Rating: Summary: Some things are best left unseen. Review: Hello, thanks you for taking the time to read this review. I tend to keep my review on the lighter side of things, but tonight I'm going to be serious for a minute. I am just back from viewing this film and let me start by saying this film is not the greatest film ever made yet not as horrific as the reviewers would have you believe. I have some praise for the film, some disdain, and a little nugget extra for you to ponder. Let's get started with the disdain.The love triangle is not a fun thing to sit through, especially when you know deep down Ben Affleck is going to get the girl (I doubt he would have done the movie if he wouldn't have). This is apparently a typical Michael Bay practice; kill the other male character vying for Ben Affleck's love interests' affection (i.e. Bruce Willis in Armageddon). Another thing I found pointless was the addition of Cuba Gooding JR.'s character. I realize Doris "Dorie" Miller was a very heroic man who is very worthy of the praise he received. But Gooding's portrayal of Miller encompasses less than 20 minutes of screen time, and those minutes really do nothing to help build the film. I attribute this to The Patriot trend of adding a black character to make people think that blacks were, in the end, well noted for there service during times of conflict(war). If you want to see a film about the impact of black soldiers during WW2, see the HBO film The Tuskegee Airmen. It shows the fabled flight division comprised only of black airmen, and the incredible impact they had in the war over Europe, and within the US Army itself. While I could rail on about the race issue I will let it die there. And now let's hit the high points. Despite the typical love story I found my self caring for the characters at some points. In particular I found myself drawn in by Josh Hartnett's character. He is not so over the top as Affleck and Baldwin are, and it is refreshing. Of the main characters, his character seamed the most real. Where as Affleck actually fancies himself as a super hero on and off screen, Hartnett just seams like the normal guy thrust into an impossible situation, the way most that are considered heroes by history are. Also, let's give a huge nod to ILM for yet another masterpiece of visual effects. They keep on showing us that they are the masters on making dreams become realities. Yet in doing so, they have led me to a moral impasse. In the past when films about war, including Tora Tora Tora, were made the imagery was cheesy at best. Even a novice could pick apart the inaccuracies and crappy visual effects, and it is not the film makers fault they just didn't have anything better. That may have been a blessing. We get to witness the biggest military blunder in our countries history in incredible detail. We get to see the soldiers and sailors blown to pieces in stunning fashion. But what everyone in the theatre except for me failed to realize was that these were real people. This isn't a fictitious earth of the future being haunted by an asteroid. The people so precisely being blown to bits are the grandparents of we the twenty something crowd. Yet the herd, grazing and munching on the eye candy just stared in awe of the splendor of Hollywood. I was in awe too, the beautifully done Japanese aircraft coming in low and fast was great. Then as the first torpedo hit and killed the men cleaning the boat, I just wanted it to be over, and the rest of the crowd strapped in for a wondrous ride they compared to scenes from Star Wars and the like. I guess what I am getting at here is I walked out of the theater feeling a huge debt of gratitude to the men who died while brushing their teeth on a Sunday morning and everyone else who left felt they had seen a great action film with a mediocre story. I can only hope my generation is not this shallow. Maybe some pages of history are best left for books. Some things were bad enough being seen by the eyes of the people experiencing it. It is obviously not appreciated by the audience viewing it. How does splashing it out in state of the art visuals and THX sound help it pay homage to the people who died that day when the people viewing it are only hoping it has better effects than the new Planet of the Apes flick? Should we look forward to the Columbine Shooting film or the Oklahoma City bombing film? Hey, I heard Brad Pitt is playing Tim McVeigh, it should be great. I gaurentee they would both make money, if they aren't in the works already. When we as a people can be heard aloud comparing a tragic event like Pearl Harbor to the wonderful cgi work of another tragedy, Titanic, is there any wonder why our society is where it is today? I'll end this here, as I am quickly running out of word space. I would like to thank you for reading my review, and hopefully I've made you think, even if just a little. I hate to sound so preachy about a movie. But my experience tonight at the movies was so bizarre I felt I had to share it. Maybe you should go check it out, just to witness desensitization at its most glorious.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Film Review: This is the best WW II Movie I have ever seen! It has a mix of a love, history and action all in one film. It is one of the best films I have seen all year. One quality of the movie that I really like is the fact that they put actual footage from the bombing in the film. I recommed that you see this movie.
Rating: Summary: Good Mix of Hollywood and History Review: I was impressed by this movie. I went into the movie having my doubts, mainly because of previous explosion-happy plot-missing Bay and Bruck. movies. However, this movie is worth seeing. Don't wait for DVD this movie has to be expeienced at the theater. It was the fastest, most etertaining 3 hours I've spent watching a movie. Great movie despite the poor reviews.
