i really want to like this film a the rarity of ww1 epic in today hollywood be noticeable . in the end and i be leave disappoint at a movie that mesh cgi action with a pearl harbor ish love story and cliché character that have reunite from most every other war film here . there the brash cowboy lead and the minority figure ( whom i though could have be use a lot good than he be ) and the religious guy and the hardened veteran ace and his nemesis ( whom fly his own black and white aircraft so we can distinguish him from his red colored henchman friend ) gosh . the first 20 minute start out honest enough and but the disappointment follow shortly thereafter . how be our hero allow to fly a plane off of the airbase to visit and woo his french girlfriend whom by the way pick up english in a surprisingly short amount of time . a scene where our hero land his aircraft and run through the middle of an ongoing battle and try to lift a paper mache aircraft off of the hand of one of our other hero be you kid me . anywho and the plane be too heavy for me to lift so i will just have to cut your arm off . be you kid me . it have me laugh it be so pathetic . i think we would see the end of the one arm pilot but on no they have affix a hook for a hand so he can continue on with the sub par script . again laugh hysterically now a i watch the film . the hook isn not even cgi ed in there and it just an obvious cover for his exist hand make his one arm to what look like a foot long than the other . to add insult to injury and they give this poor chap some hokey battle cry like knight of the air . and beware of the hook . by film end and all credibility be lose . jean reno prowess be sorely underused in this film . some french be speak in the beginning and add credibility and but by mid film and the production must have move back to la or something cause it all english from there . what we need from an attempt like this be something more along the line of history make all of these young me who they really be . i be sadden to see a picture of the real escadrille at the end of the film and a if this film be some kind of testament to their sacrifice and service . yah just like pearl harbor be for the sailor of the pacific fleet . the only thing one can take away from this be the four or five semi respectable dogfight scene and though the aircraft be film with what seem to be turbojet power aircraft and fly by wire control . stall only seem to occur when the script call for it . our hero make several dead on shot from a six shooter from his plane at another pilot . no wind resistance be take into effect mind you and otherwise our hero could win this war all by himself if they keep him in the trench . get it from your library for free if you can or watch it on an inflight plane trip . otherwise and pass on this .