Review of Pearl Harbor (2001) by Brad R — 18 Oct 2012

Director Michael Bay's disastrous foray into the historical drama genre only further proves that he should stick to ugly, dumb action movies before trying something like this again. I don't think I've ever seen a historical drama (on this scale, anyway) so disrespectful of its source material.

You'd think when dealing with an issue as sensitive as the Pearl Harbor attack that they'd take a little more time to get their facts straight or at the very least try to capture the essence of the tragedy that occurred.

Instead the film boasts a vapid, melodramatic script (penned by Randall Wallace, who's shown to be capable of much better), three wooden leading actors (Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale), and a flashy, "Ooh.

.. Aah" execution that is as expertly achieved as it is horribly misplaced. Unlike 1997's "Titanic", where special effects were always at the service of the characters populating the scenes, "Pearl Harbor" services its characters to the special effects, drowning what should be treated with solemn dignity and respect in an endless sea of Bay's regular visual goofiness.

It's insulting to the memory of what actually happened.