Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

10/25/06

Well enough movies I'd like to see have finally built up in the theaters, that yesterday I decided I'd go to Edwards after finishing up some work on my car, and see which ever of those movies was playing next. By the time I got to the theater I was most definately in a Marie Antoinette mood, but decided to stick to my orignall intent of seeing the next movie showing, and ended up seeing the more conventinal choice of Flags of Our Fathers. This turned out to be a good choice, as I've found viewing any Clint Eastwood directed film to be. Eastwood also scored the movie, writing a nice little piano piece that provides some great contrast in a few scenes on Iwo Jima.

Now the movie is of course about the men who appered in the famed photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima. Of necesity the movie concentrates on the three who ultimatly survied the battle, Marines Ira Hayes (Adam Beach) and Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), and Navy Coremen John "Doc" Bradly (Ryan Phillippe), the father of author James Bradly on whose book the movie is based. Filmed in a faded color scheme, and structerd in a non chronological manner (aka it jumps around alot), the screenplay was co-written by the great Paul Haggis.

I found this to be a quite effecting movie, with the themes of survivors guilt and a personal sense of unworthyness both particularly hard hitting. The young leads are better then solid, and there are a lot of small cameo parts filled in by some of todays better character actors. This picture is worth your time, because every once in a while it's important to see a movie that brings home just how awfull a thing war can be.