FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

A beautiful film that very graphically and accurately portrays one of the most notorious battles of WWII.

Flags of our Fathers is directed elegantly by Academy Award Winner Clint Eastwood. His films certainly have a way of passively overtaking the viewer. He has created a film that exhibits qualities both epic and intimate. The characters are portrayed as being only human. The audience’s perspective is the same as if they were there. Switching from different characters views of the scenes to show you what it was really like to be there.

The story is told from three different time periods, and it switches between them throughout the film. The story that takes place during the Battle of Iwo Jima was the most effective. The feeling of reality that Eastwood gets across is unbelievable. The horrors of war and the emotional effect they have on the soldiers if thrown in the audiences face. The main story revolves around the character of John Bradley, played by a compelling Ryan Phillipe. He has a strong ability to showcase the emotion of his characters, and this role is no exception. Phillipe is backed up by a strong cast; including Jesse Bedford, Adam Beach, and Jamie Bell. The film was cast well and this helps it come across as a real story.

The accuracy of the scenes seems to be dead on. The actual battle imagery, shown during the end credits, matches up perfectly with what the audience sees in the film. Eastwood did a very good job of making sure things were re-created with accurateness. The cinematography was also very effective. Each scene had a washed out, almost monotone, color to it. The bright colors were then emphasized and demanded attention. This created a striking visual landscape.

The main tile track to the film was done by Clint Eastwood and done well at that. The only problem I had was that it was over used. Every moment that required a slow, touching melody had the same one. This ruined some of the later scenes, because the audience has heard the same tune so many times already. Try something new to convey a different emotion.

The story to the film seemed like it was lacking something. The photograph that was taken when the American flag was raised on the island sets the story. It is interesting because the photograph that everyone loves is what causes so many of the problems for the main characters. Their futures after leaving the war are a direct result of that photograph getting published. The message of the film is about heroes, and how we create them because we desire their presence in our lives. This is a strong point, but I don’t know if it needed to take 2.5 hours to get it across. I would say that some of the scenes seemed unnecessary to the overall story and could have been omitted. I liked the message of the film, and enjoyed the characters that got it across.

The most exciting thing for me is that the other side of the story is also being told. Eastwood simultaneously directed the film Letters From Iwo Jima, which is due out in early 2007. This is a depiction of the same battle and the effects it had on soldiers, but told from the Japanese side. Shot in that same way and using much of the same footage it should be just as exciting to watch. Look forward to that in several months. In the meantime, go see Flags of our Fathers in theatres as it will enhance the experience greatly. I also suggest researching a little about the battle before seeing the film. Great direction from Eastwood, stunning cinematography, and a strong cast make it a worthwhile film for any war enthusiast.


GRADE: B

TRAILER: http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/flagsofourfathers/