1. AlexL

   10

   Very very good movie. i love it. it made me cry.

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     2 of 4 users said yes
2. NickA.

   5

   'Flags of Our Fathers,' Clint Eastwood’s war epic about true heroism and the brutality of war, which apparently hasn’t been brought to our attention enough, examines the celebrated photograph of our soldiers’ triumphant moment atop Mount Suribachi. Set against the overcast skies of the island of Iwo Jima, Eastwood portrays war life as we’ve seen it countless times; with severed limbs and random torsos lying sporadically across the island’s grassy hills. The scenes of invasion are too similar to Spielberg’s timeless – and much better war film – 'Saving Private Ryan,' and bring nothing new to the silver screen. I intend not to take away from the film’s intentions, which are genuine and acceptable, though it is difficult to base the quality of a film on its central purpose. After all, if that were the case, we’d be scowling upon such greats as 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' or 'A Night at the Opera.' The fact of the matter is that, regardless of the heart within the film, if that heart is pumping oil rather than blood the film’s going to die. Unfortunately for 'Flags,' the blood is too contaminated to keep it alive and viewers are left with a stagnant aftertaste when it’s all over. Haggis and Broyles collaborate to adapt the screenplay from the James Bradley novel of the same name, though do so without the cadence and attachment of the book. The acting in the film is below par and the leads are disastrously miscast. Ryan Phillippe plays John Bradley, a US Navy Corpsman who was, among five other Marines, one of the flag-raisers at Iwo Jima. His performance as the battalion’s doctor is mediocre, though, in his defense, it’s partially due to being miscast. Jesse Bradford is as well average in his depiction of Rene Gognan, the Marine who seemed to be lost in his newfound fame. Adam Beach as Ira Hayes, the story’s most troubled study, was unconvincing as the shameful drunk who couldn’t understand why he was being considered a hero. The only noteworthy act in 'Flags of Our Fathers' was provided by veteran actor and veteran war actor (also starred as the God-loving sniper in 'Saving Private Ryan'), Barry Pepper, who plays the troop-leader and decorous soldier, Mike Strank. The direction was fair, though not the caliber one would expect from an Eastwood film, and the visuals were a bit stale. Whereas this film works as a historical informant, its abundant flaws keep it from succeeding as a motion-picture.… Expand

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     2 of 2 users said yes
3. Lolcano

   3

   Ponderous (where's the battle?), navel gazing (not naval, unfortunately), sentimental, cliched, misses the big picture. Anything else? Actually, the battle scenes are quite impressive, even though the movie attempts to remove it from the screen altogether. The iconic photograph of the raising of the Stars and Stripes was somewhat inaccurate and was used as a part of US war propaganda? Got that? No? Then watch a movie that is two and a quarter hours long that bleats on about it. Alternatively.... look at the far superior Letters From Iwo Jima instead!… Expand

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     2 of 3 users said yes

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