Chris Hemsworth’s remake of ’80s film called ‘terrible’ by original director

I definitely saw Dan Bradley’s 2012 remake of “Red Dawn.” but I can’t tell you much about it. “Red Dawn” is a film without substance, which can pass through the human brain without leaving any memory residue. It’s vaguely entertaining while you watch it, but no real characters, moments, or themes will be removed from the theater once the film is over. It was one of several ill-advised remakes released theatrically in the mid-2000s and early 2010s. “Red Dawn” was dismissed by critics and avoided by audiences. He only got a 15% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (based on 143 reviews) and made less than $51 million on a budget of $65 million.

The one thing everyone can remember about the “Red Dawn” remake is how it had to change the origins of its central antagonists. Bradley’s film tells the story of a small community in Spokane, Washington, that is suddenly and unexpectedly invaded by the North Korean military. A prologue explains, unconvincingly, that the U.S. military has been weakened by too many conflicts abroad, leaving cities like Spokane vulnerable to invasion. The film follows a soldier named Jed (a pre-“Thor” Chris Hemsworth) as he leads a group of unprepared civilians, mostly high school students, in a strike against the North Korean invaders.

But “Red Dawn” was filmed with Chinese invaders, not Koreans. When MGM realized it did not want to alienate its potential Chinese audience, it used numerous post-production tricks and visual effects to turn them into North Koreans. The film was filmed in 2010, but its release was delayed until 2012.

It’s no surprise that John Milius, the director of the original 1984 “Red Dawn” film, hated the remake. He said this in a 2010 interview with Los Angeles Times.

The original “Red Dawn” (the first film to be rated PG-13!) emerged during the middle of the Ronald Reagan administration, as the United States was going through a prolonged period of conservatism. American military might was often touted loudly in films of this era, with “Red Dawn” being one of the trend’s loudest trumpeters. The original was set in Calumet, Colorado, and more closely followed its teenage characters as they fend off an attack from Soviet invaders. The Soviets were also joined by the Cubans and Nicaraguans, creating an evil supergroup of anti-American bogeymen. “Red Dawn” is not just about resourceful teenagers fighting evil communists, but also about chauvinistic righteousness.

The remake lacked righteousness and political foundations. The politics of the original aren’t exactly responsible, but at least it was a philosophy.

Milius felt that remaking “Red Dawn” in 2010 was unnecessary, as his film was still a harrowing action film that anyone could get into. At that point, Milius had not seen the remake, but he had read the script and hated it. In his words:

“I think it’s a stupid thing to do. [My] the film is not very old. [The remake’s script] was terrible. There was a strange feeling about it all. They were fans of the movie, so they put things in that they found interesting. It’s all about neat action scenes and has nothing to do with the story.”

Indeed, it is in the story of the remake of “Red Dawn” that we miss the most. The filmmakers focused on the immediacy of the action and the tension of the storyline, rather than the story or politics. If a film’s antagonists can be changed in post-production, it’s a clear sign that a film isn’t as political as it thinks it is.