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R2B: Return to Base
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = R2B: Return to Base
| image = R2B Return to Base-poster.jpg
| native_name =
| caption = Promotional poster for 'R2B: Return to Base'
| director = Kim Dong-won
| producer = Jang Tae-gon
Park Sung-geun
Kim Dong-won
Shim Moon-bo
Choi A-ram
| writer = Kim Dong-joo
| starring = Rain
Shin Se-kyung
Yoo Jun-sang
Lee Ha-na
| music = Lee Jae-hak
| cinematography = Kim Hyo-jin
| editing = Shin Min-kyung
| studio = Red Muffler
CJ Entertainment
Zoomoney Entertainment
| distributor = CJ Entertainment (international)
| released =
| runtime = 113 minutes
| country = South Korea
| language = Korean
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'R2B: Return to Base' is a 2012 South Korean aviation action drama film loosely based on the 1986 film 'Top Gun'. The film stars Rain, Shin Se-kyung and Yoo Jun-sang in lead roles. It was directed by Kim Dong-won and is a remake of Shin Sang-ok's 1964 film 'Red Scarf'. It is about a talented, yet troublemaking, elite air force pilot who is demoted to a combat flying unit. It was released on 15 August 2012. The Republic of Korea Air Force was heavily involved in the film's production.
The film was the final acting project for Rain, before he enlisted to serve his mandatory military service in October after filming wrapped in September 2011.[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rain-south-korea-military-pop-singer-246762 "South Korean Sensation Rain Enters Military as Hundreds of Fans Bid Him Farewell"] 'The Hollywood Reporter'. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
The film is also known under the alternate titles 'Black Eagle' and 'Soar Into the Sun'.
Plot
Captain Jung Tae-yoon (Rain), a Republic of Korea Air Force pilot in the Black Eagles aerobatic team, performs a cocky and dangerous maneuver during an air show and is transferred to the 21st Fighter Wing, a combat unit flying the F-15K strike fighter, led by Brigadier General Choi Byeong-gil (Jo Sung-ha) and Major Park Dae-suh (Kim Sung-soo). There he meets Cheol-hee (Yoo Jun-sang), the unit's own elite pilot. The two come into conflict immediately, since Tae-hun is free-spirited, whereas Cheol-hee is more by-the-book.
When a Korean People's Air Force MiG-29 crosses the Korean Demilitarized Zone in an attempt to defect, the 21st sorties to escort it. However, during the mission, a second KPAF MiG-29 suddenly arrives, shoots the defector down, and enters South Korean airspace. With the pursuit reaching Seoul, the pilots attempt to engage, but are told that the rules of engagement prohibits engaging over populated areas, allowing the MiG-29 to attack Seoul, causing major damage and numerous casualties. Tae-yoon and Dae-suh pursue the MiG-29 as it returns to North Korean airspace, but it manages to damage Dae-suh's plane. Dae-suh, noticing civilians below, ejects Ji Seok-hyun, his weapon systems officer, to safety and maneuvers his plane out of the civilians' way, but his ejection seat fails and he crashes into the mountain, killing him. Unable to engage the MiG-29, Tae-yoon is forced to turn back, allowing the MiG-29 to escape.
Back at the base, the 21st is informed that a rogue North Korean battalion led by General Kang Sang Yeol has taken a nuclear silo and is planning to fire a ballistic missile at the United States. An officer with United States Forces Korea informs the ROKAF that they have a B-2 Spirit ready for a preemptive strike, which would reignite the Korean conflict. Because the U.S. refuses to rescue Seok-hyun, the ROKAF and the Ministry of National Defense secretly launch their own rescue mission, assigning only a T-50 and an F-15K to avoid attention.
The mission is launched, and Seok-hyun is rescued by South Korean pararescue troops. After destroying the rogue battalion's base, the 21st are confronted by the MiG-29 from earlier, and they engage each other. During the dogfight, the MiG-29 stalls, allowing Tae-yoon to shoot it down. The T-50 is lost while trying to evade a SAM; however, the pilot survives. The rescue mission and strike against the nuclear silo are a success, and the B-2 strike is called off. At the end, Tae-yoon is shown giving his respects to his fallen comrade.
Cast
* Rain - Captain Jung Tae-yoon, a former Black Eagles pilot who is reassigned to the 21st Fighter Wing as an F-15K pilot
* Shin Se-kyung - Technical Sergeant Yoo Se-young, a 21st Fighter Wing mechanic and Tae-Yoon's love interest
* Yoo Jun-sang - Major Lee Cheol-hee, an elite pilot of the 21st
* Lee Ha-na - Captain Oh Yoo-jin, Tae-yoon's air force academy classmate and Cheol-hee's weapon systems officer
* Kim Sung-soo - Major Park Dae-suh, Tae-yoon's academy senior and flight leader of the 21st
* Lee Jong-suk - First Lieutenant Ji Seok-hyun, rookie pilot and Tae-yoon's weapon systems officer
* Jung Kyung-ho - Captain Jo Tae-bong, a pilot
* Jung Suk-won - Technical Sergeant Choi Min-ho, a special forces soldier part of the rescue team
* Jo Sung-ha - Brigadier General Choi Byeong-gil, the 21st's commander
* Oh Dal-su - Master Sergeant Min Dong-phil, the 21st's maintenance crew chief
International release
Before the film's release it was reported to have sold to 30 countries including Thailand, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other parts of Asia as well as the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. It also screened in 13 cities across North America premiering in Los Angeles on 24 August and continuing in San Diego, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, Honolulu, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; closing in Chicago on 31 August.
References
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