The great tragedy of our time is that our most celebrated heroes are the products of fantasy. Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – at least the versions of them we see on our screens – are all fake caricatures of those larger-than-life characters whose admirers long to project into the real world. Here in 21^st century America, we are presented nearly every day with a new “existential threat” spawned from the evil heart of the one who is the arch villain of our world. Who is this powerful dark lord whose only goal is the destruction of our way of life? Depends on who you ask.

Reagan the film is based on Paul Kengor‘s 2006 book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. It’s a story that longs for simpler days, when our adversaries were (arguably) not individuals, but ideas. And our heroes were real people who were determined to make a difference, even if they had to do it alone. The story is told from the perspective of a fictional character.  Viktor Petrovich (Jon Voight) is a retired KGB agent. The character of Petrovich was created from a collection of actual KGB agents who were actually charged with the task of following the career of the actor Ronald Reagan as he excelled in his influence over matters of public policy, particularly with regard to communism. This “crusade” began when Reagan was a leader in the Screen Actors’ Guild, and continued when he was governor of California, then ultimately as the President of the United States and the cornerstone of détente who was pivotal in bringing an end to the Cold War.

The titular character was played realistically by Hollywood headliner turned faith-based frontman, Dennis Quaid. As a veteran actor, Quaid showcases his talent and skill by portraying an on-screen Reagan that was part real-life Reagan personality in tone and style and part actor interpretation in Dennis Quaid style. Both parts came out in just the right proportions, giving the viewer a sense of realism without that comedic flavor that comes across in an attempt at impersonation, whether intentional or not. On the contrary, the comic relief in this movie came almost entirely in the form of Ronald Reagan’s actual quips and zingers that were a signature of his persona as a leader and a huge piece of what redeemed him to so many.

Another mark of Reagan’s persona as a leader came out in his, well… leadership. That quality shouts loud and clear in this film as Reagan the “Crusader” confronts Soviet communism head-on as he rallies his allies, Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II and then faces Russian Premier Mikhail Gorbachev in a series of meetings to negotiate reductions in nuclear and military build-up and a de-escalation of tensions between the two nations. Art imitates life as this film portrays the combination of charm, wisdom and resolve with which Reagan handled Gorbachev as he exemplified his philosophy of peace through strength.

As a production, Reagan was well-crafted as it managed to merge actual footage with recreated scenes almost seamlessly. One noticeable effect was the use of de-aging technology for the actors as they were telling the earlier parts of the story. It was a passable job, but this kind of effect is still under development and sometimes becomes a distraction. The credits are worth hanging around for as they essentially tell the end of the story with some emotional and nostalgic glimpses of the real people who participated in the fall of the Berlin Wall and later Reagan’s funeral.

Leaving the theater after this experience was a bittersweet moment. I went from reliving the Reagan era in all it’s glory to mourning his loss all over again to forcing myself back out into the real world where our future as a nation is in peril in much the same way that it was then with one exception… my hero is dead. Now, as I stand on this side of reality in a nation that seems in its twilight I feel a sense of dread. But I must say that I’m grateful for the 2 hours and 22 minutes I spent feeling like it was morning again in America.

Reagan is in theaters now.