RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Flyboys
Flyboys

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Flyboys (2006)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
33 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:123

Fresh:40

Rotten:83

Average Rating:4.9/10

Consensus: A poorly scripted history-rewriting exercise with mediocre acting and unconvincing CGI battle scenes.

Runtime: 2 hrs 20 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

US Box Office: $13,048,522

Synopsis: "Flyboys," the first World War I aviation film in over 40 years, is inspired by the epic, courageous tale of the American young men who would become known as the legendary Lafayette Escadrille. ... "Flyboys," the first World War I aviation film in over 40 years, is inspired by the epic, courageous tale of the American young men who would become known as the legendary Lafayette Escadrille. They were ordinary boys who volunteered for the first World War looking for adventure, and in the process, they became heroes. Never before has a movie so accurately portrayed the thrill and danger of the aerial dogfights that played such an integral role in the Allied resistance. In 1917, prior to the official entry into the war by the United States, the Allied powers of France, England and Italy were on the ropes against the German juggernaut. Some altruistic young Americans volunteered to fight alongside their counterparts in France. Some joined the infantry, others chose the Ambulance Corps. But 38 young men had a different idea: they decided to learn how to fly. Their motivations for enlisting may have been different: Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) is searching for his purpose following the bank's foreclosure of his family ranch, Briggs Lowry (Tyler Labine) is shamed into joining by his disciplinarian father, while African-American expatriate boxer Eugene Skinner (Abdul Salis) vows to repay his debt to his adopted, racially-tolerant country. But under the command of French Captain Thenault (Jean Reno) and the leadership of American veteran Reed Cassidy (Martin Henderson), these young American men took to the air with honor everyday as they risked their lives, not just in facing the formidable German aggressors, but also in boarding their newly-invented, mechanically-imperfect aircraft, which were being used in combat for the first time. Inspired by the true story of the legendary Lafayette Escadrille, "Flyboys" is directed by Academy Award ®-winner Tony Bill ("The Sting") and produced by Dean Devlin ("The Patriot," "Independence Day," "Stargate") and Marc Frydman (ABC's "Commander in Chief"). James Franco ("Spiderman," "Spiderman 2") stars with Marin Henderson ("The Ring") and Jean Reno ("The Da Vinci Code"). -- © Electric Entertainment [More]

Starring: Jean Reno, James Franco, Martin Henderson, Ian Rose

Starring: Jean Reno, James Franco, Martin Henderson, Ian Rose, Abdul Salis, Jennifer Decker, Lex Shrapnel, David Ellison

Director: Tony Bill

Director: Tony Bill
Screenwriter: Blake T. Evans, David S. Ward
Producer: Dean Devlin, Mark Frydman
Composer: Trevor Rabin
Studio: MGM

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Exclusive Look Behind The Scenes
    >
    Trailer
    >
1 - 2 of 2

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Flyboys

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
02/23/07
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Romanticised battles and chivalry, heroic deeds and brutal deaths, these are the elements that Flyboys flies by, a thrilling adventure from the pages of history, tinged with the sadness of it all.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/10/07
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The characters, although based on real life people, are one-dimensional stereotypes that exist for the sole purpose of presenting indistinguishable flesh-and-blood pilots for superabundant air battles.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
04/25/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

The best of Pearl Harbor meeting the worst of HBO's Band of Brothers.

Full Review Source: Calgary Movies | comment Comment
09/16/07
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Calgary Movies
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: USA Today | comment Comment
09/01/07
Claudia Puig
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
06/19/07
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Yearning for a time when warfare seemed so much simpler and more honourable, Flyboys is a thrilling, spectacular ride - but only when its dull characters get off the ground.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
06/12/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
06/05/07
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
06/02/07
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
06/01/07
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
05/31/07
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This well-produced, engaging film somewhat overreaches itself, trying to turn a crackling adventure into a sweeping emotional epic.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
05/10/07
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

It's as family-friendly as a war movie can be these days, relying on the daring of its amazing aerial sequences rather than carnage or vulgarity to promote its authenticity.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
03/31/07
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

Flyboys doesn't just use cliches - it wallows in them, feeling more like a film based on old war movies than actual history.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
UGO

With its meticulous attention to detail and superior production values, the film promises much more than its unseasoned cast and thin plotting deliver.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
Daniel Eagan
Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International

Amazing aerial stunts %u2013 they are really are quite a sight to behold.

Full Review Source: Moviehole | comment Comment
02/17/07
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

Weak on story, but strong on action, Flyboys is actually worth seeing for the effects alone.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
02/05/07
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

The aerial combat scenes are visually stunning.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/14/07
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

An embarrassing cliché-fest.

Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com | comment Comment
01/01/07
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
FulvueDrive-in.com

Even the aerial battle scenes are frustrating because they've been shot with no sense of space (the effect is similar to watching a dance sequence where you can't see the dancers' feet).

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
12/30/06
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
all

Latest News for Flyboys

September 20, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Jovovich vs. Alba in Multiplex Mayhem
Jodie Foster will find herself in the middle of a catfight over the number one spot this weekend. The star of current chart-topper The Brave One will face challenges from Milla... More...

October 09, 2006: Box Office Wrapup: Leo and Matt Face Off at #1 with The Departed
Martin Scorsese scored the best opening of his career, and his first number one film in fifteen years, with the star-studded gangster thriller "The Departed," which... More...

October 05, 2006: Box Office Guru Preview: "Departed" Arrives with a Bang
Movie studios are offering something for every age group over the Columbus Day holiday weekend. Mature adults will go undercover with Martin Scorsese's cop thriller "The... More...

October 02, 2006: Box Office Wrapup: Open Season Shoots Up #1 Opening
Ashton Kutcher ambushed the top two spots at the North American box office this weekend playing an animated mule and a Coast Guard rookie in Open Season and The Guardian,... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

56% 56% 9 09/12
66% 66% Away We Go 10/12
16% 16% Planet 51 03/12
70% 70% Religulous 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
69
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
128
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
182
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
93
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
92
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
84
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
72
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
45
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
23
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Win A Signed Where the Wild Things Are Poster
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Flyboys at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Flyboys at IGN
  • Flyboys at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.