Men on Wings: A bit dusty, but it flies

Is this for you?

If you like old-school Soviet cinema where people talk about 'duty' while looking intensely at the horizon, you'll probably dig this. If you are looking for a high-octane dogfight movie, stay away. It’s mostly ground work and longing looks.

Sergey Belyaev is the kind of guy who shouldn't be allowed near a steering wheel, let alone an airplane. Watching him wreck that plane in the first act is… something. It’s not graceful. It’s just pure, dumb ego.

Then there is Galya. She thinks his recklessness is cool. That is a red flag. But the movie treats it like a grand romantic gesture, which feels a little uncomfortable to watch in 2024. ✈️

The transition from 'reckless kids' to 'serious pilots' is a bit jarring. One minute they are showing off, the next they are suddenly professionals. The movie skips the part where they actually learn to be responsible adults. Maybe they just grew up off-screen?

Odd little details

• The way the extras react to the plane crash is weirdly calm. Like, 'Oh, there goes another one.'
• The lighting in the flight school scenes makes everyone look like they haven't slept in a week.
• There is a moment with a map that goes on for way too long. I think I counted three separate shots of someone pointing at the Pamirs.

It reminds me a bit of the vibe in Burning Daylight where the characters are so driven by their own personal code that they become impossible to actually like. You just sort of observe them.

The love story? It’s thin. When they get sent to different parts of the country—one to the Pamirs, one to Sakhalin—the movie tries to make it feel like a Greek tragedy. It’s just a long-distance relationship, folks. Chill out.

Still, there’s a strange charm to the whole thing. It’s not trying to be a blockbuster. It feels like a project someone really wanted to get on film, even if the pacing is all over the place. I found myself checking my watch, but then something silly would happen—like someone wearing a hat that is clearly two sizes too big—and I’d be back in it.

Don't look for deep meaning here. It’s just a story about people who really, really like planes and are having a tough time with their feelings. Sometimes that’s enough.