Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Religious Music & Entertainment
‘The Blue Angels’: Real Navy Pilots Fly and Talk in IMAX Doc

‘The Blue Angels’: Real Navy Pilots Fly and Talk in IMAX Doc

Last updated on: May 16, 2024 at 9:37 pm by Kate O'Hare

0 Comments

‘The Blue Angels’: Real Navy Pilots Fly and Talk in IMAX Doc 2024-05-16T21:37:45-08:00 Kate O'Hare

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Blue Angels follows a season in the lives of the fighter pilots and crews of the U.S. Navy’s elite flight demonstration team — and you’ve got one week to see it in IMAX.

Navy fighter pilots already have a pretty great reputation, and the Blue Angels team tours the country to show off their extreme piloting skills. They fly F-18s, produced by Boeing, which could use some good publicity right now.

Is The Blue Angels Worth Seeing?

Last week, I got to go to IMAX HQ in the Playa Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, to see the documentary, which also was the first IMAX movie I’ve ever seen. Previously, I watched a screening link of the film on my computer, but I was eager to see how it played out on the huge IMAX screen.

The flying scenes were spectacular, but the many interview segments — well, let’s just say that seeing people, sometimes in closeup, on a 50-foot-high screen is … disconcerting.

Think I would have preferred more flying and less talking. But definitely, if you want to see this film and get the full impact, go see it in IMAX.

It’s an uncritical, loving look at how the Blue Angels pilots are chosen, train and perform for cheering crowds. If your patriotism needs a top-up, this is the film for you.

The pilots come off as dedicated and disciplined, but the flight crews also get a lot of attention — since getting the planes off the ground is a team effort.

Speaking of team, among the producers of The Blue Angels are J.J. Abrams (TV’s Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe, along with one Star Trek and two Star Wars movies), and actor, producer and licensed pilot Glen Powell, who’s already played a military aviator twice, in Devotion and Top Gun: Maverick.

A production of Amazon MGM Studios and IMAX, the film screens for one week in IMAX theaters, starting May 17, 2024, and then streams worldwide on Amazon Prime Video, beginning on May 23.

Here’s How Amazon Describes It:

The Blue Angels have been enthralling people, across the country and around the globe, for more than 75 years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios and IMAX bring a brand new documentary – The Blue Angels – that will take audiences soaring with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before.

Filmed for IMAX, the immersive footage puts you in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking maneuvers that have made them the world’s premier jet team.

The Blue Angels also takes audiences behind the scenes for a revealing, in-depth look at what it takes to become a Blue Angel—from the careful selection process to the challenging training regimen, and on through the demanding eight-month show season.

The film is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary teamwork, passion and pride of the hundreds of outstanding men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps who have had the honor to serve in the Blue Angels squadron…past, present and future.

The doc also has a great score by veteran film composer Hans Zimmer. Like previous Navy-flier films Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, it also includes some rock ‘n roll songs .. because, if any music exemplifies fighter pilots, it’s classic rock.

Since no one’s being shot at, the film is family-friendly and suitable for all ages (unless you think the flying scenes might be a bit much for the little ones).

Click here to learn more about the Blue Angels, and below find the film’s trailer:

Talking The Blue Angels — And a Little Top Gun: Maverick

As for Maverick (which I now wish I’d seen in IMAX), film director Paul Crowder has a couple things to say about comparing his real-life film with the fiction movie.

He says them during an interview I did with him and Paul Wooldridge, a retired fighter pilot and former Blue Angels “Boss.”

And here it is:

Image: ‘The Blue Angels’/Amazon MGM Studios

Don’t miss a thing: Subscribe to all that I write at Authory.com/KateOHare.

Religious Music and Entertainment

About Kate O'Hare

Based in Los Angeles, Kate O'Hare is a veteran entertainment journalist, Social Media Content Manager for Family Theater Productions and a rookie screenwriter. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

May 14, 2024

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power': S2 Info/Trailer

Next Post

May 27, 2024 Great American's Fr. Randy Mattox on Catholic Storytelling

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"I read somewhere that Jesus claims to be present in the hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick……just ..."

RPlavo .

‘Adore Him: He Is Here’: On ..."

"My husband was Key Assistant Locations Manager on this film and it was so gratifying ..."

Mary Ashley Bannister

‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Never, Ever Give ..."

"Kate, Alan owes you big time...I mean like a steak dinner or something! I have ..."

s ci

‘The Odyssey’: What a (Very) Long, ..."

"It's true: the language was prosaic American English. Yes, some of the characters were shallow ..."

Clayton Emmer

‘The Odyssey’: What a (Very) Long, ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books breaking news digital media Faith practice food interview jane the virgin media movies music NFL Pope Francis Showbiz 101 social media sports technology television Uncategorized video

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz