"The Blue Angels" Review: Doc celebrates Naval aviation, military pilots

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The new documentary The Blue Angels offers a brief history of the organization. In 1946, Admiral Chester Nimitz saw an opportunity to celebrate Naval aviation through public performances. These demonstrations allow members of the public to see firsthand the power, dedication and precision of some of the most prestigious pilots in the Navy.  After intense pilot training, the Blue Angels tour around the country, showing different communities what these aviators are capable of.

The new film — which is in theaters now and arrives on Amazon Prime tomorrow — focuses in on one specific class of pilots and the work that goes into their national tour.

The feature begins by noting that the Navy commands approximately 3700 combat-ready fighter pilots but only 6 of them are chosen to be the Blue Angels. These pilots are charged with learning how to fly together to create a captivating showcase they can take on the road and show off to eager members of the public. In the film, Captain Brian “G” Kesselring commands the Blue Angels (his last season doing so) as they prepare for and embark on their national tour.

Much of the early emphasis here is on the training itself as the pilots prepare. Director Paul Crowder does a nice job here showing what’s involved. From the physical training they endure (some of their actions in the aircraft require great physical strength) to their synchronization practices (the pilots all need to be in sync during some of the maneuvers), the feature hints at some of the work that goes into preparing for the performances. The feature also highlights how close the aircrafts are to one another during the shows (at some points in the show, the massive aircrafts are only 18 inches away from each other).

With a running time of only 94 minutes, the feature barely scratches the surface of the prep involved, especially because there’s a lot of story to tell and the feature packs a lot into its short running time.

Crowder nicely includes a number of different elements here. There’s a brief history of the organization, a recognition of some of the Blue Angels icons (including a man who was asked to command the organization three separate times) and a tribute to the pilots who have been lost along the way. There’s also a glimpse of all of the surrounding players here, including the two-person teams assigned to each plane that help with pre-flight procedures.

All of these elements lead up to the grand third act, which highlights the remarkable shows themselves-- showing what all of the work was for. It’s here where viewers truly see how magnificent these shows are and the inspired crowds who show up for the demonstrations. Earlier in the story, one of the Blue Angels noted how inspired he was after seeing the show as a youth and it's not surprising to see why.

Crowder nicely brings audiences into the shows in some remarkable and beautifully-shot sequences that would best be appreciated on the biggest screen possible.

Although there are times when it feels like The Blue Angels could've used more insight into the pilots here, the feature does a great job offering an introduction into this truly remarkable group and all of the hard work, dedication and precision that goes into these unbelievable performances.