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Amazon.co.uk Review
A big summer blockbuster, Pearl Harbor is pitched as a romantic epic, but the story is essentially a frame for an impressive depiction of the Japanese attack on that "day of infamy", deploying all the model work, CGI, stunts and special effects necessary to trump previous screen re-enactments in Tora! Tora! Tora! and From Here to Eternity. At heart, it's another Top Gun-style exercise in heroically sublimated homosexuality as Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Dan (Josh Hartnett), lifelong buddies, fall out over a ridiculous contrivance that allows both to decently fall in love with a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) but forget all their differences when the fighting starts. As expected, their big climax comes in each other's arms, with Kate left behind as one wounded buddy extracts a promise from the other to look after his unborn child.
Historical snippets are interleaved--with Mako and Jon Voigt stiff under the prosthetics as Admiral Yamamoto and Franklin Roosevelt--and a lot of detail is given about such things as the wooden rudders on the new Japanese torpedoes, the chaos in the understaffed hospital as the heroine is forced to make lipstick triage marks on wounded men's foreheads and the terrible effects of strafing. A surprisingly bright little performance from Dan Aykroyd (a sole reminder of 1941) as an intelligence analyst is balanced by an insufferably smug one from Cuba Gooding Jr as a token black supporting hero. It's the first film of the George W Bush era: aggressive and dumb as a rock, utterly uninterested in period--no one in this WWII-era army smokes, swears or uses racial abuse (Gooding's boxing opponent sneers at him because he's a cook)--and awkwardly straddles a dignified treatment of the Japanese and America's actual spasm of hatred after the attack (one soldier refuses to be treated by a Japanese doctor, but that's it). When Pearl Harbour is bombed, we see endangered dogs, drowning men and dead women, but when Tokyo gets blasted in payback only buildings are destroyed and in long-shot. Michael Bay (Armageddon) remains a jittery director, a great second-unit man who can't deal with people or stories. It borrows from Titanic and Saving Private Ryan, but tidies the war of the latter up so it can still haul in a broad audience and therefore misses the real tragic sense of the former. --Kim Newman
Product Description
Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Jon Voight, Alec Baldwin, Tom SizemoreDirector: Michael Bay
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In 1970 the world was educated about the raid on Pearl Harbor when they saw the American/Japanese co-production 'Tora! Tora! Tora!'. In 2001, producer Jerry Bruckheimer went down the same road. Unfortunately his effort was sub-par when compared to the earlier film.
Now, I tend to treat this film too harshly sometimes, but the flaws are still there. Being a connoiseur of the War Film genre, I believe this to be a fairly poor war movie. The love story is too contrived, and comes across as Hollywood, not real life. Dark Blue World (2001) has a similar love story but it was made far more sincere.
Secondly the war action is too computer generated. I love to see real aircraft participating in realistic re-enactments of aerial combat. Here, there is an over abundance of CGI, and the CGI is used in a way that puts me off. In my opinion, CGI's place in war films is too add to the realism. Here, the CGI has the opposite effect in most cases. It just looks fake. And if CGI models are used, it is much more effective if the shots created appear as though they are the type of shots that would have been obatined if they hade done it for real. This idea of putting the (virtual) camera is places it could never be in real life simply tells me that what I am seeing is fake. That is very distracting when I'm watching the film.
The acting is all right. I have no problem with the actors, but I certainly would never rank them amongst the greats of cinema history. That used to be one of the great pleasures of watching war movies - they had the best actors in the industry. Check out films like Battle of Britain and A Bridge Too Far. They had amazing casts with the greatest acting talents of all time.
So what is my overall opinion???
I believe this to be a reasonable picture, but I would much rather watch Tora! Tora! Tora! . This is one for the masses, while Tora! Tora! Tora! is a film for war buffs and historians. Take your pick, but I reccomend the 1970 effort, because you will find out what really happened at Pearl Harbor.
Now, I tend to treat this film too harshly sometimes, but the flaws are still there. Being a connoiseur of the War Film genre, I believe this to be a fairly poor war movie. The love story is too contrived, and comes across as Hollywood, not real life. Dark Blue World (2001) has a similar love story but it was made far more sincere.