Rating: Summary: It Is So Totally Unbelievable!!! Review: Ok, I know a lot of the dumb critics have bashed this movie and said it was no good. But I guarantee you that they are wrong. This is hands down the best movie that I have ever seen and will be hard to beat. Josh and Ben both looked amazingly gorgeous in it and portrayed their characters well. I strongly encourage everyone out there to see it. And if you've seen it once, go again!! This is one movie that I don't think you will ever get tired of.
Rating: Summary: Great Movie Review: This was a very good movie. The development of the characters is what made the attack scene on Pearl Harbor what it was. Other Ben Affleck movies he seems a bit [false] and his words are choppy, in this movie he was very fluent and his acting was great. The attack on Pearl Harbor was very realistic, and very exciting. Of course this wasn't the only action in the movie, after the bombing, they take B52's and attack Japan, it is pretty much a suicide mission, but it turns out great, and if I could cry I would have there, :). If there is one flaw in the movie, it's that the actors were too dramatic, it seemed that every word out of Alec Baldwin's mouth could be put in the "Big Book of Quotes." The actor that played FDR was very dramatic too, I can understand that the bombing of Pearl Harbor wasn't a laughing matter, but they were both overly dramatic. Overall the acting was very good, and the filming was also very attractive, but a bit bumpy at times, I can't complain though. This is a movie for everyone, some parts are a bit gruesome, but not as bad as "Saving Private Ryan" or "Braveheart" both great war movies, and romances.
Rating: Summary: Not the best-----But Very Good Review: I saw this film over the weekend and liked it very much. Even though the film is long I think that works in it's favor.You get to care about these people and their lives and you care wether they live or die! I went in to the theater not to get a history lesson but an entertaining film and that's just what I got!
Rating: Summary: Best Movie of the Year Review: I was mezmorized when I saw Pearl Harbor on the big screen. The movie is so real that you are shocked to find out that this acutally took place in real life. Story goes well; In nineteen-fourty one. Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Harttmen) are two rouge pilots that have been good friends since they were 12. After Rafe meets Evelyn, the two fall in love, and things start to change. being such a good pilot and all, Rafe is sent to London to do most of England's fighting against the Nazis. After being shot down and thougt dead, Danny and Evelyn are shipped to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The two then fall in love, but then confortation is sorted when Rafe returns...alive. After finding out about Danny's affair, things get a little rough. Meanwhile, the Government is in argument with the Japanesee with peace talks. Eventually, Japan plans a strike on Pearl Harbor. The fight is on when Rafe, Danny and the gang is up against an unplanned attack on the island. "Pearl Harbor" has be the best film of the year and one of the greatest films of all time. Although very long for three hours (The attack alone is thirty-five mintues) while crammed in with Celebrity comeos (Alec Baldwin, Jon Vought, Tom Sizemore, Cuba Gooding Jr.) PH is pretty much the TITANIC of the year. it's very Educational too. a must see.
Rating: Summary: INCOMPARABLE! Review: This movie is incomparable to any other movie that I have ever seen! The characters are believable and moving! In the theatre, you could hear sobs filling the movie theatre from both males and females. I saw Pearl Harbor the day it came out, and it's definitely worth three hours of your time! It has the astonishing battle scenes for the guys and the adorable romance for the girls.
Rating: Summary: Puerile Harbor Review: Pearl Harbor is a silly, childish, foolish movie. It fails as a love story, it stinks as a buddy pic, and it's barely adequate as an action flic. The love story? Fit for 12-year-olds. Slow, emotionally stunted 12-year-olds. Everything else looks tacked on. The only reason to sit through Puerile Harbor is to see how many howlers you can catch. Here's a start -- (1) the hero leaves New York City for England on a train (2) he fails his eye exam AFTER two or more years as a pilot, having passed basic training, basic and advanced flight training, fighter training, etc. (3) as the battleship Oklahoma capsizes, it gets higher in the water, ending up upside down two feet ABOVE the water, before it smashes down on the sailors. My advice is to give it a miss and see Shrek instead. In comparison, THAT love story is credible, and the cartoon action is more believable.
Rating: Summary: I Don't Know How Anyone Could Like This... Review: As with many people, I went into "Pearl Harbor" with the happiness of knowing that this would be one of the greatest movies in 2001 - I was wrong. 75% of this movie is a sappy, boring love triangle. They should call it "Pearl HarBORE" (no pun intended)! I rated this movie a 2 just because of the battle scenes. I could talk for hours on how bad this movie is, but I have a limit of words. I just can't get over how someone could like this. In conclusion, if you're looking for a good movie on the attack on Pearl Harbor, see "Tora! Tora! Tora!" instead of this disgrace of a movie.
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