Really Bad

Rating: 1/10 (27 March 2009)

This is what the world really needs a Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer, Randall Wallace film starting Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale that re-writes American history and World War Two.
Pearl Harbour is meant to be a film about the famous attack by the Japanese Navy that forced the United States into get involved in World War Two in a military scene. However, what could have been an interesting and entertaining study of the military and intelligence failures/successes and the change of American attitudes fails because Randall Wallace (who wrote the awful Braveheart) turned the story into no more then a romantic film whilst Michael Bay tries to pay to his strengths which is bombastic action and Jerry Bruckheimer whilst is the master of dumb blockbusters. The film markers felt that they needed to turn an American tragedy into a success and a patriotic exercise.
The casting was terrible. Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale all can't act and they end up as the leads. Kate Beckinsale's character, Evelyn, a Navy nurse, who ends up having a relationship with Rafe (Ben Affleck). However Rafe is called to serve in the Eagle Squadron in the Battle of Britain and asks Danny (Josh Hartnett) to take care of Evelyn for him. However when they both think Red had died they end up comfort each other and end up having a relationship together when stationed in Pearl Harbour. But Red comes back and you can imagine he is a little upset and falls up with both of them. But things get patched up when Japan attacks. I did not believe in the relationships that Evelyn has but if anything it should be Rafe and Danny have sex with each other.
They are some subplots as well in the film. There is President Roosevelt (Jon Voight) who has to lead the country through the crisis and Voight is best performer in the film. Another element is the story of Doris Miller (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who is the first black sailor to win the Navy Cross. However it felt like Cuba Gooding Jr. was no more then the token black guy. There is also some romantic elements involving Pilots and Nurses (the nurses are a right bunch of slags).
The writing is awful. There is nothing but war movie clichés and terrible dialogue. The film has historical inaccuracies, but Wallace has never seen history as an important in historical films. He insults the memories of British and American pilots and portrays the Japanese as a blood thirsty and backwards people. The number of Americans who fought in the Battle of Britain was small and not servicemen picked by the air force. They were volunteers who opposed Fascism and not in the American Air Force. They were brave men, like the British, Canadians, French, Polish, Czechs etc... who all fought in the battle. The other major problems is they is no reason why the Japanese attacked America, no look at the run up to the war. There is only a brief mention that Japan was running out of oil but that's it. Also the film makes out that Red and Danny did most of the fighting for the air force, able to fly fighters and bombers and getting involved in the Doolittle raids which insults the real pilots who were involved. As well the film makes out that the Doolittle Raid was an important event, but it was really a foot-note, doing nothing for against the Japanese whilst only a propaganda tool for the Americans. I'm a believe that historical accuracy should be maintained all times in films and shouldn't take too much of an artistic license to real events. But Wallace doesn't understand that. The same critics and fans who praised Braveheart thinking history isn't important take a hypocritical view with Pearl Harbour. Americans feel insulting other countries history is okay, but when it comes to American history it's basically 'How dare they'. Roger Ebert is a good example.
The visuals are impressive and some of the scenes during the bombing sequence are fun, but it isn't enough. The whole film is too long and drags. During the bombing sequence some moments are totally unbelievable and makes the film silly. It's the same with the end after the places clash in China, with American pilots with small arms easily kill Japanese soldiers, but only one of them dies. The final narration was sickening saying America never suffered a defeat, recovered and became all powerful: what about Vietnam? What about the efforts of Britain, the Commonwealth (i.e. Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand etc...), the Soviet Union and the Chinese? Bay was properly the worst choice of director because he is no more then an action director. He doesn't do deep story or romance or very much really. The film needed a director of gravitas like Spielberg or Scorsese to happen a lot of material. But most of the blame is reserved for Wallace.
A new film about Pearl Harbour would have had so much potential but Americans can't accept a defeat. The military, diplomatic and intelligence all could have made an interesting film or book, but Wallace thought an fictional story was needed. No it isn't!
Pearl Harbour tries to be a hybrid of Titanic and Saving Private Ryan, but fails on both. It is a really bad film.