Notable Cast: Wang Yibo, Hu Jun, Zhou Dongyu, Xu
Kaicheng, Bu Yu, Yosh Yu, ZHai Yujia, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Pan Binlong
In the wake of the subsequent hole left by China “banning”
the release of Top Gun: Maverick, it’s no real shock that they
would race to release their version of the jingoistic military meets school
film that Tom Cruise’s jet-soaring sequel provided the world. While these kinds
of propaganda-laden films are already a stock commodity for the Chinese market,
I’d be lying that Born to Fly didn't perk up my interest.
However, a limited theatrical release in the US and a
Blu-ray release from our friends at Well Go USA definitely made me curious.
While the film does have some merits in its dramatic choices and features an
intriguing angle regarding the school and its test pilots, it always stays on the ground, burdened by hollow emotional stakes and a by-the-numbers narrative.