Rating: Summary: There Are Better War Movies Out There Review: I found Pearl Harbor a disappointment. I usually don't agree with the critics but this time was an exception. With an overly contrived love triangle with a poor script which the actors are defeated by at every turn, I can't help but think how superior "Saving Private Ryan" was to this mediocre effort. Granted, it is not without its merits.....CUBA GOODING's performance deserves an oscar nomination. Kudos also to Jon Voight's characterization of President Roosevelt. And the special effects are outstanding as well. As for the rest.....you have 'soap opera' with a little history thrown in. Kate Beckinsdale's hairstyle through most of the movie isn't even in keeping with the forties. And the love triangle is 'stupid' and 'unbelievable'. And totally 'predictable'......I knew what was going to happen the minute Ben Affleck was presumed dead....the rebound romance between Hartnett and Beckinsdale with, of course, the inevitable pregnancy and Hartnett's phony death. Sheeesh! I can watch "As the World Turns" or "Days of Our Lives" every day....I don't need it at a movie. In my opinion, this is what ruined an otherwise well intended attempt to capture one the the 20th century's most unforgettable moments. Alas... don't waste your time with this.
Rating: Summary: Great Movie! Review: I'm not one of those teenyboppers who liked the movie only because of Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. Don't get me wrong , they're good actors and all but I'm NOT obsessed. This movie was sad. It was also great too. But many people gave it a bad review. I don't understand that.
Rating: Summary: I was surprised. Review: When I watched "Pearl Harbor" I expected it to be more history than a love story, but a love story is what we got. I really enjoyed the movie although it wasn't what I had thought it would be. It was a very moving story. It really gives you the feeling of what life was like back then and the real terrors and bravery that came along with protecting the country. Their was also the life-long friendship factor that I thought made the movie what it is. The special effects could not have been any better. Over all, I was extremely pleased with everything right down to the casting, which also could not have been better.
Rating: Summary: I Liked This Movie! Review: My preconception of the movie was negative based on reviews by movie critics. However, recieving this DVD as a gift, I watched it with an open mind and found I really enjoyed it. No it is not a history channel documentary, as the ney sayers seemed to want it to be. It is a story about a handful of people caught up in the events surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack, and later the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. I found it to be excellent movie, that held my attention, such that I could not wait to slip in the second disc and finish the movie. The filming is great, the sound is powerful, and the storyline intense. The movie reveals the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, and the tranquility prior to the attacks -- much like pre-9/11 NYC. Most critics focus on the love story as a detraction, but I actually found it to be a humorous addition to the movie, which actually depicted the heroes of the story as real people. I found it touching, funny, suspenseful, and at times corny -- as of course that period of time was, compared to what we percieve as the norm today. I couldn't wait to watch this again the following night with my wife, who agreed with me that this was a great movie.
Rating: Summary: A True Review Review: This movie has got it all. Action, romance, slight comedy, adventure, awesome special effects, and great actors. Pearl Harbor keeps you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what happens next even if you HAVE seen it before. It makes you feel as though you really were there, fighting for the United States of America. It is a movie that makes you want to join the army, navy, military, or air force. You can almost feel the intense heat from the explosions, the pain from shots (yes, the medical kind), and the pressure of doing a barrel role. And most of all, it shows you what truly did happen on December 7th, 1941.
Rating: Summary: Too HOT to Handle!!!! Review: I loved it. Josh is perfectly hot, Ben is perfectly hot, the movie is perfectly right. In addition to the stunningly perfect actors, the special effects are really realistic, and the movie is touches you really deep. The Japanese general has a conscience, and every aspect of Pearl Harbor is shown. The script is great, and the directing is perfect as well.
Rating: Summary: Realistic and Touching Review: Many people would compare Pearl Harbor to 1997's Titanic. Mainly this is because much like Titanic, the movie is focused on a group (or couple) of people dealing with a tragedy that really effect hundreds - to thousands. Pearl Harbor did a better job at focusing on how Pearl Harbor effected others than Titanic. The first video (out of the duo) is mainly focused on Danny, Reeve, and a nurse. My dad sat and watched it and was feeling a bit annoyed how the writer's could just throw out the feelings other people had to deal with during the war, but all that changed when he watched the second half of the movie. The second half of the movie is mostly about war. They show many Navy fighters shooting Japs planes and trying to escape the target of torpedos: their ships! You feel the emotions of all the sailors while trying to save each others lives, especially a young black man who works in the kitchen who has to box to earn respect. You see the termoil in the hospitals. Many wounded and near-dead fighters filling the little space they have. Yes, I'm a teenage girl. Yes, I agree Josh Hartnett and Ben Afflak look pretty darn good in this movie, but I didn't like the movie because of that. I loved it because it left me in tears as I saw first-hand of the terror of Pearl Harbor. I never really heard of Pearl Harbor in history class until the movie came out, and it was just so overwhelming. Overall, this is an excellent - but long movie. I do not recommend this movie to people who love happy-movies and despise sad ones.
Rating: Summary: Definitely worth watching Review: I think that the "critics" who have written their own reviews are too serious. I watched this movie not thinking about who directed it, or who produced it. I watched it to see the movie. The movie is very well put together. Out of the whole 3 hours I wasnt the slightest bit bored, and if it werent for the love story I know that I wouldnt have been able to sit through it. The acting truely makes you feel as if you were there. You really feel the worry and determination and even the love.
Rating: Summary: Horrible Review: The actors don't seem to know they're living in 1941. Ben Affleck just mouths his lines. The only time I cared about any of the people in the film was the anonymous sailors and nurses who died in the attack. What a hackneyed plot. They wrote better "B" picture scripts in the 40's. Where's Artie Shaw? Where's jive talk? Where's the radio shows? Parts of the attack are quite emotionally moving without being too manipulative which is the only reason I gave it 1 star. If you're interested in the Doolittle Raid get "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" which has excellent SFX for its time and is a true story with first rate actors and direction. Ignore the first half of the movie's bad plot - coming back from the dead, how many times have we seen that one on daytime television? The middle 30 minutes are okay and at some points even spectacular, but Pearl Harbor should not be about "Entertainment" with a CAPITAL "E" and that's what all the pyrotecnics are there for it seems, just to entertain. Disgusting.
Rating: Summary: Totally Inaccurate Review: Totally Inaccurate Blatantly using ships that were not even built until the 1960's and 1970's as part of the battle scene totally ruined the movie for me. I was TAD on the Hewitt, which was used in the battle scenes. You would think with all the computer animation they would have covered up the historical inaccuracies.
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