Looks great and is...

Rating: 8/10 (29 May 2001)

"Pearl Harbor" is a great movie-- I was surprised. Even at 3 hours I didn't have to bring a pillow... though I didn't drink anything during. PH did not seem like 3 hours. Randall Wallace's story is effective and engaging even with parts of it being predictable-- aside from the actual bombing of PH. Michael Bay masters the technical aspects of the movie and does well with the human element. The story revolving around best friends Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett) being love with the same woman, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale)is simple and it works. Ben Affleck is a great leading man. Josh Hartnett is awesome-- he is going to be a huge star. Rafe and Danny are like brothers, and their bond is both touching and inspiring. This keeps the movie grounded. Beckinsale has a weaker role (more of a plot device), and does well by it. It's also fabulous to see Alec Baldwin in a strong performance as Col. Doolittle.
Michael Bay and Randall Wallace do a fabulous job of telling a story of courage, loss, and the rites of passage for a nation. Kenneth Turan of the LA Times described "Pearl Harbor" as a parable of the loss of innocence for a nation. I believe that he is accurate. "Pearl Harbor" is not William Wordsworth... What it does very well is convey a tremendous sense of loss (the cost of war) and the triumph of the human spirit. It's great to see a big budget Hollywood movie that looks great, and still remembers what moves, touches, and inspires. And that is NOT just "great sounding bulls**t".