Fortress (2012 movie)

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Hello there! Posting this here for the following purposes: 1. It's a movie review I wrote. Have you seen the movie? Would you like to discuss it below? 2. Especially for those who responded to my last discussion about movie reviews, any feedback on this one please? Is the tone too serious? Are there too many parenthesis and slashes? Haha. Is the summary too vague? I tried to make this one super spoiler-free, see. Did I go overboard? Or is it okay? I'm actually posting this on my blog, too, but over there, this will only be the spoiler-free first part. There will be a spoiler-filled second part which I am still working on at the moment. Anyway, feedback on both the review itself, and the movie are welcome! By the way, personal opinion below. Please don't blame me if yours differs from mine. Review: "Based on true events" By this, it means the movie is based on the 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy) [of the 5th Bomb Wing, of the 12th Air Force], also known as Diamondbacks, which operated out of Navarin Airfield in Algeria during World War II in 1943. From July 5, 1943, on which the movie begins, the 99th had bombing missions to Gerbini, Catania, and Messina in Sicily, until finally to Rome, Italy on July 19, 1943. However, the movie follows the (as far as I can tell) fictional crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress called the Lucky Lass. After suffering damage and losses during the bombing raid on Gerbini on July 5, the crew has to cope with the stresses during and between missions, as well as deal with a young, inexperienced pilot, mechanical problems, and contemptible base personnel, all while hoping to complete their required 25 successful missions to be able to come home. I can't say if/which of the specific things that happen to the crew actually happened to any of the B-17 crews during the war, or if they/and which are created for dramatic purposes. The actors are mostly unknowns (top billing: Bug Hall, Donnie Jeffcoat, Sean McGowan, Chris Owen,...), and while some dialogue may have come out a little awkward, I think they are able to bring out their characters fairly well, as well as the camaraderie between the crew. I find the air battle scenes as gripping and intense. For a low-budget movie, the CGI looks believable enough, though B-17 enthusiasts and WWII veterans and relatives will most probably be able to spot the flaws pretty quickly. There are also some green-screened ground scenes that are quite obvious. The movie is rated R with violence, blood and gore - it is a war movie, after all. There are also lots of drinking, some swearing, and a scene with (slight?) nudity. Overall, this a good movie for me despite its low budget and the absence of big name actors. The acting might have been far from perfect and not worth any awards, but I felt for the characters and wished for the crew to remain intact. Recommended. If you wish, the full movie is currently available somewhere on YouTube. Hehehe.