Letters from Iwo Jima (Blu-ray) (2006)
Strong war violence and themes
From Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood comes the untold story of the Japanese soldiers and their General who defended against the invading American forces on the island of Iwo Jima. Sixty-one years ago, US and Japanese armies met on Iwo Jima. Decades later, several hundred letters are unearthed from that stark island's soil. The letters give faces and voices to the men who fought there, as well as the extraordinary general who led them. The Japanese soldiers are sent to Iwo Jima knowing that in all probability they will not come back. Among them are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker who wants only to live to see the face of his newborn daughter; Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara), an Olympic equestrian champion known around the world for his skill and his honor; Shimizu (Ryo Kase), a young former military policeman whose idealism has not yet been tested by war; and Lieutenant Ito (Shidou Nakamura), a strict military man who would rather accept suicide than surrender.
| Status: | Normal |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 140mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 Enhanced |
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Member Reviews (3)
3 Member
Reviews
BrianM
says
Brilliant companionpiece to CLint Eastwood's "Flags of our Fathers". Both films are about the battle between the Americans and the Japanese to secure/hold the island of Iwo Jima. They were both filmed at the same time, partly on location on the island. Acting is terrific. Ken Watanabe is superb and the young lead actor, brilliant, too.
Mostly in Japanese with English subtitles. Although in colour the film has a haunting, primarily black and white look. Highly recommended too are the extras.
gjmcn
says
This is one of Clint Eastwood's best and should really be watched alongside or after Flags of Our Fathers (2006) as they are mirror movies. The opening scenes with its gently beguiling and soundtrack contrast with the later "reality" of the film. On Blu Ray it is haunting and asks us to question our viewpoint on war. It amazes me that after these two movies Eastwood directed Gran Torino I thought his pair might have been a Trilogy (and maybe it was meant to be) but he lost me on that film even though it is good for its own reasons. Watch....Enjoy...Think and never succumb to the darker side of national pride. It was also a play on the old Julius Ceasar scene where a parting is well met.
Stephen N.
says
This was much better than Flags of Our Fathers. A good insight into what it was like for the everyday Japanese soldier fighting a lost cause.