RED DAWN (2012)
A rousing patriotic war movie worth seeing with discernment.
Should You Watch It?
You get a rousing, exciting war movie about Americans fighting for liberty. Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck give strong performances, and the acting nearly carries the action-packed plot. The movie is openly pro-American, patriotic, and anti-communist, while extolling resistance to tyranny and oppression.
The cost is substantial language. The film also contains strong, intense battle violence, though the source describes the blood as light and infrequent. Its positive religious content is limited to one reference to prayer, leaving the movie’s Christian, biblical heritage underdeveloped.
If you are watching with teenagers or adults who can handle the content, this is a worthwhile opportunity to discuss liberty, sacrifice, faith, and government tyranny. For younger children, choose something else. Red Dawn is worth the trip for ages 13 and up, with discernment.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESWhen North Korean soldiers invade Spokane, Washington, Marine Jed Eckart and his younger brother, Matt, escape with several teenage football players. They retreat to their family’s hunting cabin, then form a guerrilla resistance movement in the woods.
Calling themselves the Wolverines after their football team, the teenagers gather weapons, explosives, and help from Americans secretly resisting the communist regime. Their fight becomes personal when Matt sees a chance to rescue his girlfriend, who is being held as a political prisoner.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is one of the source review’s strongest recommendations. The film is rousing, suspenseful, and packed with exciting battle scenes. The acting by Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck is excellent, making the story more compelling and often carrying the plot. The rest of the cast does a very good job as well.
The movie is also less corny than the original. Its political scenario is somewhat far-fetched, and some action scenes use too many close-ups. Still, the performances, action, and suspense make this an engaging war movie.
The Worldview
Red Dawn presents a strong moral worldview with redemptive content, including sacrifice and a positive mention of general prayer. It is strongly pro-American, patriotic, and anti-communist. It opposes government tyranny and oppression and extols fighting for American liberty.
The film also mocks leftist attacks on American capitalism. North Korean leaders tell an American crowd that they are victims of Wall Street pirates and capitalist greed, while the movie presents that argument as part of communist propaganda.
The film’s weakness is its limited religious vision. Apart from one positive reference to praying, it offers no other religious references to America’s Christian, biblical heritage. The movie therefore gives families material for discussing liberty and faith, but it does not fully connect those ideals to God.
Jesus teaches, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Red Dawn’s emphasis on citizens and leaders serving liberty can prompt discussion about the proper responsibilities of government and the people.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview with some redemptive content, including an element of sacrifice and a positive mention of general prayer, plus very strong Pro-American, patriotic, anti-communist, anti-fascist, anti-leftist elements extolling American liberty and opposing government tyranny and oppression; about 56 obscenities (including many “h” words, many “s” words, and one “f” word), four strong profanities, four strong profanities, and an obscene gesture is given to a communist collaborator; strong, intense war and action violence with light, infrequent blood includes character gets shot in head (not extremely graphic), gunshot heard of another character getting executed in the head, small wound sewn up, gunfights, explosions, vehicles crash during two chase scenes; no sex scenes but one light reference teenage football quarterback mentions getting some kind of vague (at least in the dialogue) teenage sexual experiences (he wants more than just a kiss but doesn’t say what exactly) in the future from girlfriend, who acts coy about it, plus brief teenage and adult kissing; no nudity; alcohol use; no smoking or drugs; and, some Americans collaborate with tyrannical communist invaders but it’s rebuked, teenagers enlist in guerrilla war fighting, collaborator steals potential freedom fighters’ food stash.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The Wolverines fight for their families and their home. What responsibilities do citizens have when leaders become oppressive?
Romans 13:1–4 · Proverbs 29:2The film presents sacrifice as part of defending liberty. How is sacrifice different from simply seeking revenge?
John 15:13 · Romans 12:17–21The movie offers only a limited connection between liberty and faith. Why should freedom be joined to responsibility before God?
Galatians 5:13 · Mark 12:17The characters must decide whom to trust during an invasion. What qualities should guide your trust in people and leaders?
Proverbs 11:3 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21The Final Word
Red Dawn is exciting, patriotic, and strongly acted, with real opportunities to discuss liberty, sacrifice, and faith. Its frequent foul language and intense war violence call for discernment, especially with younger viewers. For teenagers and adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — AGES 13 AND UP. For younger children, consider.
