Critics are WRONG. This film is a Hollywood Movie: If you want to learn about Pearl Harbor, then go to the library.

Rating: Null/10 (26 May 2001)

Pearl Harbor is spectacular. It is a movie divided into three parts. A beginning, a middle, and an end. All good movies have this. There is the love story, then the bombing, and finally the rebound.
The love story although a little exaggerated, serves a purpose. It is to hit those moms in the audience. The first part of the movie is undoubtedly a chick flick and help brings in that larger audience.
The second part of the movie is the bombing. Jerry bruckheimer dazzles us with his realistic special effects that have unbelieveable detail.
The third part of this movie is the rebound. We go over and bomb Tokyo. The third part serves a purpose because it makes it so we are left satisfied. If the movie ended after part 2, the audience would feel unsatisfied.
For those (BASICALLY EVERY CRITIC IN THE U.S.A) who walked in expecting to learn something about the history of Pearl Harbor or more depth into peoples points of view, GO TO THE LIBRARY AND LEARN THIS. Spielberg usually puts this into his movies. Not Jerry Bruckheimer though. Jerry wants to make HOLLYWOOD Movies. THIS IS A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE. Expect nothing more. I personally love what Bruckheimer does and thats why i went to see this. I knew it would be like "Armageddon" and all his others. It's unbeliveable effects and action mixed in with a love story. Thats what Bruckheimer's interpretation of hollywood is and thats what he does best and I respect that. He did a hell of a job with it.
That being said, the acting was also terrific. Affleck confirmed his leading man status and Hartnett recovers well from "The Faculty" I thought they were terrific. Not at all cardboard acting. John Voight was also terrific as Roosevelt and does deserve an oscar nomination. His role was small but he played it with ease. I also liked Alec Baldwin and Doolitle and Cuba Gooding Junior played the role of Cookie from "Men Of Honor" I was waiting for Deniro to walk on and say Cookie get down and give me 20!! I liked his role though. It brough the black white issue into the mix. He shot down a plane even though he didn't have the right to touch a gun. The weakest of any was the unfortunate Beckinsdale. She just did not jump out as a leading woman and Affleck was much too much for her. They should have casted someone that had a unique look and was more noticeable. I personally find her rather boring looking.
If you want to see a Hollywood movie and JERRY BRUCKHEIMER AT HIS ABSOLUTE BEST, then go see Pearl Harbor.
If you want to learn the reasons the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and more incite into why it happened, then go to the library.
BOTTOM LINE