that means he feels he has blood on on them and is disgusted he's been apart of killing children.

Again, I think because you had so many issues with the style, direction, etc...you overlooked many of the subtlies.

It should also be noted that the movie takes place in a small mining town that the Soviets are just using as a refueling/supply hub. I am pretty sure that it is stated (by Bella or someone) that the soldiers stationed in the town are not the best (which is why a Cuban is commanding them) and that the bulk of the Soviet army/the elite forces are dealing with the front line fighting/occupation of major cities. That also accounts for how the Wolverines are able to cause so much damage.

It almost feels like Ultimatehero is looking for reasons to dislike the original.

 

[Ultimatehero]

It's already been found that apparently the movie has subtitles and I somehow saw the version without subtitles - so any information on the invading force I don't know other than what one can get from trying to piece together a silent from without even those old classic white over a black screen subtitles. So there's no way I would have known that information.

 

[MadVillainy]

First let me say that I never saw the original but i know the ins and outs of it like who dies, what happens at the end, etc.

Saw this. It was meh.
Im actually not completely opposed to remakes/reboots/whatever but the original was such a product of this time, i feel that the only proper way to remake this wouldve been to make it a period piece set back in the 80s like the original.

-Didnt feel anything when anyone died except maybe the boy's father. I think I had the same feeling about this that I did with The Hunger Games in that it's supposed to be especially hard hitting because these are kids and teens getting killed/killing others, but when the whole cast except maybe 2 look like their in their 20s it doesnt have the same punch to me at least
-Bad character development
-Pretty much bad characters all around
-It was boring
-Josh Peck was just not believable. They shouldve made Matt's character a stoner/burnout, not a QB because it didnt seem to fit how Peck was acting.
-Action was eh

The only good thing I could really think of was that Hemsworth was good and JDM had some funny lines. Still this is a servicable watch if youre bored one day and it's on FX or HBO.

4/10

 

[Matt]

It's already been found that apparently the movie has subtitles and I somehow saw the version without subtitles - so any information on the invading force I don't know other than what one can get from trying to piece together a silent from without even those old classic white over a black screen subtitles. So there's no way I would have known that information.

I'm seriously questions whether or not you have actually seen it or just read a Wikipedia synopsis of it. Your gaping lack of knowledge (such as not understanding Bella's motivations at all which is established without subtitles) implies to me that you have not seen it. Factor in that I have never heard of any version of the film without subtitles and I just don't see how you can have actually watched the movie. In fact, the only example of overacting you can cite is the famous, "AVENGE ME!" scene. So seriously, have you really even seen it?

 

[Ultimatehero]

LMAOL. Dude, Matt now you're just acting paranoid enough for me not even to answer. I'd say them gathering around for the first time around the fire all of those lines seemed forced and the crying (as I've stated COUNTLESS (!) times seemed forced - are YOU reading everything or are you just leaping to countless conclusions non-stop?)

And apparently there are non-subtitle versions rotating around - because the DVD quality version online at some sites don't have subtitles on none of the links - unless you honestly think someone went in and digitally got rid of them on that copy as well as on this particular DVD? If so... really? Stop acting paranoid.

Also you've evidently seen the film with subtitles - so, I'm kinda unsure how you could know Bella's motivations without them since you've never seen that copy.

 

[charl_huntress]

Also you've evidently seen the film with subtitles - so, I'm kinda unsure how you could know Bella's motivations without them since you've never seen that copy.

At the end of the film when Bella let's Jeb and Matt pass he says, "Vaya con dios", which I believe means "Go with God". There are no subtitles for this. He then looks at his hands and it's pretty obvious he's broken up about his part in how things have played out....ultimately the killing of kids. I don't see how you could have interpreted that in any other way except he feels guilty and didn't want to kill them. Though from your previous comments it seems like you missed that body language entirely.

Anyhoo...maybe this is due to your perception of body language.

If you say you've seen the movie then I will believe you because...hey that's that you said, but I would suggest finding a true copy with the subtitles intact before making any further comments about the mis-en-scene, bad direction, bad acting...etc...

