Movies Like Red Tails (2012)

Red Tails is a 2012 action, adventure, drama, history, war film from Anthony Hemingway with a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Leathernecks.

Action Adventure Drama History War

The Tuskegee Airmen

1995

During the Second World War, a special project is begun by the US Army Air Corps to integrate African American pilots into the Fighter Pilot Program. Known as the "Tuskegee Airman" for the name of the airbase at which they were trained, these men were forced to constantly endure harassement, prejudice, and much behind the scenes politics until at last they were able to prove themselves in combat.

7.1

MagicScore

Flying Leathernecks

1951

Major Daniel Kirby takes command of a squadron of Marine fliers just before they are about to go into combat. While the men are well meaning, he finds them undisciplined and prone to always finding excuses to do what is easy rather than what is necessary. The root of the problem is the second in command, Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin. Griff is the best flier in the group but Kirby finds him a poor commander who is not prepared to make the difficult decision that all commanders have to make - to put men in harm's way knowing that they may be killed.

5.8

MagicScore

Twelve O'Clock High

1949

In the early days of daylight bombing raids over Germany, General Frank Savage must take command of a 'hard luck' bomber group. Much of the story deals with his struggle to whip his group into a disciplined fighting unit in spite of heavy losses, and withering attacks by German fighters over their targets.

7.1

MagicScore

Falling Hare

1943

Relaxing with a carrot at a U.S. Army air field, Bugs is reading "Victory Through Hare Power" and scoffs at the notion of mentioned gremlins, little creatures who wreak havoc on planes with their diabolical sabotage.

6.8

MagicScore

The Right Stuff

1983

At the dawn of the Space Race, seven test pilots set out to become the first American astronauts to enter space. However, the road to making history brings momentous challenges.

7.4

MagicScore

The Six Triple Eight

2024

During World War II, the US Army's only all-Black, all-women battalion takes on an impossible mission: sorting through a three-year backlog of 17 million pieces of mail that hadn't been delivered to American soldiers and finish within six months.

7.5

MagicScore

The Butler

2013

A look at the life of Cecil Gaines, who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made.

7.3

MagicScore

Air Force

1943

The crew of an Air Force bomber arrives in Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese attack and is sent on to Manila to help with the defense of the Philippines.

6.5

MagicScore

Flying Tigers

1942

Jim Gordon commands a unit of the famed Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group which fought the Japanese in China before America's entry into World War II. Gordon must send his outnumbered band of fighter pilots out against overwhelming odds while juggling the disparate personalities and problems of his fellow flyers.

6.2

MagicScore

#10

Pearl Harbor

2001

The lifelong friendship between Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is put to the ultimate test when the two ace fighter pilots become entangled in a love triangle with beautiful Naval nurse Evelyn Johnson. But the rivalry between the friends-turned-foes is immediately put on hold when they find themselves at the center of Japan's devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

6.9

MagicScore

#11

Hell in the Pacific

1968

During World War II, a shot-down American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain find themselves stranded on the same small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean.

6.9

MagicScore

#12

Memphis Belle

1990

The "Memphis Belle" is a World War II bomber, piloted by a young crew on dangerous bombing raids into Europe. The crew only have to make one more bombing raid before they have finished their duty and can go home. In the briefing before their last flight, the crew discover that the target for the day is Bremen.

6.7

MagicScore

#13

Command Decision

1948

High-ranking officers struggle with the decision to prioritize bombing German factories producing new jet fighters over the extremely high casualties the mission will cost.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Unbroken

2014

A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.

7.4

MagicScore

#15

The Bloody Hundredth

2024

Meet the real-life airmen who inspired Masters of the Air as they share the harrowing and transformative events of the 100th Bomb Group.

7.2

MagicScore

#16

The Cold Blue

2018

A meditation on youth, war and stunning bravery, featuring footage, taken from the National Archives, from the documentary filmed in 1943 by legendary Hollywood director William Wyler about the famous Memphis Belle flying fortress and the gripping narration from some of the last surviving B-17 pilots.

6.6

MagicScore

#17

The Memphis Belle

1944

This WW2 documentary centers on the crew of the American B-17 Flying Fortress Memphis Belle as it prepares to execute a strategic bombing raid on Nazi submarine pens in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

6.6

MagicScore

#18

Warbirds

2008

In the midst of World War 2, a OSS officer leads a group of female pilots on a mission to deliver a secret weapon, only to crash land on an island in the Pacific after an encounter with a deadly storm. On the island, they must not only contend with a small band of Japanese soldiers but the native inhabitants of the island as well - vicious prehistoric Pterodons.

3.3

MagicScore

#19

Saints and Soldiers

2003

Five American soldiers fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre.

6.3

MagicScore

#20

The Blue Max

1966

A young pilot in the German air force of 1918, disliked as lower-class and unchivalrous, tries ambitiously to earn the medal offered for 20 kills.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Red Tails?

The top films similar to Red Tails by MovieMagicScore are The Tuskegee Airmen (7.1), Flying Leathernecks (5.8), Twelve O'Clock High (7.1). Each shares action/adventure/drama/history/war themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Red Tails worth watching?

Red Tails holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10 from 659 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Red Tails?

Red Tails (2012) is a action, adventure, drama, history, war film directed by Anthony Hemingway, starring Bryan Cranston, David Oyelowo, Cuba Gooding Jr..

Where can I find more recommendations like Red Tails?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more action recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like The Tuskegee Airmen Movies like Flying Leathernecks Movies like Twelve O'Clock High Movies like Falling Hare Movies like The Right Stuff Movies like The Six Triple Eight

About movies like Red Tails

This ranked list pairs Red Tails (2012), a action and adventure and drama and history and war film from Anthony Hemingway, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Bryan Cranston take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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