Red Flag: The Ultimate Game (1981): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1981, Red Flag: The Ultimate Game is an action, drama, war and tv movie film directed by Don Taylor, running about 100 minutes.

What it’s about. Two fighter pilots, Phil Clark and Jay Rivers, who flew together in Vietnam are assigned to the elite Air Force Fighter Weapons School (known as "Red Flag") at Nellis AFB, Nevada, about a decade after the war. Brash, self-confident Clark is an instructor, while quieter, family man Rivers is the student. At first, the two men resume their friendship. But as the student starts to show the master a thing or two, tensions develop. Can their relationship survive the stresses of one of the military's top schools?

Who’s in it. Red Flag: The Ultimate Game stars Barry Bostwick as Maj. Jay Rivers, Joan Van Ark as Marie Rivers, Fred McCarren as Frank Barnstable and Debra Feuer as Elaine Barnstable, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.0/10, Red Flag: The Ultimate Game has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Red Flag: The Ultimate Game page.

If you liked it. Fans of Red Flag: The Ultimate Game tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.