Letters from Iwo Jima

A much more sincere and stronger war film than the tearful and extremely pathetic Flags of Our Fathers. Clint Eastwood really stepped up his game in the second film, which, in contrast, shows the conflict from the other side and tells an excellent story full of Japanese traditions, customs, and tactics. How accurately it reflects reality can only be judged by eyewitnesses and war experts, but I dare say that the film was presented to the audience in a very bearable way. Thank God it doesn't just show the Japanese as suicidal lunatics and heartless killing machines, but also portrays them nicely from the other side right from the beginning. From young boys separated from their families to high-ranking officers with connections to the West, who are willing to proudly sacrifice their lives for their country. Watanabe is excellent, the action is decent and the non-combat scenes are very impressive. This solid film is worth watching if inly for the fact that we may have the opportunity to see a comprehensive view of an event in the war from this different and culturally distinct perspective, despite some minor flaws and a slightly excessive runtime (or rather, some unnecessary scenes). (01/17/2008)

Clint Eastwood is an experienced and highly professional craftsman of American film studios and I don't think he has ever disappointed me with any film, but none of his movies have really made me excited, either. He usually represents a safe bet, as he is disciplined but mostly predictable. I'm not saying that Letters from Iwo Jima is a bad war film, I just feel like more could have been extracted from the given material. The most intense battles on the Pacific front took place on this island, where strength crushed strength and determination clashed with determination, and considering how intense that battle was, I didn't really see much of that excitement in the film. The execution scene of two Japanese prisoners was perhaps the only surprising and cinematically enjoyable moment; otherwise, Eastwood's journey into World War II history left me rather indifferent emotionally. Overall impression: 60%. (10/26/2008)

I enjoyed this film very much. For me, it’s a completely different take on the exhausted topic of the Second World War, this time from the "opposite" side of the barricade, that does not carry the stars on the flag or bulletproof democracy. The Japanese are portrayed as a proud people who would rather fall to their last man than surrender their territory and, more importantly, their lives to an arch-enemy, which is very much reflected in the film overall. Eastwood conceived the battle of Iwo Jima in part as a probe into the souls of these determined soldiers, as evidenced by the battle sequences that keep a powerfully palpable dramatic face throughout. We gradually get very close to the protagonists, as if we were standing right next to them and crouching with them, hidden from enemy fire. I really felt sorry for those quite nice people who had to retreat step by step in the face of the ruthless American advance, and preferred to voluntarily put their lives on the lines in order to preserve their honour. Clint did a great job, with feeling and with all the life experience he has gathered throughout his life, and I have no choice but to bow in recognition. BRAVO, MAESTRO! (09/02/2012)

Letters from Iwo Jima is a nice film. The Japanese view of the incident is darker, more accomplished and more meditative than the American view depicted in Flags of Our Fathers. And, mainly, it works internally. The spectacular action scenes are all the more impressive due to the fact that there is a minimum of them and we see them only from a distance, thanks to which the film maintains a powerfully intimate nature. The sentiment and simplicity are tastefully balanced with a beautiful visual aspect and the minimalism of Clint Eastwood’s music, whose dominant feature is a fragile piano motif. Another pleasing aspect is the filmmakers’ affection for the Japanese and, in contrast to that, their contempt for the American soldiers in some scenes. It’s a shame that Flags is such an unworthy sibling to Letters and drags this ambitious diptych of films down to the level of a quickly thrown-together Oscar frontrunner. If more work had been put into Flags, these two films could have gone down in history together. (03/13/2007)

Iwo Jima Island - deserted, no water, full of bothersome insects and afflicted with unbearable humidity. But still, it is a strategic key to the Pacific... If I hadn’t known anything at all about the Letters I wouldn’t have hesitated an instant in swearing that this was filmed by Kurosawa. Everything from picture composition, introduction and departure from plot action through supporting characters through to the overall atmosphere - this all bears his signature. Clint Eastwood has made an excellent picture about the senselessness of war and respect for the enemy. Despite the fact that the battle scenes aren’t at all central to the movie, we get several here and they are unarguably outstanding. Don’t expect a second Saving Private Ryan, though. This is a considerably more intimate experience. Ken Watanabe plays is Mifune-scale role exemplarily. If the first half of Letters from Iwo Jima had been shorter, there would have been nothing to fault. (09/03/2007)