Very good movie, surprisingly so

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2019)

I didn't expect much when I went to see this movie on Veterans Day, but I was pleasantly surprised with the acting, the cinematography, and the screenplay. I'm a historian, albeit not a World War II one. Nonetheless, I'm well versed in the era, and the movie did a good job looking at real-life individuals as well as fictional ones as supporting characters in a great narrative. The balance to the storytelling was good, too, giving insight into the Japanese mindset of the time period. There is really only one scene-other than the bombing of Pearl Harbor, of course-where the audience truly can lose respect for the Japanese side of the story. That balance is key to making a good film these days. Who knew Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson still had it in them, either? Nicely done by the director to bring out those key performances. The cinematography of the air battles is pretty intense, putting the viewer right in the cockpit insanity of the situation. This is a longer movie, yet it never feels that way, because the screenplay/editing is pretty good. Highly recommend!