love story buried in spectacular special effects and predicatable story

Rating: 6/10 (23 May 2001)

*****************SPOILERS *************** (particularly for those who have forgotten their history) My wife and I just saw at a preview and shared a reaction. Terrifyingly realistic (tho' a bit of obvious animation did pop up from time to time) cinematography, audio overkill, good flavor of history and highly predictable plot. And oh yeah, our European friends who (unfairly in my view) hated Pvt Ryan will hate PH even more: "I guess WW2 just started" was one comment (well, the French, English, Chinese, Russians etc probably had already been clued in)and "if there are more like you in America, anyone would be crazy to attack you" to an RAF (Yank) volunteer may have provided a bit of unnecessary telegraphing. Historical complaint: Dolittle's Raid was followed by Japanese executions of captured bombers as "war criminals", but that was never mentioned. And despite a news report I just read, the scene with the Asian American medic/MD helping a wounded man and being rejected by him did in fact make the film. Maybe it was a last minute addition.
My wife thought the female lead did not have enough to do. on a separate topic: She gives kudos to Alec Baldwin's attempt at speaking Chinese. It was understandable ("I am an American"--to be used if confronted by Chinese soldiers after landing in China)
Good movie but how about a surprise from time to time????