Created by cinema legend George Lucas and inspired by true events, “Red Tails” strives to recount the story of a handful of World War II’s most inspirational soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first corp of African American aviators in the United States military. The highly anticipated film had the potential to be one of the year’s best, but took a nosedive instead for reasons both large and small.

The plot focuses on four Tuskegee pilots, Easy, Lightning, Junior, and Smokey, who want to earn respect from the American military and German aviator kills behind enemy lines. The characters are extremely one-dimensional, which ultimately leaves the audience without any emotional attachment or connection to the aviators.

Moreover, it is hard to get drawn into the plot due to a noticeable lack of conflict to keep the viewer engaged. A German Ace is the closest thing to an enemy that appears on screen, but he only appears in a few scenes and has barely enough story impact to make him a true villain.

The film seems hastily put together, and a random love story that has no effect on the plot simply makes “Red Tails” more confusing, leaving the audience wondering whether it is an action flick or a love story.

The supporting cast, primarily the men playing the bomber pilots, are laughably horrendous, most coming off as though they had never read their lines before. Coupled with the heavy use of CGI and unexciting action sequences, the movie is fast to fall out of the sky.

One of the few bright spots of the film was the strong performance by veteran Cuba Gooding, Jr, who played Major Emanuelle Stance. Gooding brought an emotion to his part that made him harsh yet likable, and he really breathed life and energy into a dull story.

Overall, “Red Tails” is a film that fails to live up to potential because of poor development and awful execution. The film may be enjoyable if one doesn’t want to think, but there is no need to wait in line for a ticket. Wait until it comes out on DVD.