for the, like, three people who like war movies in this community, this one gets the genisa seal of approval.
i can see why its appreciated by so many veterans, as it is one of the very few movies that is technically and descriptively accurate to what a battle is really like. there is discussion of coordinates and strategy, and then you get to see how it actually plays out on the field.
while i found the ensemble cast slightly distracting, it was also beneficial because every character was so distinct, and it made for some really nice vignettes. i know Ebert was a little put off by this, but i think it added a really important element to the story. so many war movies are about the whole; the relationship between the group of soldiers, a commentary about a certain battle or the war in general, the metaphor the director is trying to get you to see; but the way Malick broke it down into these choppy pieces, you get these distinct and varying stories. it forces you to remember each individual soldier.
i also liked the startling juxtapostion between how idyllic the location was and what was actually going on. Malick really forces you to be aware of this beautiful location in the south Pacific, but then quickly switches to the harshness of the reality. one of the scenes i found the most striking was when Ben Chaplin’s character (the one who wants to go home to his wife) was laying in the tall grass, daydream-like, and then is snapped out of it by yelling and moaning and gunfire.
i also appreciate the attention paid to the plight of the Japanese. i often wonder what the foreign war films look like. all the ones i ever see are very propagandized, as in the Americans and our allies are always the victims and the heroes, and our enemies are villainous and sadistic. in the first half of the film, you see the Americans losing and dying, but then you see the same thing being done to the Japanese in the second half of the film. you see the Americans abusing their victory, and you see the Japanese suffering. it makes for a more balanced film.
i could probably write a lengthy essay about why i thought this movie was so great. it has incredibly memorable imagery, its thought-provoking, and it offers so much more than most traditional war films.
it also helps that jim caviziel is in it, as he is the hawtness.
I’m not sure why I’ve never seen this movie, I’m definitely adding it to the watch list.
