Fighter Pilot Film Devotion Opens This Week: 4 Things To Know

Korean War biopic is packed with aerial footage and human drama.

Jonathan Welsh

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 06:05 PM ET

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Jonathan Majors, left, and Glen Powell on the set of "Devotion." [Courtesy: Black Label Media]

Key Takeaways:

Devotion is a landmark 2022 aviation film, sharing production talent like aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa and actor Glen Powell with *Top Gun: Maverick*, suggesting similarly compelling flight sequences.
The film delves into the emotional and racial challenges faced by Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first Black fighter pilot, with director J.D. Dillard drawing on his father's naval experiences for authentic portrayal.
Set during the Korean War, the movie highlights the transitional "Jet Age" pitting propeller-driven Corsairs against advanced enemy jets, and accurately portrays the notoriously difficult carrier operations of the F4U Corsair.

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Aviation films are rare. Good ones that emphasize the pilots’ perspective and properly showcase the hardware are extremely rare.

With the opening this week of Devotion, a movie about the relationship between Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy’s first black fighter pilot, and Thomas Hudner, his wingman, 2022 becomes a landmark year for airplane fans. The long-awaited release of Top Gun: Maverick last spring is still generating buzz among pilots. And the new film—based on a true story and set during the Korean War—promises to keep the conversation going.