Insensitive?

Rating: Null/10 (10 August 2003)

This is my second note here since after watching the movie for the second time around recently, I had to look up more information on the actual bombing...
I really did like the movie and I thought it was well done all around, but after looking at photographs here on the net of the Arizona (among others from that day) and noting another reviewer's sarcasm about "What's next, '9-11, the Musical'," I do have to say I can relate.
On the end of being entertaining and a movie of decent construction, I'd give it a thumbs up and say I was impressed...liked the story, cinematography, thought the acting was okay etc. ...but then on the historical side, if I knew more about it, it would bother me since inaccuracy has always been a pet peeve of mine. Additionally, I have to question if this kind of makes light of the whole of what happened in Pearl Harbor on that day of infamy, seemingly so long before us. It really seems secondary to the story here and all I am is disturbed by the horrific feeling that made America rally behind the war effort the way it did. Eventually we would not have had a choice I think, but to get involved.
I do think they portrayed the actual bombing with a fervor and some of the gore of that which it was, but then we stepped immediately away from this into the next part of the movie and sidelined it in favor of the love triangle.
Is this an insult? We all have to decide, but it is a fact of the film. It kind of causes me to believe they needed to target and market this as something other than a flick about Pearl Harbor, and more at the love story since the attack really was secondary--incendiary or not.