Glen Powell and J.J. Abrams Want You to Know About ‘The Blue Angels’

This Memorial Day, if there’s one documentary you need to watch, it’s The Blue Angels on Amazon Prime Video.

“A documentary following an entire year with the Blue Angels—and doing it in IMAX with tools that are traditionally used in narrative storytelling—felt like an amazing opportunity,” producer J.J. Abrams said in promotional material provided by Amazon Prime Video. “Most of the preparation and planning went into filming the aerial maneuvers, but it doesn’t compare to what they go through in preparing for their season. It’s a remarkable thing to see.”

Those remarkable aerial shots are remarkable for a reason: They’re done by the camera unit responsible for the similarly amazing shots in Top Gun: Maverick.

Above you can watch an exclusive video provided by Amazon Prime Video about the making of the documentary.

For producer Glen Powell, it was the intimate moments on the ground for these pilots that inspired him.

“When we look up and see something spectacular, we just take it for granted that it is right,” Powell said in quotes provided by Amazon Prime Video. “But we don’t see all the effort that it takes to bring that spectacular thing to life. Watching these people sit around the table literally ‘chair flying’ the entire demo and then breaking it down, you feel that relentless pursuit of perfection. It’s a different language; you can’t even process what they’re saying, but you know there is intent behind everything. It really makes it crackle.”

The film follows the real-life Blue Angels during their flight season. For more than 75 years now, the Blue Angels have been entertaining crowds across the globe, but never before have we seen up and close and personal what it takes to be a Blue Angel.

“One of the things I love about the movie is how it humanizes the Blue Angels in a way you might not fully get when you watch them fly,” Abrams said. “To see what they do in the cockpit is exhilarating, but it’s also exhilarating to see how, when they do make a mistake, they work together to fix it.”

Directed by Paul Crowder, he told Amazon Prime Video that the film follows the “… joy and love, diversity and inclusivity, camaraderie and friendship” of the Blue Angels.

“Our documentary takes us through the Blue Angels’ 2022 season, with three new pilots flying in the formation plus two pilots flying in different positions because the team rotates every year,” Crowder said. “We follow that challenging journey and everything it entails, for them and for the entire squadron. I don’t think most people quite understand everything it takes to do what they do. We all felt very lucky to be there among these elite pilots, support officers and enlisted personnel and to see how incredibly proud they are to be on this team.”

If you’re looking for a film to watch this Memorial Day that honors U.S. military, The Blue Angels on Amazon Prime Video is a great option. After you watch that, maybe watch Top Gun: Maverick. I know I will be.

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