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 new film centered on the true story of Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first Black fighter pilot, and his wingman Thomas Hudner during the Korean War, marking 2022 as a significant year for aviation films alongside Top Gun: Maverick.
The movie shares key personnel with Top Gun: Maverick, including actor Glen Powell and aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa, suggesting a similar style of compelling flight sequences.
Themes within the film include the emotional struggles of isolation and prejudice experienced by pilots like Brown, informed by director J.D. Dillard's own father's military experience, and the technological transition from propeller planes (like the challenging-to-land Corsair) to the jet age during the Korean War.

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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.