If you’re looking for a feel good movie, this isn’t it, though the tale of war told through the eyes of the enemy, will remind us how frightening battle is for everybody. And like our soldiers, the Japanese boys had the same fear of death, as their pregnant wives and praying mothers sat at home wanting their safe return. Clint Eastwood flawlessly directs the story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II. Leading the Japanese perspective is actor Ken Watanabe as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, a sensitive soul who ponders if his duty to die for his country is easy a task when it means dying for his own family. The movie is brilliantly depicted (purposely) in only black and white with only a hint of color on the subjects that matter – an American flag stands out in red, white and blue; a decorated officer’s medals shine, a fire explodes flaming orange into a cave. You may find this movie is very predictable – scene by scene – but its old-fashioned flavor and its flare for patriotism, makes it the masterpiece that only a seasoned, mature filmmaker could tackle. Clint’s only downfall is that his other movie “Flags of Our Fathers” – same movie done from the American perspective – was released in the same year. Four tiaras