 

[Ultimatehero]

The problem there is evidently there was build up before that to that moment via the information given beforehand? Without that build up it comes off overly Hollywood and out of the blue because in only one scene he comes off that way at the very end. The only thing I can relate it to is if the Sandman scenes with his daughter were deleted and in the very end we just have him abruptly saying he has a daughter and wants forgiveness - although a Hollywood film moment, it would come off even more so without those scenes to back it up. Thus, yes subtitles for the earlier scenes would result in a different impact for said scene.

 

[charl_huntress]

Ultimate, please go find the version with subtitles so you can understand. If you don't then you can't really say you've seen the movie...because in actuality you haven't.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Charl, at this point you're being just as annoying as Matt. Seriously? Do you even have a point? Matt attacks me for lying for even seeing a corrupted copy. I stand up for myself explaining what conclusion we both reached and now you're after me for no freaking reason at all. So, YOU do YOURSELF a favor and look at what is being said so this nonsense can finally end.

And yes in a non subtitle version, without the scenes coming before it, the end scene does read very differently. So in the non subtitle version that would stand out in a negative way, whereas in the subtitle version with scenes backing it up it would stand out in a still Hollywood but moving and good way. Which IS saying, in lamen terms, the non subtitle version would lead to incorrect misconceptions that aren't there in the subtitled version. Or simply- we're stating the same thing.

 

[charl_huntress]

I'm not going after you...I just want you to see the movie. Then come back with your complaint or praise afterward. At this point, like I said earlier, you haven't seen the movie yet. You've seen a poor copy that doesn't include the subtitles the director meant to be included. So...you haven't reallly seen the original Red Dawn and should not comment on it.

 

[Ultimatehero]

That has absolutely nothing to do with what is being said right now.

1) Matt calls me out, I rebuke that I have - you post a very odd rebuke which made absolutely no sense.

2) You state a scene. I state how it would negatively come off without subtitles, because I didn't get to see what came before it and you seem to have a problem with that. Having one scene without previous scenes backing it up due to having not seen them would make that scene play out in a very negative way. It is still a Hollywood moment, but Hollywood moments work when they're built up to which they seem to be with subtitles (and I've said nothing against the sort).

Thus, these last posts have absolutely nothing to do with the film. Unless you're angry I thought the crying and scene in the woods of them talking for the first time was forced- in which case those were in English, and getting more information on context for the foreign faction wouldn't impact those scenes. Bad crying and bad line delivery is still that bad crying and bad line delivery. No other scenes come to mind as bad acting. Also the crying might stand out more to me because I've been to that place before and know how it feels and know how it looks thus judging it off of that.

But, if this is purely how the scene in the end comes off. As said above and won't say again- without subtitles it plays off bad, with them it probably plays off good. And many other things would change too.

 

[charl_huntress]

without subtitles it plays off bad, with them it probably plays off good. And many other things would change too.

Okay, so go see it with subtitles. That's how it's meant to be seen.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Okay, so go see it with subtitles. That's how it's meant to be seen.

Exactly, good job Charl we're back on the same page again - how it ever got off, I'll never know. And will when can, don't really see any need to further comment on the original because I haven't seen the full intended version.

 

[66 Face]

I saw this movie the other day, it was pretty bad. The fact that people were allowed to walk freely in and out of the quarantine zones was absolutely stupid and in no one of those attacks on a check point would they have walked away alive. I have a suspension of disbelief but this movie made me shake my head more times than I could count.

That sounds bad.

Its to bad because the core idea is a pretty good one. I wanted to see this story go sci-fi. Like families living in bases on the moon or Mars being invaded by a new world order from Earth.

 

[jacobed]

This movie was eh. The plot is stupid but its no stupider than the original. What makes it so blah was the acting outside of Hemsworth and Morgan, they were great. Everyone else was not good especially Josh Peck. Action scenes were decent though so I'd give it a 5/10