Discription
Red Dawn (2012)
Summary:
In Spokane, Washington, brothers Jed and Matt Eckert find their town under siege by North Korean paratroopers. As their community is occupied, they escape to the woods with a group of high school students. Following the execution of their father, the teenagers band together, calling themselves the Wolverines after their high school mascot. They wage a guerrilla war against the occupying forces to reclaim their home.
Plot:
The film opens with a montage depicting a global economic crisis, a weakened NATO, and increasing cooperation between a militant North Korea and Russia. This sets the stage for a scenario where the United States, with many of its troops deployed overseas, becomes vulnerable to attack.
In Spokane, Washington, Marine veteran Jed Eckert is home on leave, reconnecting with his police officer father, Tom, and his younger brother, Matt, a high school football quarterback with whom he has a strained relationship. The morning after a local football game, a mysterious power outage is followed by the shocking sight of numerous North Korean paratroopers descending upon their town.
As chaos erupts, Police Chief Tom Eckert urges his sons to flee to their secluded cabin in the mountains. Jed and Matt escape, picking up several of Matt's classmates along the way: Robert Kitner, Daryl Jenkins, Toni Walsh (Jed's former girlfriend), Erica Martin (Matt's girlfriend), Danny Jenkins (Daryl's older brother), and Julie Goodyear.
Their initial refuge is short-lived. They are betrayed by Pete, one of the classmates, who leads the North Korean soldiers to their cabin. The teenagers witness the brutal execution of their father by Captain Cho, the ruthless leader of the occupying forces, after he encourages his sons to fight back.
Fueled by grief and a desire for revenge, Jed takes charge. Drawing on his Marine training, he transforms the group into a guerrilla resistance force, naming them the Wolverines after their high school football team. They relocate to an abandoned mine for a more secure base of operations.
The Wolverines begin launching surprise attacks against the North Korean forces, utilizing hit-and-run tactics, improvised explosives, and captured weapons. Their actions disrupt the occupation and inspire other pockets of resistance within the town.
As the Wolverines become a significant threat, Captain Cho intensifies his efforts to hunt them down. A Russian Spetsnaz officer, Colonel Ivanov, arrives to aid in the counter-insurgency efforts, bringing with him enhanced tracking and combat expertise.
During one of their operations, Matt becomes reckless in an attempt to rescue Erica, who has been captured by the North Koreans. This leads to a confrontation with Jed and highlights the emotional stakes of their fight.
The North Koreans eventually discover the Wolverines' hideout in the mine and launch a devastating attack. The surviving Wolverines are forced to flee deeper into the woods, where they encounter Sergeant Major Andrew Tanner and two other soldiers from a dwindling Free American Army unit. Tanner, a seasoned Marine, provides them with further training, strategic guidance, and crucial information about the wider war effort.
Tanner recruits the Wolverines for a dangerous mission: to infiltrate the North Korean headquarters and steal a vital communications device. The mission is successful, and during the operation, Jed confronts and kills Captain Cho using his father's hidden handgun.
However, their victory is short-lived. The North Koreans, with Ivanov's assistance, have been tracking the Wolverines through a device unknowingly implanted on Daryl. Realizing he has been compromised and unwilling to endanger the group further, Daryl sacrifices himself, leading the enemy away.
In a final confrontation, the Wolverines' safe house is ambushed. Robert and Toni are killed in the ensuing firefight. Knowing their time is running out, Jed and Matt decide to make a final stand, attacking the North Korean forces to allow Danny and Erica a chance to escape.
During this last battle, Jed and Matt manage to inflict significant damage on the enemy, but they are both mortally wounded. They are discovered by Colonel Ivanov, who, recognizing their bravery and the futility of the occupation, allows Danny and Erica to leave. The film ends with Jed and Matt succumbing to their injuries, having fought fiercely to protect their home.
Cast:
- Chris Hemsworth as Jed Eckert
- Josh Peck as Matt Eckert
- Josh Hutcherson as Robert Kitner
- Adrianne Palicki as Toni Walsh
- Isabel Lucas as Erica Martin1
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Sergeant Major Andrew Tanner
- Connor Cruise as Daryl Jenkins
- Edwin Hodge as Danny Jenkins
- Brett Cullen as Sergeant Tom Eckert
- Alyssa Diaz as Julie Goodyear
- Julian Alcaraz as Greg Goodyear
- Will Yun Lee as Captain Il-Ho Cho
- Michael Beach as Mayor Jenkins
- Kenneth Choi as Corporal Smith
- Matt Gerald as Sergeant Hodges
- Michael A. Knight as Colonel Ivanov
Crew:
- Director: Dan Bradley
- Screenplay by: Carl Ellsworth and Jeremy Passmore
- Story by: Jeremy Passmore
- Based on the screenplay by: Kevin Reynolds and John Milius (for the 1984 film)
- Producers: Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson
- Executive Producers: Vincent Newman and Kevin Halloran
- Cinematography: Mitchell Amundsen
- Film Editing: Richard Pearson
- Music by: Ramin Djawadi
- Production Design: Dominic Watkins
- Casting by: Deborah Aquila and Tricia Wood
