Review of Flags of Our Fathers (2006) by Colin H — 29 Apr 2011

The flip-side of the coin for Clint Eastwood's two films following the events in World War 2, specifically the the Battle of Iwo Jima. This time from the American perspective of the conflict.

Now I very much liked Letters from Iwo Jima - from the Japanese perspective - it was emotionally connecting and brutally executed, and while Flags does cover much more complex emotions, the film isn't as masterfully crafted. We follow the stories of the soldiers who had survived the assault to plant the famous flag upon the hill, and the photograph of the moment that would be used by the US government to glorify the hopeless conflict as a victory. The soldiers, fresh from the nightmare, are put through an endless torrent of media and press, praising them as heroes despite merely planting a flag, and the film does carry the burden on their shoulders with intensity.

The problem I had however, was the editing; the film follows at least three soldiers through past and current events by use of flashbacks as well as being told by a narrator - of sorts. But midway through, the narrator changes, so on top of confusing flashback editing, our perspective also changes!

Worth seeing alongside Letters, as a stand alone American war film it could have been a little sharper.