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Like it or not, the ill-fated and unnecessary Red Dawn remake/reboot is on the way and will arrive in theaters on (when else?) Thanksgiving day. This film has actually been years in the making, which would explain why the film’s stars — Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and … Connor Cruise — look younger than we’re used to seeing them these days. Obviously, Connor is a very good-looking young man, but we all know that nepotism has at least a fair amount to do with Connor landing a role here. Here’s the remake’s plot summary, which sounds almost indistinguishable from the original (basically, they’ve changed the setting from Colorado to Washington and changed the invading forces from Russians and Cubans to North Koreans), as well as a new clip:
In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky — shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.
[From IMDb]
Okay, so Connor doesn’t get much airplay at all in that clip. His role is obviously a supporting one, but he actually had a line (“I can’t“) in this trailer from about a month ago. Check it.
Honestly, the point of this post isn’t to bag on Connor Cruise. I feel bad for the kid (he’s not even a kid anymore) for having such a screwed-up, lift-obsessed father that pulled him into Scientology, so I won’t say much more about him here. What does offend me, however, is that the remake originally cast China as the invading country but then switched the identity of the Chinese soldiers to North Koreans in post-production. Because, you know, all Asians are interchangeable like that, right? Also, how on earth would North Korea ever be able to invade any other country in the first place? It doesn’t make sense, of course, but that’s Hollywood. As much as a clusterf*ck as this movie will probably be, I think Chris Hemworth might be enough of a box office draw to make it a moderately successful blockbuster. We shall see.
Here’s another clip that shows a bit of the ground combat and an ambush on the part of Hemsworth and Hutcherson. Don’t ask me why Hutcherson’s mouth hangs open the entire time he’s shooting a gun.
Photos courtesy of Contrafilm and Film District
Written by Bedhead
Posted in Chris Hemsworth, Connor Cruise, Josh Hutcherson, Trailer
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It’s like that video game homefront. Not gonna lie, my hubs is stoked for this movie. He’s a marine from Washington and in his eyes its a story about Thor being a marine who saves Washington lol whatever works.
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How can you not love a man like that?! Hope he (and you) enjoy the movie.
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I am definitely going to see Thor save Washington on Thanksgiving! I will see Thor in anything.
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Just like Homefront, I was playing this last night! Also in agreeance re: how the hell would N Korea invade the US, but hey, two of my favourite actors are in this – definitely going to go see it.
Also, your hubby sounds awesome!
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I was actually really excited about this remake until I started seeing clips and trailers of it. Now I don’t know. If someone decides to continue with all of these remakes, they better not remake “The Outsiders”. That will send me over the edge.
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Omg, don’t give anyone any ideas about The Outsiders. That would be tragic.
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I’m pissed!! The original was good because it quietly drew you into the characters and their ordeal and the weren’t all just PRETTY FREAKIN FACES (well maybe a little)
This one is guaranteed to be all noise and stupid love plots. UGHHH SUCKAGE!!!
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Blasphemy! I loved “The Outsiders” book and movie as a teen.
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I would so watch this!
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I don’t think it has anything to do with asians being interchangeable. i think it was much more likely a political move.
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The US does a lot more business with China so it makes sense not to offend them in my opinion. Besides, any movie or show about Europe usually uses British people or with British accents anyway like Spartacus or the Borgias despite Italians being pretty different than your average Brit.
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Everyone wants China’s money so they go out of their way not to offend them. Looper did great in China my putting a Chinese actress in for a moment.
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The *decision* to switch was obviously political but that they knew they *could* even after people had been cast is because they figured their target audience wouldn’t know the difference. After all they had already banked on them not asking questions as to why the (previously) Chinese army has so many people from Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia in it. At least the main enemy character IS Korean, wonder if that’s what made them lean to the bizarre choice of NK as a plausible opposing force. Siberia would have been as believable and hey Siberians look kinda Asian too don’t they?
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It would be more believable if north koreans made a movie about US invading their nations. yeah now that makes sense.
As if North Korea would ever have THAT power over US.
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Meh. But I’ll probably end up watching it On Demand just to see Chris Hemsworth running around with a gun
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how idiotic. the original one was stupid as this one no doubt is.
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Love Hemsworth but seriously how is it so easy with today’s security meausres for North Koreans to paratroop drop onto US soil? If it was that easy I’m sure all foreign terriost would have attempt to try it. But it’s interesting to see how they are going to play it out.
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Agree – but how much of a role does reality play in choosing Hollywood content? Love Hemsworth too!
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Not to argue that this won’t be one of the stupidest movies of the year, but I think they explain that one as the North Koreans having some fandango new weapon that knocked out all the communication systems or something, I’m only going on the little said in the preview but it was along those lines. Still mind numbingly stupid and completely implausible but not quite as bad as NK troops just being able to waft down unnoticed & unchallenged.
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Ugh. I love Chris Hemsworth but I just can’t with this movie.
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Not gonna lie- I can’t wait to see this. The original was so good, and I LOVE the concept so this one will definitely be getting play with me.
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My standards for mindless entertainment are really low but this is borderline offensive. The original was bad in a fun 80′s way but my gawd, it didn’t need a remake. Who the hell is in charge of the money in Hollywood??? Ugh.
The bad bad commies are coming? Really??? I’m honestly surprised they didn’t go with jihadists. Probably didn’t want to anger them.
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My thoughts too. My job is pretty stressful so all I want from entertainment most of the time is something pretty low brow. As you say this veers off dumb & fun and into offensive. Also surprised they didn’t go for “Islamists” but I guess the plot needed a nation state enemy rather than a non state lot and they were hardly going to pick the Sauds, for the same reasons they decided against China. Can’t piss off the money.
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It has Papa Winchester (JDM) and Thor. I’m sold.
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He’s gorgeous. He could stand there talking to the camera for two hours and I’d buy a ticket.
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I had to answer on this one lol You claim to be offended because they changed from Chinese soldiers to North Koreans ones but yet you say that it will be impossible for North Korea to invade ANY other country LOL Like, not even just USA, ANY other country LOL
God god god, so funny… Anywho, who cares if they change the nationality of the ennemy ? Would you care if they had changed from French to British ? lol It’s a movie… (And I know that all asians aren’t the same, I have to say all the time to my family: no, it’s not chinese, it’s korean!)
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Saying NK does not have the capability to mount an invasion of ANY country is not offensive, it is a geo-political fact.
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WHo is the chick in the background of the movie poster who looks like Chaka from Land of the Lost??
Not sure I’ll watch this one. I was a youngster when the first one came out so it’s hard for me to imagine anyone but Patrick Swayze as Jed. I like Thor, just don’t know if I can go there with him in this role.
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In the photos with Connor Cruise he either looks photoshopped in or is photobombing.
Unless something drastic happens he’ll always be Connor Cruise, like, what’s he doing in this movie? Some actors can disappear into the character. For me I don’t think he ever will.
This movie didn’t need to be remade. Very few do I suppose.
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Whatever, the original was kind of dumb anyway, but if they then cast Thor as Johnny Castle in a Dirty Dancing remake I will die.
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I wish they would just stop doing remakes all together. The originals are always better!! The remake of Footloose was a joke!!
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The first Red Dawn sucked so I don’t plan to be impressed by the remake.
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I would still watch it. For Peeta and Thor. And papa Winchester. And I really want to see Connor Cruise in motion. We always see him in pistures. But I wonder to see him alive.
Too many recognizable faces to ignore.
Ho much more interesting it would be if they would fight zombies
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My boyfriend’s kids are demanding to see it cause “Peeta’s in it dad-uh”. Dad has become a two syllable word since they became Tweens.
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