Review of Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) by Halil Erdem G — 31 Aug 2010
The companion film to Flags of Our Fathers is both complementary and necessary to the appreciation of them both. Whereas Flags gave us protagonists that were trying to come to grips with the brutality and boredom, the characters in 'Letters' have no ability to escape.
Eastwood's direction is once again brilliant, and he was better able to capture the heart and soul of the Japanese soldiers, and makes them very real in the eyes of the viewer. Probably the most real Japanese military characters ever shown in a war film made by US filmmakers. They are haunting, in many ways, because they feel right. The film strips away the romanticism of war films, and replaces it with about as honest a portrayal of human nature in war as you can get.
Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV Pt. I says 'What's honor? A word...' when he tries to explain his own cowardice and fear. All of the emotions around loyalty, duty, self-preservation, fear and anguish are realistically portrayed in the film. The acting is superb.
It's a sombre film, and it's not for everyone. It transcends being a war film or an anti-war film. It's a film about people and their humanity.
Recommended. Also read the book...
This review of Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) was written by Halil Erdem G on 31 Aug 2010.
Letters from Iwo Jima has generally received very positive reviews.
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