Operation Christmas
Drop was everything I expected it to be, and it was just what I needed to
shore up my eroding sense of Christmas cheer this year.
2020, man. It’s not even for the birds. I wouldn’t wish 2020
on anyone. I digress.
Things in my neck of the woods have been super stressful, so
having a lighter bit of holiday fare really hit the spot and left me feeling a
little better about the world. Sure, it’s currently a garbage fire at the
moment but let’s not talk about that. I think too many Grinches have been writing
reviews for this film so far, unable to see past the funk that the year has
left most of us in.
Metascore – 47/100
Metacritic User Score – 4.2/10
IMDB Score – 5.8/10
Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5
Trust
the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating – G
The primary complaints seem to be that the movie is very
formulaic and predictable. Ok, and? With a new crisis around every corner this
year, is having something follow a recipe closely the worst thing that could
happen? (Don’t answer that.)
Others seem to be chalking the film up to military
propaganda and just writing it off. To that, I say, really? Were it not a controversial
election year, would they feel the same? I don’t see it that way at all.
I suppose it’s a matter of perspective. I’ve grown up as an
avid air show attendee, visiting various Air Force bases near wherever I was
living at the time for the stunning aerial displays. That, folks, is military
propaganda. They’re boots-on-the-ground recruitment fairs. This movie featured
military humanitarian operations, sure – but calling it propaganda is taking it
a bit too far.
I love a movie with cool planes in it almost as much as an
aviation enthusiast. This wasn’t what Operation
Christmas Drop was about, though. There’s more heart to the matter – and I’m
not talking about the romance story. When a military base is up on the
congressional chopping block to be closed, it’s a scary thing for the
communities that depend on it. I live just over the river from Barksdale Air
Force Base, here in Louisiana. Not a day goes by that I don’t see the giant
B-52s running operations in the local airspace. There are businesses that
thrive and depend on air force personnel. Closing a base only means asset
relocation to the military and the Washington number crunchers – but to the
place the base is located, it’s a devastating blow. Thankfully, Barksdale has
been ‘important enough’ that it’s unlikely that would happen here. Other places
haven’t been so lucky.
Aside from the connection between the main characters, this
movie also highlights that community aspect as well as the balancing act regarding
stewardship of the taxpayer dollar. What’s better is that the movie was filmed
at the real air base on Guam, and is even the first Hollywood studio film to be
shot there. I adored that actual locations on the base which are really used in the
real-life Christmas Drop operations were utilized in the movie, as well as some
of the actual people working with the project.
Back to the movie, though.
I’ll be honest. I adore Kat Graham (All Eyez on Me, The Poison Rose, Cut Throat City). It seems like
starring in a Netflix Christmas movie has become a holiday tradition for her,
as this is the third such offering we’ve reviewed in as many years. (The
previous films were The Holiday Calendar
(2018) and The Knight Before Christmas (2019).)
I am hoping this was intentional and she continues to do so moving forward. I
couldn’t find a single flaw with her performance.
Alexander Ludwig (Lone
Survivor, Midway, Vikings) has been growing on me in recent years. He
portrays military personnel well, and his salute would have made my grandfather
proud. (My maternal granddad used to grumble about the sloppy salutes he’d get
from actual airmen as we drove past the main gates of the base when I was
little.) I’m digressing again…
The chemistry between the pair was organic and I bought in
on the story from their perspectives. The scenery from Guam was stunning, and I
appreciated the information woven into the story about the annual drops that
actually happen. Further, my angsty teen wouldn’t even be opposed to watching
this movie again.
My advice is simple. Forget the nay-sayers and watch the
trailer. If the film appeals to you after that, by all means, watch it and soak
in that tropical island Christmas cheer.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score –47%
Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 39%Metascore – 47/100
Metacritic User Score – 4.2/10
IMDB Score – 5.8/10
P.S. – Photos from the real
Operation Christmas Drop are shown in conjunction with related trivia during
the credits.
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