Secondly the war action is too computer generated. I love to see real aircraft participating in realistic re-enactments of aerial combat. Here, there is an over abundance of CGI, and the CGI is used in a way that puts me off. In my opinion, CGI's place in war films is too add to the realism. Here, the CGI has the opposite effect in most cases. It just looks fake. And if CGI models are used, it is much more effective if the shots created appear as though they are the type of shots that would have been obatined if they hade done it for real. This idea of putting the (virtual) camera is places it could never be in real life simply tells me that what I am seeing is fake. That is very distracting when I'm watching the film.
The acting is all right. I have no problem with the actors, but I certainly would never rank them amongst the greats of cinema history. That used to be one of the great pleasures of watching war movies - they had the best actors in the industry. Check out films like Battle of Britain and A Bridge Too Far. They had amazing casts with the greatest acting talents of all time.
So what is my overall opinion???
I believe this to be a reasonable picture, but I would much rather watch Tora! Tora! Tora! . This is one for the masses, while Tora! Tora! Tora! is a film for war buffs and historians. Take your pick, but I reccomend the 1970 effort, because you will find out what really happened at Pearl Harbor.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you don't mind your war films cliched, confused and riddled with historical error, then Pearl Harbor might well be one for you. If not, then steer well clear. It's hard to know where to start with Michael Bay's over-the-top presentation of the Japanese assault on the US fleet in 1941. The acting is dire, on the most part - Harnett and Affleck should stick to comedies, and Beckinsale has little more to do than to look wistful in most scenes. Historical accuracy has been thrown out of the window - painting the Japanese Zeroes green for example, presumably to help the audience distinguish between good guys and bad ones.
The film presents a sanitised, spotless view of American society, ignoring the institutional racism of the time - Cuba Gooding Jr's race, in playing Doris Miller, is virtually all but ignored and much more made of his status as 'cook' - and the Japanese are presented as honorable and conflicted with little reference (beyond the use of the word 'Jap', and the single scene in which a soldier asks not to be treated by an Asian doctor) to the significant and violent anti-Japanese sentiment which quickly engulfed America in the aftermath of the attack. It was only a few months later that "We're Gonna Have To Slap The Dirty Little Jap" was being played on US radio, after all.
It's a shame that the Doolittle raid is presented without the slightest critism, with Jon Voight - in a cringworthy perfoprmance as Roosevelt - managing to persuade his sceptical generals that a raid on Tokyo should happen by comparing their reservations to his conquering of his own mobility problems. Doolittle achieved an objective - to increase US morale and therefore support for conflict - but it did so at an incredible cost. Not just the 6 crewmen who died, but the estimated 250,000 Chinese who lost their lives in Japanese reprisals. In fact, Doolittle himself believed he would be courtmartialed as a result of the mission's failures but instead found himself in receipt of the Medal Of Honor; while calls for Doris Miller to receive the same award fell on deaf ears despite a groundswell of Navy support. Obviously for Bay to attempt to address these issues would have meant sacrificing the amount of screen time devoted to the watery and unbelivable love triangle between Hartnett, Affleck and Beckinsale; still, as others have pointed out here there is a worthy alternative in 1970's "Tora! Tora! Tora!" - a film which undoubtedly has its share of flaws, but also respect for the history it is attempting to represent.
The film presents a sanitised, spotless view of American society, ignoring the institutional racism of the time - Cuba Gooding Jr's race, in playing Doris Miller, is virtually all but ignored and much more made of his status as 'cook' - and the Japanese are presented as honorable and conflicted with little reference (beyond the use of the word 'Jap', and the single scene in which a soldier asks not to be treated by an Asian doctor) to the significant and violent anti-Japanese sentiment which quickly engulfed America in the aftermath of the attack. It was only a few months later that "We're Gonna Have To Slap The Dirty Little Jap" was being played on US radio, after all.
It's a shame that the Doolittle raid is presented without the slightest critism, with Jon Voight - in a cringworthy perfoprmance as Roosevelt - managing to persuade his sceptical generals that a raid on Tokyo should happen by comparing their reservations to his conquering of his own mobility problems. Doolittle achieved an objective - to increase US morale and therefore support for conflict - but it did so at an incredible cost. Not just the 6 crewmen who died, but the estimated 250,000 Chinese who lost their lives in Japanese reprisals. In fact, Doolittle himself believed he would be courtmartialed as a result of the mission's failures but instead found himself in receipt of the Medal Of Honor; while calls for Doris Miller to receive the same award fell on deaf ears despite a groundswell of Navy support. Obviously for Bay to attempt to address these issues would have meant sacrificing the amount of screen time devoted to the watery and unbelivable love triangle between Hartnett, Affleck and Beckinsale; still, as others have pointed out here there is a worthy alternative in 1970's "Tora! Tora! Tora!" - a film which undoubtedly has its share of flaws, but also respect for the history it is attempting to represent.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It really wasn't anything like as bad as I'd been led to believe by the critics I'd read.
