SAPPY

Rating: Null/10 (25 May 2001)

SPOILERS ******* Boy was I excited to see this movie. I remember being in the movie theater the last 2 months getting exited because I knew that the Pearl Harbor preview was coming up with the inspiring Hans Zimmer (Thin Red Line) music, it would give me goose bumps every time I saw it. I can't remember the last time I have been so disappointed.
I am not one to voice my opinion that much, but after reading the first review of Dean Kish noting that "The biggest blockbuster of the season weighs in as the summer movie season begins" I was irked to say the least. Shrek will be the biggest blockbuster of the season. Pearl Harbor, without a doubt in my mind, will not.
Many of you summed it up correctly by mentioning the "cardboard" characters in the movie. I thought that Ben Affleck was a decent actor before, but he really hits rock bottom in this one folks. I know there were two trailers I have seen so far for this movie. The "guy" trailer with all the action sequences and the "girl" trailer with the love scenes. Obviously Hollywood has to make this movie appeal to both male and female in order for Mr. Bay to achieve the "blockbuster" status he is so clearly looking for. They should have only shown the "girl" trailer because it is a much better representation of 90% of the movie. I felt myself just not caring at all about the characters after the first hour, I was almost happy when Ben Affleck was shot down and presumed dead. That meant I would not have to see him act anymore!
This was a 2-hour movie stretched to 3 hours. Did Mr. Bay care more about the love triangle or the attack? How was the director trying to honor the tragedy that occurred at Pearl Harbor because I did not see it? If you get the chance, read Roger Ebert's review. He sums up my feeling when he says that in this movie on December 7th, 1941 the Japanese attacked an American love triangle. I give it a 1.5 out of 4 just because of the special effects. The only redeeming value in the movie!!