08 Apr Pearl Harbor
(2001) This based-on-fact film tells the story of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent Dolittle Raid the following April. I was surprised that I liked Pearl Harbor so much. I’ve seen it shown on television a hundred times and just watched bits and pieces. The reviews were stinky. U-Verse gave it 1 and a half stars. So did Roger Ebert. The critics on Rotten Tomatoes have it as a 25% (audience 67%.)
I finally watched it, and I’m so glad I did. No, it’s not perfect. The story revolves around two young men who fall in love with the same girl, an Army nurse. To be honest the love triangle is cheesy and distracting BUT if it took Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale to entice young people to watch a movie that might motivate them to learn more about these important events in our nation’s history … then so be it.
There are discrepancies in what really happened and what is shown in the movie. It’s not a documentary. For viewers who aren’t educated in the historical facts, most of these details will be lost the next day. What will linger, I believe, is the emotion, the chaos, the confusion, the horror on the ground, on the ships, in the hospital, everywhere.
I also watched a documentary, Beyond the Movie: Pearl Harbor, created by National Geographic which pointed out both discrepancies and truths. There really was an Eagle Squadron even though only civilians flew with the RAF outfit. No one who was at Pearl Harbor flew with the Doolittle Raiders.
No it’s wasn’t all accurate but yes they were heroes. I’m glad Pearl Harbor plays so often on television. I hope viewers will want to know more.
Pearl Harbor (Two-Disc 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition) at amazon.com
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