Letters from Iwo Jima
Letters from Iwo Jima Image
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Metascore
89 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 37 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 225 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Ken Watanabe
  • Summary: In this companion piece to "Flags of Our Fathers," Clint Eastwood presents the untold story of the Japanese soldiers and their general who 61 years ago defended against the invading American forces on the island of Iwo Jima. (Warner Bros.)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    100
    Eastwood's direction here is a thing of beauty, blending the ferocity of the classic films of Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai) with the delicacy and unblinking gaze of Yasujiro Ozu (Tokyo Story).
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    100
    The word masterpiece costs nothing to write and means less than nothing in an age when every third picture and each new Clint Eastwood project is proclaimed as such. After two viewings, however, Letters From Iwo Jima strikes me as the peak achievement in Eastwood's hallowed career.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Dan Jolin
    80
    A sharper account of the Iwo Jima conflict than Flags, this balances its unflinching handling of the horrors of war with its touching portrayal of those who face them.
  4. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Rick Kisonak
    60
    Portraying the same 1945 confrontation from the vantage point of the Japanese was an inspired idea. Unfortunately, the movie it inspired is something of a letdown.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 97
  3. Negative: 12 out of 97
  1. Kirsten
    10
    A great message, and a lesson to be learned about the human condition, a truly masterpiece.
  2. AnonymousMC
    8
    The Gut wrenching companion piece to Flags of our father succeeds at showcasing the misery of war, and a few unique twists into reluctant sacrifice and hardcore nationalism. I hardly think it's anti-american, but I'm a little surprised none of our WWII veterans have raised their hands in protest of this film yet.… Expand
  3. LindaL.
    7
    I missed "Flags" and really want to see it now. "Letters" left me longing for a taste of "the other side of the story." The Japanese cast was terrific, with characters who really stay with you. Two things bothered me, though. One was the extremely washed-out look of the film -- an artistic statement, no doubt, but a surreal choice. The other was that the Americans (e.g. their treatment of prisoners) were portrayed as so much more savage than the Japanese. (Doubt it). A memorable picture but I agree, not a Best Picture.… Expand
  4. Max
    4
    As a piece of fiction this movie is just ok, but to try and interpret the enemy 60 years later is a stretch. I am a veteran and no matter what side you are on you are only thinking two things. 1) what are my orders and how do I achieve them? There is no time for contemplation because there is only time for action. If you take time you die. On December 7th the Japanese made a decision to attack us, it was not the other way around. I am sure thousands of innocent fathers, husbands and lovers died because of the bad decision of a few but that was not our fault. We were attacked and 60 years ago this country was not scared to do what it takes to win. The mindset has changed over the decades and now 3,000 people in five years is cause for failure. How many people died at Iwo Jima? Guess . . . . of the 22,000 Japanese troops entrenched on the island, only 1,083 survived. The United States lost a total of 6,825 personnel in the battle for the island.… Expand

See all 97 User Reviews

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