Ending on a far more positive note that the first Red Dawn, this updated 21st century adaption of that Cold War classic has the USA invaded by North Korea and of course with help from Russia. Interesting how the film was made in 2009 and shelved for two years while we changed the villains from Chinese to North Korean because we have to think of that big Chinese market. That's capitalism at its finest.

Geopolitically it doesn't make much sense either. The Russians if anything have become super nationalist with the Russian Orthodox Church having more power than they did with the Czars. I doubt they would be helping the government of the still true believers in Revolution. Ditto the Chinese. Back in the day I remember when one did not refer to mainland China without the prefix Red attached to it. But about 30 seconds after Mao Tse-tung could not fog a mirror the revolution was over in China and not a moment too soon. Those who survived Mao's Red Guards could testify to that. Now they're as capitalist as we are with certain lip service paid to Mao just like in Russia lip service to the ideals of Lenin.

What these two did do after the fall of the Soviet Union which kept North Korea alive is say you're on your own Kim family and the little family enterprise you call a country. Like Prussia, it's a state that supports an army because if you don't join the army, you and your family might starve. And now they can't feed their people, but they can build their own nukes to threaten all around who enjoy prosperity. That's all of their neighbors.

The recent saber rattling of North Korea has given some credence to the popularity of this film as it did in the recent Olympus has fallen. The North Koreans invade, thousands of paratroopers over the Pacific rim and we're told that Russians are in the East Coast. They declared cyber warfare by screwing up our military defense systems and invaded.

And like the first version some high school kids fight the invaders and they call themselves Wolverines after their football team. The Wolverine which ironically is an endangered species is one fierce animal that never gives up and will take on a bigger foe and win.

Unlike the first version the kids are lucky enough to have Chris Hemsworth who was in Iraq to train them. Hemsworth's brother is Josh Peck and they gather a crew together and reek havoc on the occupiers. The action is also located in the Pacific Northwest and the Wolverines do some urban guerrilla warfare. The original story had the kids living and doing their thing in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming.

In the original which I liked more than this both Patrick Swayze and C. Thomas Howell were killed and the story had an Ishmael like ending with one Wolverine surviving to tell the tale of the kids who fought back while America regrouped to reclaim itself. This one ended on a more upbeat, but false note.

Then again it was a far wackier premise with this plot than with the other version.

RED DAWN is the remake of an '80s film with the same title which saw America being invaded by Russia and a group of teenagers becoming mercenaries to drive the invaders out. It was a wish-fulfilment fantasy, one which hasn't dated too well, so this rework sees the Russians replaced by North Koreans, although otherwise the storyline is much the same.

Unfortunately RED DAWN has some huge problems which scupper it from the outset. Credibility is one thing - the film never gets over the problem that North Korea would never have the resources to launch an invasion like this - but the main problem lies with the characters. In a word, they're horrible. The producers have picked the most unappealing young actors of the modern generation (I'm talking about you, Josh Hutcherson) and given them scenes in which they're completely out of their depth. It hurts when the best and most veteran actor is Chris Hemsworth, a guy who would be merely average in any other movie.

It's a pity that the lack of decent characters had me hating this, because there's good stuff here. First-time director Dan Bradley is best known for his work as a stunt co-ordinator and yet he does a decent job here, particularly when it comes to crafting the superior action sequences. The use of CGI is very effective, and that early scene with the parachutes coming in is completely chilling. What a shame, then, that the action is wasted in such an insipidly-cast and predictable movie.

This is a remake of the campy 80s classic. It stars Chris Hemsworth , Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, and Connor Cruise. There's nothing the actors could do to save this ridiculously illogical story.

Whereas the original had the US invaded by Russia and Latin America, this one is invaded by North Korea. At least the 80s version passed the smell test. This one is just too stupid. Originally, this 2012 version was supposed to be Chinese which actually had a chance. But the change is the new history of Hollywood financing. This movie was held up in editing hell. The Chinese money didn't like to be shown as the bad guys. So a painstaking re-editing changed all the Chinese soldiers into North Koreans.

As for the story, it's still basically the same idea. Except this time there is some kind of fantastical briefcase that explains the success of the foreign invaders. It just adds another element of disbelief into the movie. I like most of the actors in this, but there are too many unreasonable things to buy into.