Burning Blue (film)

Burning Blue is a 2013 American United States Naval aviation drama film, directed by D.M.W. Greer and starring Trent Ford and Rob Mayes. The film is based on the 1992 play of the same name by Greer about a U.S. Navy accident investigation which becomes a gay witch hunt during the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era.

Burning Blue
Directed byD.M.W. Greer
Produced byJohn Hadity
Arthur J. Kelleher
Andrew Halliday
Written byHelene Kvale
D.M.W. Greer
Based onBurning Blue
by D.M.W. Greer
StarringTrent Ford
Rob Mayes
Music byJames Lavino
CinematographyFrederic Fasano
Edited byBill Henry
Production
company
Burning Blue The Film L.P.
Lionsgate
Distributed byLionsgate Entertainment
Release date
  • June 29, 2013 (2013-06-29) (Frameline Film Festival)
  • June 6, 2014 (2014-06-06)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Best friends Lieutenants Dan Lynch (Trent Ford) and Will Stephensen (Morgan Spector) are U.S. Navy fighter pilots flying the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter aircraft. Both pilots have an aspiration to become the youngest pilots accepted into the space program. After two accidents, one of which is due to Will's failing eyesight, their unit is subject to a NCIS investigation led by John Cokely (Michael Sirow).

At the same time, a third pilot, Matt Blackwood (Rob Mayes), arrives on the carrier and quickly develops a close friendship with Dan, driving a wedge between Dan and Will. Cokely's investigation leads to him uncovering rumours about Dan and Matt's relationship just as they both begin to fall in love. When Matt decides to leave his wife and move in with Dan, there is a third accident, and Cokely's investigation ramps up the pressure on Dan.

Cast

Production

Burning Blue was based on the 1992 play by D.M.W. Greer, his first play. The film adaptation began production in 2010, with principal photography taking place primarily in New York City and Long Island, New York.[1] Some of the aerial and naval scenes used the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) aircraft carrier identified as the fictitious CVN-44. The scenes on the deck of the USS John C. Stennis showed current operational United States Navy aircraft and equipment including:

[N 1]

The scene at Naval Air Station Oceana was actually photographed at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. Canadian CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft represented U.S. Navy aircraft.[2]

Reception

Burning Blue has received generally negative critical reviews. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 25% based on twelve reviews, with an average rating of 4.38/10.[4] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 29 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[5]

Reviewer Anita Gates noted in The New York Times: "The script, by Mr. Greer and Helene Kvale, rolls along with lifeless, profoundly unimaginative dialogue ('The wings on your chest are proof that you’ve accomplished something great'; 'I like women'; 'I’m not gay'; 'Tears won’t bring him back'; 'No more lies'). Then there’s a scene in church, and the priest inexplicably begins quoting Rainer Maria Rilke’s gorgeous 'Go to the Limits of Your Longing'."[6] The writing and directing were criticized, but Ford and Mayes were praised for their portrayals.[7]

References

Notes
  1. The USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) has been used in filming for the Jag and the film, Stealth (film), 2005.[3][2]

Citations
  1. "Burning Blue; Deny nothing." Official website: Burning Blue, 2015. Retrieved: December 26, 2015.
  2. Santoir, Christian. "Review: 'Burning Blue'." Aeromovies, March 13, 2018. Retrieved: June 2, 2019.
  3. Beck 2016, p. 128.
  4. "Burning Blue (2014)". Retrieved 18 May 2020 – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  5. "Burning Blue". Retrieved 18 May 2020 – via www.metacritic.com.
  6. Gates, Anita. "Navy pilots under the gun; ‘Burning Blue,’ a military drama about homosexuality." The New York Times, =June 5, 2014. Retrieved: June 2, 2019.
  7. Reed, Rex. "Movies: In the Navy: ‘Top Gun’ meets ‘Brokeback Mountain’ in D.M.W Greer’s debut feature." The New York Observer, April 6, 2014. Retrieved: June 2, 2019.

Bibliography
  • Beck, Simon D. The Aircraft-Spotter's Film and Television Companion. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, 2016. ISBN 978-1-4766-2293-4
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