Letters from Iwo Jima (2007)

Much better movie experience than its twin, "Flags of Our Fathers"...

Where Clint's production of the best-selling book by James Bradley about the Iwo Jima fight came off as slightly disappointing, his retelling of the battle from the doomed Japanese soldier's point of view is brilliant. I normally do not like subtitles, but here the story is so interesting that the titles are just a minor annoyance. This one deserves the honors it brought to Eastwood, and to the major actors in it. The emotional wallop here is what eluded Eastwood when he recreated the American side of the month-long fight on that island in 1945. If you care about World War II, this is a "must see." If you hate the Japanese for the cruelty of their troops, and for their stubborn refusal to surrender even when battle outcomes were obvious, this film explains their reasoning. It will not convert you to their side, of course, but it does humanize their patriots. Watch both "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" in the same week, and you will be a graduate of a mini-course in the psychology and horrors of war from two different major world cultures. October 3, 2008

Eastwood's WWII masterwork

Of the 2 war films that Clint Eastwood directed, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima", the latter film can qualify as Clint's masterpiece. With restraint and sensitivity, Eastwood has shown us how really futile war is and the sacrifices of the ordinary foot soldier, whether they be Japanese or American. In some quarters, many critics felt Clint should've taken Best Picture and Best Director but the Academy did finally give an long over-due Oscar to Martin Scorsese for "The Departed". But who's to say which is the better--like apples and oranges, these 2 films achieved their goals brilliantly. But getting back to "Letters", special mention should be given to the performances here given by Ken Watanabe as the commander and Kazunari Ninomiya as cook turned soldier. Their performances lend a special poignancy to this film as well as the other performers in this film. The battle scenes are just as powerful as those in "Saving Private Ryan" though one should remember that Spielberg was one of the producer of this film as well. In HD DVD, these scenes are brilliantly delinerated. Highly recommeded. July 27, 2008

The Defence of Iwo Jima, seen through Japanese eyes

It was a brave move by Eastwood to make not one but two movies about Iwo Jima, and braver still to show the pivotal conflict from each sides point of view. Where Flags of Our Fathers was flawed in its approach, muting the impact, `Letters..' is more perfectly formed, and arguably more complex in nature - and it's a success.
Through sepia, almost colourless photography, we see the defence of Iwo Jima from the viewpoint of several Japanese soldiers. We see them, and we hear them in the forms of their letters they write home, letters that they know may never reach their intended recipients. From this simple framework, we see the build up of defences as the new commanding officer arrives (Ken Watanabe, brilliant) and also from the viewpoint of the soldiers filling sandbags, through to the invasion of the hordes of Americans, and through to the final death throes of the last vestiges of defence.
The range of characters (working class disillusioned solider, aristocratic gentleman officer, honourable commanding officer sworn to his duty but grieved with it) is wider than we might expect, and makes the anti-war message very clear - we are all the same. Previous war movies have shown one man from the other side to be more complex or sympathetic to us, but here we see the whole Japanese cross section of society, and it presents us with a picture on one hand of a society different from ours, and yet so similar in the humanity of it. Even in one sub-section - the officers for example, a complex range of views, opinions and impact is observed. One of the key moments comes in the capture of an American soldier, and how even if some of the soldiers can not separate the propaganda from what they see, the words of his mother in a letter are so universal maternal, that they can not help but see what is common between them is greater than that which is different.
It feels like quite a long movie, and the pace is stately in an almost Japanese style which may put some off, however this pushes the movie beyond some flash bang war movie to satisfy the bloodthirsty, and creates that difficult thing - a movie about the war, showing the war, yet a firm indictment of the effects of war.
July 11, 2008

Insightful view through the other side's eyes

This is clearyly Clint Eastwood's greatest work.

We all get to see Iwo Jima. We all know the image of the guys hoistng old Glory atop the Japanese Hill. We Americans have seen it in many films like the one with John Wayne but this time we get to see it through eyes of the other side that of the Japanese. From the ordinary grunt to the Japanese Navy officer who goes so gung ho that he tries to find himself an american tank to throw himself under but ultimately gets captured (This is based on a real person who was there in the battle and captured, read about him once in The Rising Sun by John Toland, wish they had shown more with him). To the General in charge. From the first arrival to the final charge, it shows the Japanese soldiers well. And Clint Eastwood serves us well telling us about them through their eyes with this film of his. Just as I respect him for showing what American soldiers were like as well. Since Japanese troops did not take prisoners and mistreatedt hose they took many American units did not take prisoners either.

Admittedly, the battle was well fought and due to lack of opprtunity, no major crimes typical of Japanese soldiers such as the rape of Nanking or the butchery of Manilla or the Bataan Death March or the murder and eating of captured American Airmen at near by Chichi Jima, so it is very easy to admire the Japenese here. Certainly I would have liked to know more and see more of Korean Labour units but apparently none were employed on the island.

Great film. July 3, 2008

Letter form Iwo Jima

Very good depection of WWII. Held my interest. Not sure anyone without a connection to the war would appreciate the movie. Overall a very good movie. July 2, 2008

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