Armaggedon in Hawaii

Rating: 5/10 (26 May 2001)

I had high hopes for this movie, which was probably foolish considering the people behind it. Pearl Harbor should have a historically accurate dramatization. Instead it was another "blockbuster" style movie from Bruckhiemer/Bay, and Company. You would think such an important event in United States history would have inspired a sophisticated rendering, but, alas, money takes precedent over art. It just wasn't the epic it wanted to be. There were good points. Jon Voight was excellent as FDR, the actual attack was superbly done, and Cuba Gooding Jr. stole my heart. We could have done without the love triangle. It seemed so shallow and unimportant against the backdrop of an event that shook America's isolation idealism to the core. Some say Pearl Harbor was aspiring to be the next Titanic. All I can say is, at the end of Titanic, I wasn't thinking about my rear end being numb. I'll have to wait for The Lord of the Rings to fulfill my epic desires.