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From Amazon.co.uk
To call Pearl Harbor a throwback to old-time war movies is something of an understatement. Director Michael Bay's epic take on the bombing that brought the United States into World War II hijacks every war movie situation and cliché (some affectionate, some stale) you've ever seen and gives them a shiny, glossy spin until the whole movie practically gleams. Planes glisten, water sparkles, trees beckon--and Bay's re-creation of the bombing itself, a 30-minute sequence that's tightly choreographed and amazingly photographed, sets the action movie bar up quite a few notches. And in updating the classic war film, Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace (Braveheart) use that old plot standby, the love triangle. This time, it's between two pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) who find themselves stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, during what they thought would be a nice, sunny tour of duty. Then, of course, history intervened.
For the first 90 minutes of the movie, Affleck and Beckinsale find a nice, appealing chemistry that plays on his strengths as a movie star and hers as a serious actress--he gives her glamour, she gives him smarts. Their truncated romance--the beginning of which is told in flashback so we can get right to the point where he has to leave her to go to England--works, thanks to their charm. They're no Kate and Leo from Titanic (a strategy the film strives hard toward), but they're pretty darned adorable in their own right. Hartnett, as the not entirely unwelcome third wheel, squints bravely but makes only a slight dent in the film. Everyone else in Pearl Harbor--from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brave navy seaman to Jon Voight's able impersonation of FDR--is pretty much a glorified walk-on, taking a backseat to the pyrotechnics and action sequences that keep the three-hour film in fairly constant motion. But when that action does take hold, Pearl Harbor is quite a thrilling ride. --Mark Englehart
Product Description
Jerry Bruckheimer's sprawling tale of love blossoming amidst the chaos of war. Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) is a gung-ho US pilot whose determination to fly against the enemy leads him to Europe and active service in the Battle of Britain. His girlfriend Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale) is left waiting at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii, and before long tragedy strikes, with the news reaching Evelyn that Rafe has flown off to the great aircraft hanger in the sky. Heartbroken, she is comforted by Rafe's best friend Danny (Josh Hartnett), and romance soon blooms between them. Meanwhile, the Japanese are preparing their forces for the attack which will trigger the US entry into World War Two.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By TemplarBen94
Format:DVD
The reviews that have been given for this film are shocking to say the least.. This is a brilliant war film set during world war 2 where the japanese are planning a serious attack on pearl harbour. This film comes with quality acting all round great action from start to finish the acting inparticular from ben affleck and josh hartnett is superb. Who both fall in love for the same women (kate beckensale) wich in some parts of this film about them is quite sad and depressing. the ending to the film is also quite sad n tearful but allround this is a quality film based around the world war 2 times it is a must have for your dvd collection the reviews for this film is shocking and should have a higher rating to be honest trust me people give it a try well worth the money.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Put quite simply, this film is rubbish.
Yes the CGIs are amazing, but the whole enterprise is shot through with inaccuracy making the film nothing other than a particularly bad pastiche. My ship recognition is not what it was but are those Spruance class destroyers riding at anchor?
Truly this is one pitiful movie, I was given two copies and was relieved
to give them away, thankfully 'Tora,Tora,Tora' is still available. I suppose the next Bruckheimer blockbuster will be a remake of 'The Great Escape' with Vin Diesel and Russell Crowe fleeing to safety on a stripped-down Honda Goldwing with Reese Witherspoon in the sidecar.
Yes the CGIs are amazing, but the whole enterprise is shot through with inaccuracy making the film nothing other than a particularly bad pastiche. My ship recognition is not what it was but are those Spruance class destroyers riding at anchor?
Truly this is one pitiful movie, I was given two copies and was relieved
to give them away, thankfully 'Tora,Tora,Tora' is still available. I suppose the next Bruckheimer blockbuster will be a remake of 'The Great Escape' with Vin Diesel and Russell Crowe fleeing to safety on a stripped-down Honda Goldwing with Reese Witherspoon in the sidecar.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Hannah
Format:DVD
Well , I have to say every time I watch this movie it has me in tears! It has amazing actors that play their characters excellently. I love the fact that there is a love story in it as it based on Pearl Harbor. overall, I think it is in some way educational as it has important dates from World War 2 and that it a brilliant movie !
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Veritas
Format:DVD
This is truly an abysmal film, seriously a big budget doesn't help this be anything but utterly banal and mediocre movie. Terrible acting, excruciatingly embarrassing script, tiresome plot and historically inaccurate.
A train wreck - why would you subject yourself to it?
A train wreck - why would you subject yourself to it?
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
This film is dull, badly written and appallingly acted. Even the much touted attack on Pearl Harbor comes over as more of an excerpt from a hyperkinetic video game than a national tragedy. The fact that this 'specatacle' is shrunk to a TV screen can only lessen what little impact it has. Avoid.
25 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By Daniel Mckay
Format:DVD
I dislike this film considerably, though my own peeves have nothing to do with the acting, the special effects, the set, and so on. I'm basically upset at the simplicity of this film. It asks very few questions about why the attack on Pearl Harbour took place. But Pearl Harbour was the event that drew the United States into the Second World War. It is on a par with Hitler's invasion of Poland, so you'd think that a film with this title would treat the event with the seriousness it deserves. Not so.
