'Letters from Iwo Jima' - Film review

7 out of 10

I could pretty much have folded this review into that of Flags of our Fathers, its companion film. I had the same overall feelings.

However, there are some things of special note here. It's rare that anybody outside Japan tries to show the Japanese view of WWII events. For Hollywood to take up the baton and do a very good job of it is really very unexpected. This is an extremely good, well researched, sympathetic film. It does a great job of showing that people are just people, the world over. There are good and bad in all walks of life.

I did find it a little odd though that the sympathetically portrayed characters are also the least Japanese in their thinking. It's the radical free thinkers that we are made to care most about and the old traditionalists are shown as being the least human and least humane. In particular, the Imperial Headquarters are made to look like idiots.

It seems clear that the message of the film is that thinking of "honour" before people is wrong. I guess I can't disagree with that. The fact that the film made me wonder about this, and consider where the truth may lie, is an undoubted strength. The film makers should be congratulated for taking this on and taking it so seriously. But I came away thinking that maybe Hollywood still isn't really ready to get underneath the skin of the old enemy and try to understand in any great depth.