Viewed in
2006
Premise
The story of the soldiers who put up the second flag on Iwo Jima that is immortalized in picture.
Who should watch
Anyone with a strong stomach who enjoys great film. Anyone curious about American history.
Thoughts
A sobering and thoughtful film about war and the politics of the war. There is something frustrating or sad seeing young, poor kids fighting for their lives juxstaposed with fat, rich people avoiding the horrors of war.
My girlfriend thinks the characters were not fleshed out enough to be likeable, but I felt differently. Though I will admit it is not as character-intensive as other Clint Eastwood films. Nevertheless, it is a story worth telling and a story worth watching.
The best performance comes from Adam Beach as Ira Hayes, whose story was the saddest. The only annoying thing while watching was that I had the song 'Ballad of Ira Hayes' stuck in my head throughout the entire film.
What I would change
Maybe cut down on the gore.
