Review: Fighter Pilot Movie 'Devotion' Is a Compelling Character Study

One of the most complicated and unfair hurdles a cinematic work sometimes has to overcome is the audience's anticipation when, in the same year of release, another film in the same genre with a very similar premise has had monumental success, creating extremely high results, often completely misguided expectations. The legacy sequel Top Gun: Maverick is, without a doubt, the biggest blockbuster of 2022, but it's clearly an action-driven film, which is the main reason for the love of the audiences around the world. Devotion couldn't be more different, focusing on its complex protagonists and leaving much of the action in the background…

This choice is far from wrong. In the same way that Top Gun sequel has every right to follow a more generic style in the action genre, Devotion may also have the same success than a character study. Throughout the history of cinema, there have been endless variations of the same narrative concept, even more so when looking outside of the same genre. Some movies focus on executing the most entertaining moments, others are more concerned with building distinct characters, and few try to tackle multiple areas with the same dedication. No path is more correct than another.

Obviously most viewers will prefer a movie with pure entertainment, so Devotion will never reach as many people as the other movie with military planes and wingmen, but that's not is not necessary either. Director J.D. Dillard respects the script of writers Jake Crane and Jonathan A. H. Stewart, spotlighting its two pilot protagonists Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Tom Hudner (Glen Powell). There are, of course, heart-pounding action sequences, but more due to the emotional connection to the characters than the action itself.

Key words have already been mentioned: character study. The Devotion deepens Jesse and Tom's relationship, as well as their personal lives, in a very intimate and authentic way, in the sense that typical Hollywoodisms have no place in the Brown family or even within this military squad. Every interaction between Majors and Powell has an endearing authenticity, largely due to the actors' unexpected emotional performances. Both represent the counterexample of toxic masculinity, proving to be genuinely vulnerable to all others.

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Dillard's Devotion addresses common moral dilemmas in such stories. How much is a deep friendship worth compared to a fair and impartial mission report? It's often said that it's better to hear a hard truth than a soft lie, but aren't there times when silence is the best answer? What about personal sacrifices? "True friends are those who are there when you need them most" is a phrase that perfectly sums up the relationship between two protagonists who are convincing and easy to become emotionally invested in.

That said, devotion is not without its problems. In addition to a slow pace that doesn't always work, the narrative structure is somewhat repetitive, repeatedly asking the above questions through scenes prompted by similar situations. Basically, every time a character seems to take a step forward, the film then takes them back two steps, forcing them to go through the same development processes. While the friendship between Jesse and Tom is well explored, other characters close to them are sidelined too much despite having the potential for interesting subplots.

When it comes to the technical aspects, it's hard not to think Top Gun: Maverick over this movie. When talking about action, there is a relatively misleading idea that the more real the sequence, the better. The less CGI and other visual effects applied, the more satisfied and entertained the viewer. The truth is that, in the same way that there are absolutely terrible realistic action scenes, it is also possible to create impressive and inspiring sets that are entirely fake and surrounded by a green or blue screen.

Top Gun: Maverick contains, hands down, the best aerial combat aircraft sequences in cinematic history, and hardly any film will ever beat its realism, dedication and cinematography innovative. Nevertheless, Devotion uses its own weapons quite effectively. Although not reaching the same levels of adrenaline...