Pearl Harbor (2001) Review

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The Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States into World War II has inspired a splendid movie, full of vivid performances and unforgettable scenes, a movie that uses the coming of war as a backdrop for individual stories of love, ambition, heroism and betrayal. The name of that movie is ''From Here to Eternity.''

"What is war good for?" as someone once remarked. Apparently, it's all about the big summer blockbusters. At least, that's what Jerry Bruckheimer, the scourge of the arthouse crowd and best bud of the multiplex mob, was betting when he invested $135 million of Disney's money in Pearl Harbor.

It's a hazardous gamble when you consider that it's not just a narrative about the seemingly indestructible American military being caught off guard, but it also features a cast that, although unlikely to appear on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank anytime soon, is far from assured to be financially successful. So, did Bruckheimer and his Armageddon co-star Michael Bay succeed?

The truth is that, as is customary for the Bruckheimer label, a near-certain hit has been delivered. It's a natural born blockbuster that more than makes up for its slightly mushy opening and cut-and-shunt finish with a center-piece attack sequence that ratchets up the action bar dozens of notches and signals CGI's final coming of age. Simply put, it's unlike anything you've ever seen before.

In the storey, best friends Affleck and Hartnett feud over Kate Beckinsale's affections when she unintentionally shags the latter while the former is supposed to be shot down over Europe. It's a little soapy narrative, which isn't helped by Bay's insistence on shooting everything during what looks to be an endless sunset (and a pleasing sense of humour from Affleck vanishes far too quickly).

Pre-war Bay's Little boys ride soapbox Sopwiths as real-life biplanes rush over amber waves of corn in America, which seems like it came straight out of a beer commercial. But it was always going to be the bombing that would define this film, and Bay delivers, starting with an incredible first 'bomb's eye view' image of a falling munition across the decks of the USS Arizona. The explosion is then precisely timed, with hundreds of Japanese Zeroes buzzing about the exploding fleet in stunningly realistic long shots.

It's a visceral and fantastic experience. ILM's CGI is indistinguishable from reality for the first time. Torpedoes hiss beneath the flailing boots of drowning soldiers, men are blasted towards the camera through inverted ship propellers, and fighters collide. It's a mind-blowing, nerve-wracking event that leaves mealy-mouthed gripes about flat-pack characterization bobbing in the muck.

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Pearl Harbor is a three-hour Michael Bay military film about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that led to America's entry into WWII. In the film's protracted and horrific combat scene, thousands of people are slain, including characters we care about. Soldiers make jokes and swear about seduction tactics . A couple decides to postpone sex since they don't want to have any regrets. Another couple had a sexual encounter, and the woman becomes pregnant. There is alcoholism and inebriation.

Jr. portrays the first black man to be awarded the Navy Cross in World War II. It's worth noting that the film tries to portray Japan not only as "the enemy," but also as troops and commanders with families and loved ones who were split on whether or not the attack should be launched. An injured American soldier yells that he doesn't want to be treated by a "Jap" in one scene, his prejudice the tiniest hint of the Japanese-American internment camps, which, for all the heroism and sacrifice in so many other ways, would be one of the most shameful aspects of American involvement in World War II.