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If Band of Brothers was about the infantry, and The Pacific explored a similar set of circumstances at sea, then Masters of Air should require no explanation, as Apple heads into the ether to take on the Nazis at 30,000 feet.
That Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are back as executive producers should be no surprise, since the production values of this wartime ensemble piece balance effortless storytelling with awe-inspiring action sequences, tapping into the claustrophobia of airborne battles without drifting towards caricature, or making their missions feel anything other than death defying.
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Austin Butler (Major Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven) continues to channel his inner matinee idol, keeping fellow crew members in line, and delivering on the promise of his Oscar nomination from last year. Callum Turner (Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan) offers an equal amount of cool on screen as his best friend and professional equal, giving audiences two leading men cloaked in plain sight amongst an outstanding ensemble cast featuring Barry Keoghan, who only ever make Masters of the Air excellent.
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Shipped over to aid the English in their war efforts against an advancing enemy, cultural differences, differing attack strategies and some good old-fashioned competition mean that this alliance feels temporary at best, since American sorties by day ensured accuracy on pre-determined targets, while English raids conducted at night proved more unpredictable and incurred greater casualties. This fundamental difference in approach between the two countries instantly drove a wedge between them, which went beyond ideology and into arguments behind something as simple as the preservation of human life.
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This idea that freedom can obtained through the sanctioned slaughter of an unknown enemy is one debate that runs throughout Masters of the Air, as airmen sacrifice themselves and go down in flames for following orders. Beyond that fundamental fact, show runner John Orloff also sets out to remind audiences why wars are waged, why armed forces exist and what makes these events so important.
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On every level this show may deliver genuine human drama, made real by filmmakers looking to create a lasting legacy, but Masters of the Air is also packed with pathos and a plethora of powerhouse performances, that strike a perfect balance between intimacy and action thanks to an effortless ensemble cast.
Masters of the Air is streaming on AppleTV now.