The problem is: American patriotism.

Rating: 4/10 (7 July 2001)

Pearl Harbor almost moved me to tears. It was, however not the trite and predictable love story that acheived this emotional response, but frustration at a wasted oppourtunity. Effectively, this was a very mediocre movie that could have been great.
Why on earth did the movie not deliver what was suggested by the title - an insight into an event which turned WW2. When the political and historic aspects of this movie should have been the major focus, we were instead forced to endure a romance inserted for all the mothers and 13yr old girls who would attend, in order to widen the movies 'appeal'. There were even the occasional glimpses of interesting footage - such as the cryptographers struggling to break the Japanese codes, which highlighted just how boring the love-theme was. Instead of the building of tension and suspicion in Washington, along with a feeling of calm and safety in Pearl Harbor itself, that would have far more effectively led up to the bombing, the first part of the movie was an almost complete waste of time.
The second part, the bombing and immidiate response, was actually pretty good, as most people have agreed (apart from the ridiculoulsy heroic antics of our clean-cut, all-american heroes). whether or not it makes up the price of admission, as has been claimed, is up to the individual. I think it would have, had the movie ended there. But it didn't. The final part made me very angrey. Since one of the boys have to die, in order for our heroine to live happily ever after with the man she loves, without ungraciously dumping the father of her child, off they head on a raid that was possibly the stupidest thing I have ever seen. apparently, this raid of 16 American planes turned the war, because it proved how brave Americans could be. Throughout the movie, it was made clear that, while some attempts were made not to cast the Japanese as satan, America would rise up in bravery and justice for the side of good. This leaves almost no mention of how america was happy to allow millions of deaths in Europe, before 'heroically' rising up in their own defence. Also left entirely untouched is the entire issue of Americas' use of the ATOMIC BOMB!!! For the movie to portray all American actions as completely justified and 'right' is frankly nausiating. I left the cinema fuming.
Note: If you don't care about society, history or politics at all; if you really, really like seeing things blown up; or if you want to see a predictable romance between stereotypical characters that always look ready for a magazine cover; this is the film for you.