Basically, I was ok with the story leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack. Even though I'm a bloke, I had no problem with the romantic bits, for example.
As a Brit, I didn't like the idea of a Yank single-handedly winning the Battle of Britain. Everyone knows that was done by cricket-playing, handle-bar moustached, middle class Englishmen, saving Blighty and teaching Jerry a lesson.
Also, the heroic American dialogue grates, as do some of the effects.
But the actual attack on Pearl Harbor was brilliantly done. The sense of the Americans slowly waking up to the fact they were under attack was well portrayed, as was the utter panic, especially at the hospital.
That was good enough to make up for the weaknesses mentioned above.
What really drags this film down, though, is the bit after Pearl Harbor, which seems to have been bolted on, utterly pointlessly. It makes as much sense as putting a spoiler on a wheely-bin.
So, an ok film, which really didn't deserve the slating it got, but which could have been at least an hour shorter.
Basically, I was ok with the story leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack. Even though I'm a bloke, I had no problem with the romantic bits, for example.
As a Brit, I didn't like the idea of a Yank single-handedly winning the Battle of Britain. Everyone knows that was done by cricket-playing, handle-bar moustached, middle class Englishmen, saving Blighty and teaching Jerry a lesson.
Also, the heroic American dialogue grates, as do some of the effects.
But the actual attack on Pearl Harbor was brilliantly done. The sense of the Americans slowly waking up to the fact they were under attack was well portrayed, as was the utter panic, especially at the hospital.
That was good enough to make up for the weaknesses mentioned above.
What really drags this film down, though, is the bit after Pearl Harbor, which seems to have been bolted on, utterly pointlessly. It makes as much sense as putting a spoiler on a wheely-bin.
So, an ok film, which really didn't deserve the slating it got, but which could have been at least an hour shorter.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
why a love story?
I mean the love story really ruined the movie for me. Great action though as you'd expect from a Michael Bay movie. Read more
Published 28 days ago by kurt's fan
Great Movie
Excellent movie, stunning effects and well-acted with great music. Touch of war, romance and drama. Unfairly given a thumbs down by many film critics.
Published 2 months ago by Norice Millen
Pearl Harbour Blu-ray
Another great deal from Amazon. Ordered this item and 2 days later was being delivered free of any P&P. The cost of the disc was £8.00 which has to be considered a snip. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ianparfour, Burnley.
Heartwrenching love story.
A love story with a heartwrenching historical war time backdrop.Evelyn has to make a choice between the love of her life, who she believed to be dead, killed in action or the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by ally14
Stop it, I'm feeling ill.
This movie should come with a bonus pillow, because you are going to need one before the end. Seriously, this has to be one of the worst movies ever made. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. Mark A. Allan
Pearl Harbor Blu-ray
Pearl Harbor [Blu-ray] [2001]This item was delivered very quickly, and was as advertised, it did not disappoint, and I would use this seller again.
Published 23 months ago by Alan
Brilliant Film
This is a brilliant film well worth buying and good value for money.
Thank you
SMc
Thank you
SMc
Published on 11 Jan 2010 by Mrs. Sheelagh Mcgreavy
Simply the best film made!
Pearl Harbour is amazing!! It tells te story of a group of Army Pilots and Navy Nurses assigned to Pearl Harbour prior to the Americans involvement in the 2nd World War. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2009 by A. J. Kirkham
Pearl Harbour
Excellent film, comes well recommended! Ok its 3 hours long but it's a great storyline right the way through.
Published on 9 July 2009 by Crispian Walters
Audio track in castilian spanish too
This Blu Ray has the audio track in castilian spanish too. Also all the extras have subtitles in spanish.
The film is really good with amazing special effects. Read more
The film is really good with amazing special effects. Read more
Published on 13 April 2009 by jjaviroquai
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