Good Kill American Sniper With Drones

In a parallel universe, Good Kill is what eventually became of that Top Gun sequel we thought we were getting. It’s a logical progression, really, and in some ways feels exactly what a Top Gun for 2015 would feel like. Instead of focusing on a hotshot pilot, it instead shows us the horrors of war through drone warfare – with the hotshot pilot having been grounded and forced to push the buttons that kill dozens of people several thousands of miles away. The pilot isn’t being played by Tom Cruise, though. Instead, Ethan Hawke takes the lead, here playing a man named Thomas Egan. Plane pilots are a thing of the past, so he’s been forced into flying drones, something he hates doing. The main benefit, though, is that he can go home every day to his suburban house, his lovely wife (January Jones), and his kids. Good Kill follows Egan’s day-to-day life, which allows the viewer to see the behind-the-scenes job of piloting drones – as well as the questionable morals with which the operation is run. That, however, is the only thing to the characters, unfortunately. Their personalities are almost solely defined by whether or not they think the drone missions are positive. It’s a shame, too, because Ethan Hawke is actually quite strong in the lead role. If his character was written with more depth, the movie would be so much better. He’d feel like a person, not a conduit through which Good Kill can make a point about soldiers. He’s a stand-in for all soldiers; he never feels to us like “Thomas Egan.” Recommendation: If you needed American Sniper to have more drones and less character, Good Kill is your movie. [rating=3]