Overview: Austin Butler and Callum Turner portray American Air Force officers Major Gale Cleven and Major John Egan, nicknamed Buck and Bucky, leading the 100th Bomb Group in England for an offensive against Germany in the 2024 World War II series “Masters of the Air.” Created by John Orloff, the show is based on a book by Don Miller and has been executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman.
“God help our boys”
There’s tragic irony in military masters praying for their men after dispatching them to a near-suicide mission. Episode 3 of “Masters of the Air” begins with the 100th Bomb group being briefed on a daredevil mission to bomb key aircraft manufacturing factories in the heart of Germany. The plan is for three groups to cross the English Channel together and then separate, in a bid to confuse the Nazis, and then they’d fly all the way to Africa instead of heading back to England, to further gain tactical advantage. But no matter how tight their formation, the men know some of them will perish even before they reach their target.
Both primary protagonists Buck (Austin Butler) and Bucky (Callum Turner) for the first time fly together on the same mission, all because Bucky has convinced higher-ups to be part of this dangerous aerial assault on the Nazis. About 45 minutes in duration, the episode is densely packed with mid-air action, kicking off after five minutes of strategic planning. Amid the onslaught of German fighter planes attacking from all directions, the individuality of the men and their personalities becomes obscured. With the characters all wearing oxygen masks, viewers will have a hard time telling them apart. While some stand out for their courage in the face of impending doom, others are memorable for their unavoidable display of cowardice. A poignant contrast emerges as certain individuals adamantly refuse to abandon their comrades, juxtaposed against those who opt for self-preservation, forsaking their fellow soldiers.
The cinematography vividly captures the dogfights between Americans and Germans, with the thunderous sounds of munitions drowning out all other noise. The sky is tainted with smoke, battered planes, and parachutes of men abandoning their aircraft. If not for the intimate close-up shots of the pilots, navigators, and bombers engaged in communication while fending off their adversaries, one could easily mistake this for a World War II documentary. This comparison is intended as a compliment to the immersive portrayal of the wartime setting.
Overall, this chapter is well-rounded, commencing with a new mission plan, progressing to its execution, and concluding with the culmination of the day’s mission. Some die, some survive, and some land in territories where a fate that could be worse than death awaits.
You can stream “Masters of the Air” on Apple TV+.
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