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, a new film about Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first Black fighter pilot, and his wingman, is highlighted as a significant aviation film of 2022, following Top Gun: Maverick.
The film shares key personnel with Top Gun: Maverick (including actor Glen Powell and aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa), and director J.D. Dillard incorporated his father's naval experience to portray the emotional and racial challenges faced by the pilots.
Set during the Korean War, the film captures the era's transition to jet-powered aircraft and features the F4U Corsair, which was known for being difficult to land on aircraft carriers.

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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.