Sky Force Movie: Review, Plot, and Key Takeaways
Fighter, Bollywood’s Republic Day gift from the previous year, zoomed in and checked off several patriotic movie boxes: valiant Indian fighter pilots against their favorite adversary, Pakistan, exhibiting bravery and unity. The same elements are present in this year’s film, Sky Force. Still, it is a thinly disguised account of a real-life incident during the Indo-Pak conflict in 1965, where a squadron destroyed a fleet of contemporary American jets stationed at the Pakistani base Sargodha.
PLOT
The film is based on a true story about a pilot on standby for a critical mission who defied his leader’s orders by taking off in an unfit aircraft. His ability and daring were important in saving his brother pilots’ lives.
However, this story of solid bravery in the face of certain death is not well depicted in the movie. primarily because the film’s protagonist, Akshay Kumar, always takes precedence over the valiant pilot T Vijaya (real name AB Devayya), played by debutant Veer Pahariya, who should have been the protagonist of this story.
The plot bends backward to accommodate Ahuja’s relentless efforts to find his long-lost teammate despite bureaucratic stone-walling from his superiors (Chaudhri, Badola). Throughout, the attempt to keep Akshay’s character, who plays Wing Commander KO Ahuja (his real-life counterpart being OP Taneja), front and center skews the balance.
The movie jumps back in time to its 1971 premiere, when the questioning of a captured Pakistani pilot (Sharad Kelkar) provides a clue to the missing pilot’s identity. The 1965 sections have the typical war-room strategic pointy-heads, with planes zigzagging across the sky and dashing airmen strolling across the runway, all dressed in uniform and sharp hues. Large sections are devoted to Ahuja’s relentless pursuit after the intermission.
The film maintains a minimal jingoism, despite the recurring theme of ‘ghar mein ghus ke maarna’. Kelkar’s character hints at nobility and family values, while the ladies, Nimrat as Akshay and Sara Ali Khan as Pahariya, focus on domesticity. The background score, especially during aerial dogfights, is swelling, but the melodrama is mostly muted. Pahariya is efficient, while Akshay appears older in the young scenes. The most moving part of the film belongs to one of the characters, reminding them of ‘not leaving anyone behind’.
Positives about the Sky Force
The movie is praised for its balanced portrayal of patriotism, engaging audience, innovative scenes, and tribute to India’s Air Force pilots. Some critics praise the movie’s first-person POV of an aerial attack and its dedication to highlighting unsung heroes, while others praise its satisfactory entertainment.
Critics Reaction
Some critics find the VFX patchy and the immersion broken, the performances of actors average, female characters ignored, the script weak, dialogues preachy, and the songs unengaging. They also express dissatisfaction with the script, direction, and screenplay, as well as the lack of connection between the songs and the audience.
Cast and Directors
Sky Force Movie cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Sharad Kelkar, Manish Chaudhri, Varun Badola
Sky Force Movie directors: Sandeep Kewalani, Abhishek Anil Kapur
Ratings
IMDb: 7.4/10 NDTV: 2.5/5 Rediff: 2.5/5