Good overview

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2001)

Don't expect a documentary - This is the Cliff Notes version with an embellishment (love story) to make it interesting. From what I know of history, the film portrayed the big points well. For example, there was radar at Pearl Harbor before the bombing, and they did see something coming, but they didn't know what to make of it - since radar was new. The 45 minutes of bombing about which Ebert complained served to convey the devastation and helplessness of the Americans - and the aftermath, if anything, was prettied up a bit for the movie but still very convincing.