Letters From Iwo Jima

[Guest kungfusamurai]

I went to see this on the weekend, and didn't think it was good enough to deserve a best picture nod. I'm not familiar with the historical background of the battle, but my guess is that the individual's depicted in the movie and their background stories were all fictional. I will have to do a little research on the internet later on to see if any of that (including the find at the end of the movie) was based on historical fact.

There were some parts of the movie that I found moving, but overall, I didn't find it 'relevant'. It almost felt like they just substituted western actors with Japanese actors. Maybe I've watched too many old samurai films depicting the japanese culture pre-WW2.

The film is still worth checking out. You may get more out of it than I did.

KFS

[Guest teako170]

I have yet to see this film (as goes the other Iwo film) but plan to get both on disc. My father fought at Iwo but didn't discuss it much as it was the closest thing to hell that he ever encountered. He was only 18 at the time. Out of 50 in his Platoon, only two other guys made it out alive.

In the book, Battle for Iwo Jima, there's a photo of him (circled) and some of his buddies.

[Guest limubai2000]

That is cool Teak.

I saw the film today, it took awhile to get to Guam. I loved it... and more than Flags of Our Fathers. All the actors in this films did great work. I think I had the most reaction to Saigo.

I do wonder how much of the film is accurate regarding the Japanese command structure infighting.

[Guest Daisho2004]

OK I finally got to watch this movie last night, and I thought it was an Excellent movie, I even liked more than the 1st. part "Flags of our Fathers" It showed a view point of the Japanese, and what you have to respect is even though they knew it was a useless battle for them being out numbered and all they continued to fight until the last man standing. What really got me was the fact that you see that they were scared to die instead of history showing us that everyone wanting to commit suicide, for there Honor, rather than be taken as a POW.

[Guest Markgway]

I've been less than enthused about seeing this since I've heard it rewrites history by making the Japanese soldiers seem noble (they weren't) and overlooking every bad thing they did (a lot) during the war. If we can't get an honest unbiased account of WWII in 2007 what's the point??

[Guest Daisho2004]

Markgway, don't get me wrong the movie really focuses on about 3 of the main characters where you find a more human nature during a time of war, but on the other side of the coin you do have your ruthless ones as well. I don't think it tries to rewrite History at all, it just gives us a view point from a side we don't ever see, that is what I really liked about this movie.

[Guest The Running Man]

I've been less than enthused about seeing this since I've heard it rewrites history by making the Japanese soldiers seem noble (they weren't) and overlooking every bad thing they did (a lot) during the war.

Every single soldier in Japan at the time was not evil. Do not confuse the leaders and decision makers with the entire populace of a country.

The movie is about a very specific time and place in World War 2 and that is the battle of Iwo Jima. Has nothing to do with any of the other acts Japan was involved in and as such, it is not overlooking anything.

Anyway, the movie was one of the best films I saw of last year and far superior to the boring Flags of our Fathers.

[Guest Stuntman Jules]

Very good movie, probably my favorite 2006 film after CHILDREN OF MEN, APOCALYPTO and PAN'S LABYRINTH. Reminded me a lot of such other Axis-perspective WWII films as DOWNFALL, Sam Peckinpah's CROSS OF IRON and Kinji Fukasaku's UNDER THE FLAG OF THE RISING SUN.