Authenticity is critical to any film striving to recreate historical events. Battle of Britain is incredibly accurate. From the actual planes used in the dogfights down the smallest of details on the uniforms, this one feels incredibly real. Unfortunately, nothing holds these action scenes together, and the overlong dialogue scenes actually take away from the dramatic flight footage.
That said, the aerial battles are worth it. Unlike the modern special effects-laden war films like Flyboys or Pearl Harbor, there’s a strong sense of realism in Britain. Planes maneuver realistically, and instead of building false drama via the direction, the story in the air unfolds naturally. Special effect shots come off incredibly well, especially a few miniature shots. It’s a shame there are so few as it could have made the bombing of London truly spectacular.