I picked this up by chance at the supermarket and read the reviews before I watched it. I must say the two I have read are more than a little harsh. This is a very well realised and well produced film which seeks to bring a flavour not only of the mind numbing flying experience through 'flak that you can walk on' but the debilitating intensity of being locked into a maelstrom beyond your control. Flying these sorts of missions must have been far worse than struggling through the sandstorm which symbolises the fragility of man and machine. I found nothing to criticise not even the sometimes banal conversations of the crew which had a ring of truth to them. But the real hero of these missions is the plane. The enthusiasts who made this film have laboured hard to recreate the experience and tried to stay as true as they could to the period in terms of relationships and material. Of course, as they confess in the credits, it was not always possible to be completely accurate. That said, they have done a splendid job and only petty nit pickers will find anything to object to. As the producers comment, 'no B-17 was harmed in the making of this film' I loved this film and will watch it again - perhaps not as many times as 'Saving Private Ryan' but I believe even Spielberg would have been impressed.
Review of Fortress
