Remember, people: this is a story about an elite military unit trying to foil a dirty bomb plot during a different rescue mission, nothing more, nothing less. Given this story line and its clear focus on action, allow yourselves to be entertained. Its the bang-boom-bang movie of the year, which is why it's on track to become China's most successful movie export ever. Expect more of this with the trade war, as the ending clearly suggests that it's also intended as a line in the sand - pardon, sea - between China and the US of A.
My two cents on the most frequent criticism on this one: there's no story and pretty much constant action. As other people have pointed out: the reason why this movie is constant, uninterrupted mayhem is that warfare really is that crazy, as anyone can learn from a multitude of books, documentaries or (like yours truly) friends in the military. The situation in Yemen - for which the location is a thinly veiled stand-in - is so complex that one should feel grateful that there is no attempt whatsoever to put what happens into perspective, as so many Hollywood propaganda drivels do.
I didn't like the predecessor to this one, "Operation Mekong", because of its truckload of stereotypes about Thais and Burmese. "Operation Red Sea" is a huge improvement because it doesn't pretend to be anything more or less than an action flick with a bit of "China saves the day" on the side.
My two cents on the most frequent criticism on this one: there's no story and pretty much constant action. As other people have pointed out: the reason why this movie is constant, uninterrupted mayhem is that warfare really is that crazy, as anyone can learn from a multitude of books, documentaries or (like yours truly) friends in the military. The situation in Yemen - for which the location is a thinly veiled stand-in - is so complex that one should feel grateful that there is no attempt whatsoever to put what happens into perspective, as so many Hollywood propaganda drivels do.
I didn't like the predecessor to this one, "Operation Mekong", because of its truckload of stereotypes about Thais and Burmese. "Operation Red Sea" is a huge improvement because it doesn't pretend to be anything more or less than an action flick with a bit of "China saves the day" on the side.