Rating: Summary: A difficult film to deal with. Review: If ever there was a movie with mixed components it is this one. There are some amazing things in this film and some downright stupid ones. I am sure this movie will be debated for some time. But here is what I disliked, thought was ok, liked.Disliked. Very little historical accuracy. Starting with the Eagle squadrons. America was Neutral [well sort of] during the Battle of Britain. If an American flew for the RAF he lost his U.S citizenship. It was not something they were encouraged to do. Ben's character signs up and is told his transfer is approved. It just isn't right. The love triangle. Done to death and love stories in war films just never seem to work for me. Not when it is rammed down your throat like this one. As well as it being cliche. They pick and chose from events and speed through them as fast as they can to keep up with the love story. The movie goes for three hours and they can't find the time to do real events? Film makers [Bey I think it was] who say. " No one has ever done a movie like this." Well he is wrong in a big way and I have three words for him. Tora, Tora, Tora. Way to one sided. The patriotic messege is so strong and so one sided for the most part that it doesn't show the story from both sides. The Japanese parts are so quick that it doesn't make alot of sense. A weak and extended plot really attack this film and that is a shame. What was ok. The initial dating part of the love story I didn't mind. It had some sweet and funny moments. But it soon turned into the triangle and that was the end of reality there. What I liked. Dan Akroyd as the intelligence officer. A good portrayal for him and over all very underused in the film. Some likable characters. Some of the support characters are quite fun. The Japanese parts of the film are excellent although very disjointed. The pond with the floating models and the Japanese fleet in the background is an amazing shot. The letter home from a Japanese pilot to his father, hoping to bring honor to the family and to do his duty is an interesting touch. The Japanese flying into the island. This is one of my favourite parts of the film. The boys playing baseball as the planes fly by, the woman hanging clothes as the zero goes overhead. Absolutly amazing. The attack itself is brilliant. Val's in their dives, Zero's flashing between ships and the torpedo's in the water are just breathtaking. The digital sound. Crank it up for the aircraft scenes. The sound is incredible. But at the end of the day it is a mixed movie. A movie that is far better is Tora, Tora, Tora. It is alot older. But for its day the aerial scenes are amazing and they show the events from both sides. It shows all the major Japanese players and what led Japan to attack Pearl. It details why it had to be Pearl and all the planning and training the Japanese did. It is unbiased. It isn't pro America and it isn't pro Japan. It just shows what happened and why. It talks about the British attack at Taranto against the Italian fleet and how it and Pearl were shallow and normally torpedo's would not work. Overall Tora, Tora, Tora is an incredible film and if you are interested in the historical side of it without romance then give it a watch. So why did I buy Pearl Harbor? The aircraft scenes pure and simple. I love planes always have since I was a kid. The aerial scenes and digital sound just drives me wild even though the film is no where near as good as it should have been. If you love aircraft as much as I do then the rewatch value will be there. If you want a historical movie without hollyood plots. Then give this one a miss and buy Tora, Tora, Tora
Rating: Summary: Worst Movie of 2001 Review: Of all of the movies that came out in 2001, this has got to be the worst movie of them(and their are plenty of horrible big budget movies that were released this year). The movies makes a couple of farm boys look like Demi-Gods against Japanese pilots who have been in combat for almost a decade. Not only that, Afflect never did tell his Beckinsdale how he survived after being shot down in France all those months. He says he'll tell her later but he never does. One of the many loose ends that is conveniently forgotten. There doesn't seem to be a overall moral like all war movies before except Americans are great and big explosions. Love story may have worked if they didn't throw the third wheel in but alas what could have been. Tora, Tora, Tora is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than this movie and that was made in 1970. If only Tora, Tora, Tora was made with the kind of budget and special effects nowadays. Don't walk, run away as far as possible from this movie.
Rating: Summary: From Here to Blech Review: There isn't much to say. The movie was cheezy and I liked it better when it was called "From Here to Eternity."
