Dogfights

Reviewing a series after the first episode can understandably be misleading, so for now, this is roughly what I think: from a craftsmanship perspective, it is undoubtedly decent work that Leni Riefenstahl herself wouldn't be ashamed of. Nice graphics, attractive depiction of aerial combat, tension, and a romanticized view of men who dedicated their lives to serving their country. On a content level, it is a manipulative affair that is essentially propaganda for war and American values. A documentary equivalent of Top Gun. The creators don't bother with depicting the broader context of military operations, evaluating the positions of the warring parties, the balance of power, or the impact of the combat action on the overall war situation - while watching the documentary, one doesn't realize at all that it was a conflict where the American side was unsuccessful. Heroism and the abilities of American pilots are pathetically emphasized, without highlighting the fact that the Vietnamese had twelve to sixteen functional fighter jets during the battle while the Americans had three aircraft carriers near the Vietnamese coast and possessed the most modern and largest air force in the world, with the American military budget already accounting for nearly 40% of the world's total arms expenditures at that time. How many hours do you think the Vietnamese pilots had logged and what could maintenance of their aircraft have been like... Overall impression: 35% as a recruitment film for the US Army. (2009.01.12)

An absolutely great series, which, with the right dosage of episodes, can't even begin to get boring. Sometimes unbelievable stories combined with perfect animation, plus a flawless commentary by the proven Alfred Strejček. My favorite episodes deal with the legendary Robin Olds (the very first part of the first series), the black pilots of Tuskegee, bomber pilots, low-altitude combat, the hunt for the Bismarck, first-war biplane and triplane fights, and "secret" weapons - especially my favorite, the Me-163. Someone release it on DVD already! (2013.03.15)