I watched "Burning Blue" and will sleep on my comments. I think it needs a 2nd viewing. Anyone else given it a chance? Speak up. V.
I watched "Burning Blue" and agree with many of the above postings from various reviews - though the critics are harsher than I am for a film trying to "do the right thing."
Yes, this film is far from perfect but it strikes me as more a labor of love, a mission and knowing a bit about it's background now, that certainly holds. The dialog is sometimes contrived and forced and in my case, one of the characters really irked me until some ending revelations. But the film certainly reminds me of the banter from "Top Gun" with the uncanny simple phrasing and testosterone loaded one liners but then I ask exactly what's real or what should we expect from a small slice of Navy guys? Shakespearean prose, really? The line from the film where the admiral arrives by chopper and a comment is made about "...yeah 6000 guys all afraid to fart..." certainly sounds true to form from anyone who's been there.
Yeah, obviously, Burning Blue didn't have Top's budget but it was trying to serve something beyond tanned bodies, motorcycles, fast jets, leather jackets, summer volleyball, sand, sweat and hot babes. It was serving a slice of life under DADT. With the film being set in the 1990's era, I can certainly see and feel the tension in some of the conversations - afraid to say anything.. could it be a ruse? Is it real or is a witch hunt? Who's the friend, who's the foe? We, not being there, have no real idea but the film's ending noting more than 14,000 people were hunted and discharged under DADT should ring home.
Yes, the dialog could be more polished and film could be carried better by the actors who were handsome in their own right. A wee bit more passion, from the eyes or otherwise would have been super! The limited single kiss we are shown at Dan's home felt awkward. Yes, when reflecting to the BBM stairway scene - it is night and day. But then I never assumed explicit on screen intimacy was the real goal of this film..now was it? Overall, I'm not gushing uber high praise but I am staging in some reality while not whizzing all over it either. Patience and watching more than once may be required. YMMV. Cheers, V.