Evangelicals Now
<< July 2001 >>

Pearl Harbor

A pearl of great price?
PEARL HARBOR
Cert. 12

This latest Hollywood summer blockbuster from Twentieth Century Fox gives us history with a tinsel-town makeover.

I broke my own rule in going to see this film. If a movie is advertised on TV, usually with shots of people saying how great it is, it's a sure sign that it is not worth seeing. Sad to say my rule proved to be right.

The film is built around a truly stunning 45-minute centre section which uses all the latest technology to recreate the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese warplanes which brought the USA into the Second World War. This section of the film at least is gripping, startling and shocking to watch. Saving Private Ryan brought an edge of reality to war films in the way it portrays combat-which this film follows.

What a shame then that the makers of Pearl Harbor decided to surround this tour de force centrepiece with hours of derivative drivel. There is an unbelievable love triangle which I suppose was meant to make us sympathetic with the characters. There were scenes of the preparations from the Japanese which tried to justify the reasons for their initiating the war, but which, one presumes for the sake of political correctness, pulls its punches on the brutality of the Japanese.

There is an unbelievably camp representation of the British. And the dialogue was more cheesy than the cheeseburger I had beforehand, and certainly cornier than the bag of popcorn I held throughout.

As a friend commented to me at the time 'You could arrive an hour and a half late for this film and not miss a thing.' And because it couldn't end on the downbeat note of the Americans being caught with their pants down, we had to endure a cliched ending where the Americans make a 'futile gesture' raid on Tokyo which leaves them all feeling happier.

No swearing or nudity, but the battle scenes are quite realistic. If you do go, don't expect anything profound. Best suited for those around the age that it is certified for - 12! Great price certainly - it is the most expensive film made to date. Pearl? I think not.

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