Flags of Our Fathers (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Flags of Our Fathers
about the Battle for Iwo Jima in World War Two, or more specifically, the famous flag raising that took place during that battle.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I was very impressed. The movie was well directed and well acted. I was looking forward to this and I wasn't disappointed for a change.
I have read that the photo of the flag raising on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal is the most reproduced photograph of the 20th century.
What about you?
Scott: I didn't know the movie was going to focus on three flag raisers and in that I was disappointed. There were so many characters I wish we had gotten to know, or see more of than we did.
Mike: The movie was not about the entire Battle for Iwo Jima, but just one piece of it.
I would have liked to get to know the characters better, which the book does well. The problem is it would’ve had to be a very long movie to do that.
Scott: Very true. I liked the focus of the movie, but I would have preferred more time on some characters.
Mike: I agree. I would have liked a little more clarification about all of the guys involved in the flag raising and not just the three that survived. There were times when the young actors, who weren't name actors, started blending together.
Scott: The movie spent some time on the money shortage the U.S. was having during WWII. I wasn't aware that we were so low on funds, and that the War Bonds of the day helped keep the war going. That really seemed to be a key aspect in what drove the publicity around the photo for the government. Although you are never told during the movie, the War Bond drive they led was much more successful than any drive they did during the war.
Mike: There is a great group of familiar actors in this film. I would call Ryan Phillippe (John "Doc" Bradley) the main character.
After all, the book was written by the real Doc Bradley's son, James Bradley.
Other guys you will recognize are Jesse Bradford, John Slattery, Barry Pepper, Paul Walker, and Robert Patrick.
Scott: Neal McDonough as Captain Severance has always been the bad guy in all of the movies I have seen him, it was nice to see him on the other side of the aisle. I would like to have seen more of him though.
Mike: Neal is not always a bad guy, if you watched either Boomtown or Band of Brothers.
It's interesting that James Bradley the author is actually a character in the film.
Scott: You are right, that was odd to have the author in the movie, not only that, to have him interviewing characters for the book.
Mike:I don't recognize Adam Beach, who played Ira Hayes, who was the last of the three surviving flag raisers.
Scott: I remember him from Windtalkers and Joe Dirt.
Scott: Bradford played Rene Gagnon, the 'also-ran' of the flag raising scene. He played the part well. You knew he really didn't have anything to do with the flag raising, and tried to stretch that out for all he was worth.
Mike: I wouldn't say he had nothing to do with it, but he definitely seemed to enjoy the recognition more than anyone else.
Scott: It's not that he wasn't involved in the event, but he wasn't as involved in the battle where the event took place. You could feel the resentment from Hayes throughout the movie.
Mike: I want to mention the actors from television who show up in roles completely unlike what you are used to: Gordon Clapp from NYPD Blue shows up as a General and Rene Gagnon's girlfriend (Melanie Lynskey) is the actress who plays Rose on Two and a Half Men.
Mike: Barry Pepper of Saving Private Ryan was Sgt Mike Strank. He was a soldier the others looked up to as the ideal soldier.
The other two flag raisers were Franklin Sousley and Harlon Block, but they are treated almost as minor characters in the film.
The actors aren't anybody I recognize.
Scott: The movie took place in three time periods, during the Battle for Iwo Jima, after the battle on the War Bonds tour and years later when James Bradley was interviewing soldiers for the book on which the movie was based.
Mike: There is a lot of jumping back and forth and that could be confusing at points. But I found it more interesting that way, then if it had just played out in chronological order.
Scott: I didn't catch the 'present' timeline at first, and that was confusing, but you do settle in after a while. During the movie, I wished they would show more of the war, because I thought that had some of the more powerful footage.
Mike: The war footage was expertly done and helped convey some of the horror of that battle. I am glad that it wasn't just a straight war movie. This movie is not just a repeat of Saving Private Ryan.
Scott: I can agree with that, but still, they were good war scenes. It was powerful, frightening and in some cases, disturbing.
Mike: Oddly enough, the battle scenes all have that grayish tint like in Steven Spielberg’s film. By the way, Spielberg is a producer along with Clint Eastwood.
Scott: Yes, and Eastwood directed the movie
Mike: The cinematography by Tom Stern is outstanding. Stern has worked on Eastwood's last few films as well as some other award winners.
Eastwood is taking his place as one of America's top directors. He already has a couple Oscars on his shelf and this movie just may get him some more.
Scott: Looking at the awards he has compiled, I'd say his mantle is pretty full at this point.
He has some good movies under his belt as a director. I hear he can act too.
Mike: I love watching a movie Clint stars in, but he may be more talented behind the camera.
Speaking of Eastwood acting, I think his son has a part in the film.
I can't find it listed anywhere, but there is a scene on the ship carrying the marines to Iwo Jima, where I'm sure that one of the kids with a few lines is his son. He even sounded like Clint. He isn’t listed on the credits, but I still think it was him.
I am not a big fan of Million Dollar Baby, but I love Unforgiven, Mystic River, and The Bridges of Madison County. Not to mention the spaghetti westerns in which he directed and starred.
Scott: He has been around, that's for sure. He was a Mayor too.
Mike: What’s up Carmel, California?!
Scott: What did you think of the score? Eastwood did that too.
Mike: The score fit well with the drama of the film.
Scott: I thought it fit well with the movie. Very dramatic and somber too.
Mike: Rounding out the pedigree of this film was script writing By Paul Haggis, who wrote and directed Crash, another Oscar winner. I've watched that movie a few times.
This movie makes you realize how much impact one picture can have on the entire world.
Scott: At the end of some movies the audience clap and other movies people start talking as soon as the credits roll. This movie was different, the audience was silent, not a peep. Pictures from Iwo Jima were shown with the credits and the majority of the audience hung around to look at them. Simple still photos held that audience for a few minutes.
Mike: Many of the pictures during the end credits looked like scenes out of the movie. It gave you an idea how hard they tried to be accurate.
Scott: So what do you rate this?
Mike: As you can guess I liked this film. I think it will be an Oscar contender. I give it 4.5 stars overall and 4 stars as a war drama.
Mike: And you?
Scott: I liked aspects of the movie a lot, but others left the movie feeling uneven, so I rate it a 3 overall and a 3.5 for war drama.
