Inspired by a true story, this earnest tale of navy pilots in 1950 at the start of the Korean War and the ongoing Russian threat offers a recognisable but less glossy period take on the Top Gun movies, with the racist attitudes of the time as its key issue. Indeed, we have grown up so used to seeing these generic visuals accompanied by a slick 1980s soft-rock/synth soundtrack that Chanda Dancy's lush and lyrical score feels odd at first but is very effective, and the aerial sequences are realised beautifully, along with some lively battle sequences. The team of pilots is a likeable bunch, with a superb mesmerising standout performance by Jonathan Majors as Ensign Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first African-American pilot, portrayed as a gentle but strong man, self-aware of the racism of the times but finding friendship and acceptance as well. Devotion is an understated, thoughtful and well-crafted film that delivers very well on both the action front and the quieter dramatic moments.
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