Rating: Summary: not quite armageddon, but a treat nonetheless Review: Produced by the same team that made my favorite Armageddon, I was interested to see how the two would compare. It was a good movie on its own, but I felt it had too little to do with the war except that the people in the movie happened to be on the receiving end of the bombs. It reminded me of Titanic, with a better plot (both are love stories, Pearl gets a little more into the stuff outside of love). The initial parts are very entertaining, with humor sprinkled here and there, as it was in Armageddon, and is done just right to keep things interesting and not too serious. However, the end was rather weak. I won't spoil it for you; suffice it to say, it looked like the producer had no way to close off the movie, so it just ended. Some parts of the movie felt unnecessary (Cuba's role could have been left out and wouldn't have made a difference, in my opinion; he's just so disconnected from the other characters). Mr. Roosevelt... seemed rather inconsistent. He'd be a courageous leader in one, an impatient decision maker in another... wait, never mind, that's how politicians are. To close off my rant, the movie was something like a 3.5-star affair, but i always round up. I'm sure people will enjoy the movie, and I myself can watch it a couple of times more, but it's not something that i'd bring to a deserted island (those would be armageddon, gladiator... maybe even lion king).
Rating: Summary: One of the worst! Review: This movie starts out promising then gets worse and worse as the movie goes on. The special effects were great but the plot and historical accuracy of the movie was so bad I felt betrayed. It felt to me like they tried to fit the entire history of WW2 in one movie and they did a lousy job at it. The thing I found most pathetic about the movie was the fact that it seemed to be a 3 hour soap opera and a lousy one at that. It also feels like they tried to glamoize what happedned at Pearl Harbour and make the dropping of the atomic bomb seem more justified. What the hell were they thinking these are tragic events both for the Americans and the Japanese if they are to be portayed at least do it realistically and in a more mondane mood. The sad thing about this movie other than its plot was the fact that when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour (about 2 hours into the movie!) the audience is by that time looking forward to seeing it happen and instead of being disturbed by the event they find it exciting and thrilling, why because up to that point the movie is so unbelievbly boring that seeing the carnage actully brings wondering minds back to the movie. All I can say is the director and all those associated with this movie should be ashamed of themselves. (...)
Rating: Summary: A pearl gem of a movie Review: I can't understand why so many people are so down on this film!I thought it was one of the most thrilling and moving historical dramas I've seen in quite awhile.Granted,it's love story is corny and overly sentimental,but the cast of Ben Affleck,Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett make it touching and believable.The re-creation of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is both horrifying and breathtaking,especially in light of the Sept. 11 attacks on the WTC.While not as brutal and heartbreaking as Saving Private Ryan,It still brings a tear to my eyes to see such a bright,peaceful fantasy island get blown to pieces by such a terrible act of war!I'm proud of the men and women of the millitary who-then AND now-fight to keep America a nation of peace and liberty,and this movie pays great tribute to those who witnessed the first surprise attack on US soil.So forget the naysayers and see this movie![NOTE TO DVD BUYERS:the film is split into two halves,the first 2 hours on Disc 1,the last hour on Disc 2.]
Rating: Summary: Lets think about this..... Review: Well first of all this movie might not have had 5 star credits but thats only because they dont know good movies. Lets think about this, it made me laugh, cry and it had two incredible hot guys!! How could you not love it even if it is just for Ben and JOSH!!! Well the story was good and not just concentrated on teh war about the times around it. I thought it was well written acted and the special effects were great!!
Rating: Summary: Bad ? Review: I'm sure why so many hated this, especially guys. Sure it has a mooshy romance sub-plot, repeat sub-plot but it still has it's marcho guy war stuff in there as well. Plus I really liked the performances, especially Josh Hertnett who steals the show from Afflick. The one perfomance that I think deserves oscar consideration though is John Voight, he was so good that you would think he was Anthony Hopkins in this movie. He really deserves it, even if you didn't like the movie I doubt you could disagree. I found the war scenes that most people called cartoonish very engaging and well done. The only bad things are that it's too long, the whole love triangle thing is predictible and it trys too hard to be dramatic. Oh yeah plus Cuba Gooding Jr. is pretty much playing the same role he had in Men of Honor. Other than that I was really into this film and had trouble seeing where it was actually......bad.
Rating: Summary: trash Review: the people who rate this movie high are payed to do so!
Rating: Summary: A "Pearl" of great price it is not! Review: After hearing all the hype for this movie, I was extremely disappointed. They had a great opportunity to make an epic movie and squandered it. I'm sure there were enough real life stories at Pearl Harbor that day that would have been more interesting than the bogus love story they went with.
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