Review of Pearl Harbor (2001) by Greg D — 24 Nov 2012

"Pearl Harbor" is that movie one really wants to like but the work contains very notable flaws. Exhibit A- the acting by Ben Affleck and Josh Harnett is beyond awful and, exhibit B, the script contains such tortured, unpoetic dialogue regarding the love triangle that it is really annoying in some parts. Good thing that Jon Voight as FDR and Cuba Gooding, Jr as Dorie Miller lift the acting bar a little.

All that aside, the actual bombing sequence of Pearl Harbor and the resulting air battle are spectacular in their visuals. It really is sobering watching the attack and the build up.

The last act of the movie feels rushed. It involves the bombing of Tokyo commanded by James Doolittle (Alec Baldwin). The scene of the planes taking off from the aircraft carrier makes one think that MIchael Bay is trying to resurrect "Top Gun".

All in all, sad that a movie with such an effective scene regarding the attack on Pearl Harbor is weighed down by such wooden acting and a mostly unworthy script.