Flags of Our Fathers

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

Last night I caught a sneak preview of the new Clint Eastwood Produced/Directed film 'Flags of Our Fathers'.

This is the story of a photograph. It is the story of a picture taken of the men that raised the flag at Iwo Jima, the war story and the political story. As soon as the photo hit the states, the politicians and military wanted to use it to gain support and money for the war. The U.S. was broke and desperately needed it's citizens to buy war bonds to help pay for the war. The men in that photo (the ones who were not killed- 3 of 6) were brought back to the U.S. and put on tour, the War Bond tour, going to stadiums, balls, dinners, etc. touted as heroes, asking for money. This didn't sit too well with those soldiers.

I ran into someone in Starbucks yesterday who also saw a preview Tuesday night. I asked how he liked it because I was seeing it that night. He said it was good, but choppy. And bloody.

Well in a word (or 3), he was right.

By choppy, it jumps around, quite a bit. It doesn't lose you, but at times is a little distracting. I did notice however, when it would jump to the actual war scenes at Iwo Jima, everyone was a little taller in their seats. Some holding the arm rests, some moving to the edge of the seat. When it would jump to the War Bond Tour or to current times (as told by the elderly men and sons), people would relax in their seats, begin breathing normally.

This movie is long (2.25), and at times does feel long, yet I didn't mind. It is also very graphic. The movie was filmed on location in Iwo Jima which is incredible and certainly adds to the realism. This was not a small military campaign and Eastwood captured the enormity of it all. The war scenes, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan's opening sequence, were extremely bloody. I would almost say too bloody, but I would guess so was the actual war. This movie is not for the faint at heart. Some of the blood and guts scenes will make you turn your head away.

The casting was terrific. I could say Ryan Phillippe (Crash), who did an incredible job portraying John "Doc" Bradley, was the main character, but the more I think about it, the more I think all three of the men were leads.

Adam Beach (to me best known from Windtalkers w/Nic Cage) played Native American Ira Hayes and showed a side story that was more poignant and depressing than the war story itself.

Jesse Bradford (who I loved in Bring it On) played Rene Glagnon, the only one of the soldiers who liked the 'celebrity' of being a 'hero'.

There were a lot, I mean a lot, of familiar faces in the cast. It was a fun and distracting at the same time. Barry Pepper was excellent as Platoon leader Mike Strank, yet I kept thinking he was going to pull out a rifle and be a sharp shooter (his role in Saving Private Ryan).

The movie was, in my opinion, about 20 minutes too long. I found the end to be a little slow and after 2 hours in my seat, I was getting antsy. But I did cry, multiple times, although that could just be because I am an emotional gal...

I will recommend that you stay for the credits after the movie. The ominous music playing (written by Clint Eastwood) and the authentic photos from Iwo Jima, will amaze and sadden.

I give it four of five stars, only because the gore and the length made it lose one star for me personally. Otherwise, I think it probably has some Oscar nominations in it. It is an important story that was important to tell.