A pair of U.S. Navy fighter pilots risk their lives during the Korean War and become some of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.
This book by Adam Makos is generally considered a step below ‘A Higher Call,’ a previous success of his and perhaps an attempt to mimic Laura Hildabrann’s “Unbroken.’ Critics felt the writing left an out-and-out effort to make the story into a film, which is precisely what happened.
However, originally devised, this screenplay manages to “smooth out the edges” of the book and present the Navy fighter pilots who fought the “forgotten war” that was Korea. While the main focus is on Jesse Brown, the first African American U.S. Navy carrier pilot, the film has been described as an” Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice.” That, in a nutshell, is “Devotion.”
Brown, played by Jonathan Majors, lets the audience into the interior of his life and the ridicule, hazing, and physical punishment he has had to endure to succeed as an elite pilot. Those experiences have hardened him, but not on the inside. He is a loving husband and father and, eventually, an enduring friend with the men in his unit.
In Brown’s unit, another pilot, Tom Hudner, played by Glen Powell, whittles away the hard outside shell Brown has built for protection, and the two become friends. The commander of the unit’s motto is “bring everyone home,” which creates a solid bond among the men in the unit.
The aerial fighting scenes in the film were so realistic as to make me squirm a bit. I follow films regarding WWII, having been born in the middle of that terrible time. I remember the Korean conflict well and have read recounts of the battles. The killing cold of that war is a legend. I had a friend who served, his job being to retrieve the dead after a battle and stack the bodies up to be picked up by truck and whisked away. He always kept the heat in his home so elevated as to be stifling. He explained that he swore never to be cold again when he returned from Korea. The cold was an enemy impossible to fight.
“Devotion” has many synonyms: Loyalty, commitment, dependability, and honor, to name only a few from a long list. These words and the actions behind them are the substance of this film. Both Hudner and Brown are palpable human examples. They and the men of their unit exhibit a steadfast devotion of an unquestioning kind toward each other and those they love. “Bring everyone back” is the enduring aphorism of the story. “Devotion” is an uplifting and inspiring story brought to life in film.
Now available on Digital HD and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD February 28th
