Austin Butler’s World War II drama flops

There are a lot of expectations around Masters of the Air. Viewers haven’t just been waiting years for the nine-episode Apple TV+ series, which began production in February 2021, some have been dreaming about the series for decades.

It’s because Masters of the Air is a companion piece to the critically acclaimed World War II series. Brotherhood2001, depicting the land invasion of Germany by American soldiers. Pacificits 2010 sequel featured war at sea, while Masters of the Air takes the drama to the skies.

Based on Donald Miller’s 2007 book of the same name. Masters of the Air The story follows a group of American soldiers known as the 100th Bomb Group who flew to England in 1943 to fight the Nazis. During their deadly missions, pilots must quickly gain courage and take comfort in their victories as they face immeasurable losses every day.

He has a lot of creative pedigree behind him. Masters of the Air. Oscar winners Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks serve as executive producers. No time to die Director Cary Joji Fukunaga oversees the first four episodes. Captain Marvel directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Polluted with dirtDee Rees and Game of ThronesTim Van Patten oversees the rest of the installations.

The cast is also impressive. Oscar nominee Austin Butler and BAFTA nominee Callum Turner play the lead couple, Major Gail Cleven and Major John Egan, respectively, best friends with two very different views on war. Barry Keoghan, one of cinema’s most in-demand young actors, plays a supporting role, and Nicholas Kinski and Anthony Boyle round out the ensemble.

What makes this even more disappointing is that Masters of the Air cannot take off in any meaningful way. Luckily for a show that reportedly cost over $250 million to produce, there are enough moments of fast-paced action, loss, and sacrifice to make the show enjoyable, but it never makes you fully emotionally invested or feel caught up in the story. what is unfolding.

Masters of the AirThe main problem is that we’ve already seen a lot of what it depicts, especially when it comes to heroic characters. Creators John Shiban and John Orloff understandably want to show the utmost respect to the brave soldiers who sacrificed everything throughout the war.

But they are too respectful. As a result, all the characters are serious and sincere to a fault. They lack complexity, feel one-dimensional and are, frankly, quite boring in the end. Despite spending a lot of time with them, the show never manages to establish a deep emotional connection between the characters and the audience.

The actors are not helped in their efforts by scripts that don’t look at the war from a modern and fresh perspective, but are forced to deliver wooden dialogue and forced banter that is often painful to watch. Especially from Butler, who occasionally switches back to the southern drawl he used in Elvis, although Gleneven must be from Wyoming.

Masters of the Air it’s best when it rises into the skies. Production designer Chris Seegers does an exceptional job of recreating aircraft interiors that are so cramped that they create a real sense of the compact environment in which the soldiers had to work. Each director also depicts horrific injuries and casualties in detail and detail that feels more believable than previous war films.

Ultimately, however, Masters of the Air falls far short of fans’ high hopes. Despite its impressive visuals and authentic way of bringing the era to life, it’s too nostalgic. So much so that it even seems outdated. Not only those watching, but also the people deserve better. Masters of the Air also honors.

Masters of the Air will stream on Apple TV+ starting Friday

Updated: January 26, 2024 6:25 pm.