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Flags of Our Fathers
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Adam Beach
Genre:
Action/Adventure
Run Time: 132
min.
Release Date:
October 2006
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Separating entertainment
from history will be the toughest thing to do during this little film
review, but we’re going to do it because entertainment is what films are
all about, right? Whether it’s entertaining in a teaching manner or on a
more visceral level is up to the director/screenwriter. But as the
audience, our only need is to feel as though our time sitting in front
of the big screen has been worthwhile.
Some are going to lambaste me for saying things here but I’m going to
risk ridicule and say them anyway. But first, the positives...
The cinematography is excellent. The muted sepia tones on Iwo Jima and
the flashbacks that all the characters have are all pulled off
exceptionally well. Also, the story is significant in that the “true”
heroes of Iwo Jima are never recognized, and Mr. Eastwood deserves
thanks for pointing out this historical flaw. The sweeping views of the
American Navy as it approaches Iwo are just flat-out stunning, too,
reminiscent of the scenes from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (although that
landing took place in France, not the Pacific Theater).
Historically the story is very interesting, too, showing how Americans
went bonkers over one image that they viewed as the U.S.’s ultimate
success in the war. The media and politicians appropriately locked onto
this and used it to help promote the sale of war bonds. And this is
where our characters come in ...and where we start to run into problems.
With the exception of Ira Hayes (played well by Adam Beach) and maybe
John “Doc” Bradley (played by Ryan Phillippe), the characters in the
film are distantly portrayed, never really getting the audience on the
inside of the rest of the main characters. Barry Pepper (who I
absolutely love as an actor) was one of the many die-offs that I just
couldn’t connect with. As were Jesse Bradford (although not a die-off),
John Benjamin Hickey, and even Paul Walker (who played Hank Hansen, a
fairly pivotal person in the story). I realize that these were real men,
not fictional creations, but the audience still needs a significant
connection in order to empathize with them. It just wasn’t there. Again,
the exception to this was Adam Beach who’s well-played role of the
unfortunate Ira Hayes comes off quite well. His unfortunate death proves
that Native Americans were seen as second class citizens even though
they were fighting in the war and killed alongside every other color of
men.
Perhaps LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is a better Eastwood film. Maybe
not. Regardless, I’m now just a bit hesitant to see it for fear of not
connecting with any of those characters either.
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Image from Flags of Our
Fathers
DVD cost: $25.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy: David Rasche
appears in the film in a cameo role. Rasche is famous for his lampoon of
Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" character in the sitcom "Sledge Hammer!"
Eastwood is known for his sense of humor and apparently liked the show.
Movie Quote: "I
wish I coulda seen their faces."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Flags of Our Fathers
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