While it might have achieved its mission for China’s National Day, Sky Hunter has plenty more to accomplish as a work of cinema.
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Taking flight to celebrate China’s National Day Golden Week, actor-director Li Chen’s first feature seeks to raise the sentiments of patriotism and appreciation for those who have maintained peace for the nation.
Sky Hunter is produced in collaboration with the People Liberation Army Air Force and it explains the overly pompous screenplay and mood. From the adrenaline-rushing speech made by a commanding officer to the nationalistic responses by onscreen characters, the film ensures that people renews their loyalty (and hopefully rush to sign on and serve in the Air Force).
Portrayed as some of the country’s best and bold pilots, fighter jet pilot Wu Di (Li Chen) and helicopter pilot Ya Li (Fan Bing Bing) find themselves handpicked to enroll in a covert elite unit known as Sky Hunter. Wu’s wingman Hao Chen (Li Jia Hang) fails to make the selection and thus leaves for an overseas air base as a trainer.
One would expect vigorous scenes of Wu Di and Ya Li undergoing tough training to become the cream of the crop. But the screenplay only sends them to scale certain mountainous terrain once before they are deployed for a mission. It might not be wise for potential recruits within the audience to witness the painful aspects of a military career.
Forget about geopolitics for it does not make any sense. A group of terrorists takes over a military base in a fictitious country Mahbu (assumed to be somewhere west of China). Chinese nationals, including Hao, are taken hostage by terrorists in Mahbu. This is the plot device that provides China the perfect opportunity to show off its military might.
From planned flight strategy to go under the radar to the preposterous slicing of a fighter jet by another fighter jet’s strike, Li employs the use of heavy CG effects to accentuate the aerial dogfight scenes. They are however not coherent due to Li’s weak action directing and lacklustre aerial photography. Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk remains a solid benchmark for thrilling aerial warfare filmmaking.
Funny that Li engaged Nolan’s frequent collaborators Hans Zimmer and Andrew Kawczynski to produce a score that is capable of bolstering China’s might. In other departments, it is apparent that Top Gun and the recent Wolf Warrior 2 are some of the inspirations behind Sky Hunter.
While it might have achieved its mission for China’s National Day, Sky Hunter has plenty more to accomplish as a work of cinema.
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