Planes, planes and more planes in the Red Tails trailer

Before 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'The Thin Red Line' came along American World War II productions were pretty much all the same. They were patriotic action films about self-sacrifice and bravery. Movies like 'The Longest Day' and 'Battle of the Bulge' celebrated America's greatest generation.

But as audiences changed war films became more thoughtful and began to reflect on the emotional and psychological effects of conflict. By 2001 the idea of creating a jingoistic film about war became almost unthinkable.

So now George Lucas, known to many as the creator and eventual destroyer of 'Star Wars', gives us 'Red Tails'. The film, as directed by Anthony Hemingway, tells the story of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen; a crew of fighter pilots composed entirely out of African Americans.

There's some very corny stuff in this trailer but nothing I haven't seen before in those old fashioned war films. In addition the cast seems solid and the special-effects look extraordinary. 'Red Tails' seems like a film you need to see on the big screen.