Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds

Name: Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2025-05-23

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2025

1h 31m

Documentary

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3 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

For the first time ever, go inside the cockpit with the U.S. Air Force’s legendary flight squadron, The Thunderbirds, and witness the unprecedented training, peril, and personal sacrifice it takes to push the limits of aviation as a member of one America’s most revered demonstration teams.

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

The air maneuvers are dazzling. But it is the hearts, integrity, and courage of the Thunderbirds that are unforgettable.

Rated: B+

May 23, 2025

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Johnny Loftus

Decider

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds can overdo it a bit at the Yay America buffet, but otherwise the doc offers real insight into the hard work that goes into a dangerous job like flying a fighter jet.

May 29, 2025

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JK Sooja

Common Sense Media

While watching these people work tirelessly to perfect death-defying aerial routines, it's easy to forget sometimes that they are also incredible athletes, able to withstand g-forces that most human beings simply cannot.

May 27, 2025

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Peter B

As a former Naval Aviator I was looking forward to watching this documentary. The aerial footage was nothing special, there was too much emphasis on crashing and it did a disservice to one of its members by focusing on his inability to perform one maneuver. The background stories were interesting and the decision to include the parents of a deceased (crashed) team member was respectful but just added to the angst being created by all the talk about crashing. The Air Force is always a day late and a dollar short when they try to compete with something the Navy produces pertaining to aviation. You would be better entertained by watching The Blue Angels (2024).

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/05/25

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Candace B

I loved every minute of this documentary!! So proud of every single one of these brave, brilliant American pilots!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/25

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SkyRo P

"Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds" is a documentary that initially seemed to hold a lot of potential and appeared poised for success. However, as I watched, I found myself quite disengaged. The narrative and documentary approach didn’t resonate with me. I struggled to grasp many of the Director's choices, as the direction felt disjointed rather than focused. The storyline took unexpected turns that I wasn't prepared for. While it's commendable to see historical events depicted in a documentary format, it's essential to have a strong narrator and a captivating storyline, along with engaging visuals, to truly captivate the audience. Simply attaching a well-known name isn't enough to guarantee appeal. Although that was initially what drew me in, the overall presentation came across as quite dull and uninspired.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

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Alex W

Style over content.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/26/25

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Matt Wilcox

Director

Barack Obama

Executive Producer

Michelle Obama

Executive Producer

Ariane Wu

Executive Producer

Ethan Lewis

Producer

Brian McGinn

Producer

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Synopsis

Director: Matt Wilcox
Producer: Ethan Lewis, Brian McGinn, Jason Sterman
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2025
Runtime: 1h 31m

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Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds

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