Just in case you think my complaints are purely hypothetical, there have been some excellent revisionist histories published in the more than half century since the bombing took place. With the passage of time and the cooling of tempers, legitimate questions have been raised on both sides of the Pacific. Why was the United States so unprepared? Was the military deliberately left uninformed by the U.S. government, in order to draw a hitherto reluctant nation into war? Why do we take it for granted that Hawaii is part of the United States (it wasn't a state until 1959), and what's the Japanese take on that? Could it be that the United States has a history of imperialism just as imperial Japan did?
Basically, I take issue with this film for the same reason that I take issue with 'Titanic' (1997). The romance isn't bad, but why have romance at all? Aren't the historical events enough in themselves? Isn't it rather insulting to put a fictional boy-meets-girl romance slap bang in the centre of an affair that affected the lives of thousands, if not millions? What purpose does it serve apart from distracting us from an utterly momentous event? 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' (1970) is an older film, but far more sophisticated in comparison.... Read more ›
Just in case you think my complaints are purely hypothetical, there have been some excellent revisionist histories published in the more than half century since the bombing took place. With the passage of time and the cooling of tempers, legitimate questions have been raised on both sides of the Pacific. Why was the United States so unprepared? Was the military deliberately left uninformed by the U.S. government, in order to draw a hitherto reluctant nation into war? Why do we take it for granted that Hawaii is part of the United States (it wasn't a state until 1959), and what's the Japanese take on that? Could it be that the United States has a history of imperialism just as imperial Japan did?
Basically, I take issue with this film for the same reason that I take issue with 'Titanic' (1997). The romance isn't bad, but why have romance at all? Aren't the historical events enough in themselves? Isn't it rather insulting to put a fictional boy-meets-girl romance slap bang in the centre of an affair that affected the lives of thousands, if not millions? What purpose does it serve apart from distracting us from an utterly momentous event? 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' (1970) is an older film, but far more sophisticated in comparison.... Read more ›
16 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
I meant to go and see this film in the cinema, but never got round to it and I am very glad I didnt waste my money to see it. This is the WORST film I have seen in a long time. It fails to deliver on almost every level.
This film had such a huge budget that it had no excuse to fall down anywhere. Indeed, all persons involved have done films that I love and/or respect. Brockhiemer (Producer) and Bay (Director/Producer) have produced, together and individually some of the best action films of the '90s. All the main actors have done solid or even great performances. And Wallace (screenplay) cut his teeth with a worthy effort on Braveheart. However, all this experience just seemed to confuse everyone on the project.
The plot and scipt are shallow, static and cliche. This is hardly a good foundation. Michael Bay then seems to have no idea what he is doing with his cameras. Each scene is so short and uninformative there is no characterisation, and just giving everyone Southern accents doesnt mean they dont have character depth.
The action is the one thing that the Bay and Brockheimer duo should have got right, but even this doesnt cut it. While the special effects are the only positive thing (the cgi really is seemless). But Bay just points the camera rather flatly, sluggishly and very unoriginally at planes and explosions, or gives the camera a lot of shaking to imply that 'this is intense'.
The plot of the love triangle is so unexciting that really it just gets in the way. Just because they speak of love and sacrifice and emotional turmoil does not give even girly girls on a girls night in together an excuse to be sympathetic to it.
... Read more ›
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great film, absolutely brilliant
Definetely my favourite movie, pearl harbour has a balance between outstanding action scenes and more calm romance ones, however as a bloke i did love the actual pearl harbour... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Hobnob6984
5.0 out of 5 stars
bloody spectacular! <3 ;-)
This review is for the region1 Vista Series' 4-disc DVD-set of The Director's Cut of Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor is one movie that I won't get why those bloomin'... Read more
Pearl Harbor is one movie that I won't get why those bloomin'... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Shijoe SmeaGollum Joseph
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pearl Harbor
Arrived within the timescale. Good quality DVD, action packed film with a love interest and excellent special effects. Good war film.
Published 1 month ago by Dawn Barnard
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Present
I bought this as a present for my sister as it is one of her favourite films. After watching it myself, I would recommend it to anyone to watch. Superb film!
Published 2 months ago by Nicole
5.0 out of 5 stars
pearl harbour
great film, three hours of great entertainment. Would recommend this film, action packed and great true story. Very pleased with this purchase
Published 2 months ago by stephanie williams
5.0 out of 5 stars
love
absolutely love this movie. one of the films ever made. I love the realness & how it makes you think about what people genuinely went though. Read more
Published 2 months ago by emilyj
5.0 out of 5 stars
love this
i finally got around to watching this film, and all i can say is 'why didnt i watch it years ago'! its such a good dramatic and action packed film !
Published 3 months ago by Daniel Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
my pearl harbor dvd
i thoroughly enjoyed this film,i have watched it six times and plan to watch it againit beats paying loads of money at the cinema i love it.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Thelma I. Hammond
4.0 out of 5 stars
This was Christmas present for m
This was a more up to date version of Pearl Harbour a film l enjoyed which brought back memories of a visit l made to the actual Pearl Harbour
Published 4 months ago by Peter Dowling
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superior!
s i m p l y d o e s n ' t g e t a n y b e t t e r !
Published 4 months ago by Christian Edlmayer
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