鈥淭he Blue Angels鈥 puts you in the cockpit for its flying sequences 鈥 and they鈥檙e breathtaking, particularly on a big screen.
But when it comes to training 鈥 and behind-the-scenes action 鈥 the documentary is as pressed (and stiff) as a Blue Angels uniform.
That could be because participants don鈥檛 want to reveal any wrinkles in the 75-year-plus program. There must be some (particularly with a slew of nicknames for each pilot) but this comes off as prim and proper.
The film shows how the U.S. Navy unit makes the transition from one team to another. The year is 2022 and its about to begin a cross-country tour, wowing audiences with skills that require more than a steady hand.

Footage puts viewers in the air with the Blue Angels in the new documentary.聽
Brian Kesselring, the cut-from-granite leader, details how the year is going to go. He talks sparingly about the sacrifices the pilots make and tries to keep things light when they鈥檙e in a room simulating what it takes to execute formations some 18 inches apart from each other.
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Director Paul Crowder lets the Angels retain that shroud of secrecy in exchange for awesome flying footage. In post-flying sections, the pilots hear how some may not have been at their peak, even though spectators didn鈥檛 see a blip.
Moments at home are sparse, but interesting. Chris Kapuschansky is the most fascinating character (nickname: Cheese) but doesn鈥檛 get the focus he should. Similarly, Amanda Lee, the first female Blue Angel pilot, is slipped in at the end of the film but could have dominated.
Kesselring does a fine job explaining everything, particularly the moment when he learned about his selection. He seems exactly what you鈥檇 picture a Blue Angel to look and act like, but Crowder should have thrown him a few curves. (Our question: How tight are those uniforms? They look uncomfortable.)
Despite a brief history lesson (it goes back to the days of Admiral Chester Nimitz), 鈥淭he Blue Angels鈥 doesn鈥檛 dwell much on the program鈥檚 cost or value. It鈥檚 a hit on the air show circuit, but is that enough?
When you see how close the planes fly (talk about 鈥淭op Gun鈥), you realize there鈥檚 more here than they鈥檙e letting on. Easily, this is more promotional than educational.

Precision is key to the work of the Blue Angels, the performance team featured in the documentary, "The Blue Angels."聽
鈥淭he Blue Angels鈥 hints at life after the gig. It could have stuck with Kesselring a little longer and expanded on what happened with Cheese.
Still, Crowder makes you feel like you鈥檙e in those briefing rooms when they firmly (but politely) tell pilots what they did wrong. When they bob and weave like they might in the air, you do, too.
Because it prompts plenty of questions, 鈥淭he Blue Angels鈥 could have been a six-part miniseries and still left details on the floor.
At a time when 鈥済ood enough鈥 seems OK, it鈥檚 reassuring to see a team refuse to settle for anything but excellent.
鈥淭he Blue Angels鈥 is a great look at a profession we only thought was possible in the movies.
Sky’s the limit. Glen Powell and J.J. Abrams bring you #TheBlueAngels - exclusively in IMAX theatres May 17th, streaming on Prime Video May 23rd.
Soar with The Blue Angels in a brand-new documentary featuring never-before-seen footage that chronicles a year with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron—from selection through the challenging training and demanding show season—showcasing the extraordinary teamwork, passion, and pride that fuels America’s best, the Blue Angels.
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