Review of Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) by S M — 10 Sep 2010

A very personal that follows the lives of three Japanese soldiers as they attempt to fortify Iwo Jima through their eventual defeat and the hands of the United States Military. The main character is Ken Watanabe as the general who is sent to the island to repel the attack.

If the US gained control of Island there bombers could reach Japan. Watanabe takes the posting as several other generals have turned it down. As a twist of fate Watanabe had served as a military attaché in the US and was friends with many US officers.

The original plan for the battle was that the ground forces would hold the Island while the great US and Japanese fleets would battle off shore in a final show down. To there dismay the Japanese fleet is destroyed in the Marianas.

Watanabe character is chosen because of his familiarity with American tactics and there people. The thing many reviewers overlook that Watanabe character is a sharp contrast to the other Japanese officers.

So much so that other officers in the heat of battle are opening insubordinate to his (to them) unusual orders. I really like the touch of Watanabe openly carrying a pearl handled Colt 45 model 1911. It would have stood out as much as a US officer carrying a samurai sword or a Ruger.

Before WWII there is not even a word that described prisoner of war. It was dishonorable to be capture by the opposition. There culture considered captured prisoners as less than human. This mentality is better shown in ?Trail of Tears? a documentary of the US prisoners of war in the Philippines.

?Tampopo?, ?The Last Samurai? and ?Memoirs of a Geisha? were better roles to show his talents. I wish the best on his battle with leukemia and hope to see him in the future. The movie is mostly told through the eyes of Saigo, A Baker who is the ?Every-Man? In the war a hastily trained soldier.

A Baker, who?s only goal is to get home to his wife and newborn child. A glorious movie I plan to watch it many times in the future.