Romantic, flamboyant and defiantly old-fashioned

Rating: 6/10 (7 January 2005)

PEARL HARBOR
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS-8
(35mm and 70mm release prints)
On the eve of America's entry into World War II, two young fighter pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) - friends since childhood - are driven apart by their love for a beautiful woman (Kate Beckinsale), but they're forced to set aside their differences when Japanese forces attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbor...
One of the most expensive - and vilified - films of its day, this gargantuan epic stands accused of exploiting historical tragedy for commercial gain, courtesy of producer Jerry Bruckheimer (notorious for a string of opportunistic blockbusters) and director Michael Bay (previously responsible for such unassuming action fare as "The Rock" and "Armageddon"). This argument may - or may not - have merit, but as a *movie*, PEARL HARBOR is romantic, flamboyant and defiantly old-fashioned, like a 1940's picture postcard come to life. And as a spectacle, it's hard to beat: The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the most breathtaking set-pieces in Hollywood history, offering a pilot's-eye view of the aerial bombardment, the destruction on the ground, and the horrendous loss of life. It may seem exploitative to some viewers, but Bay uses modern technology (including a terrific multichannel soundtrack) to capture the drama, heartbreak and horror of the occasion like never before.
Randall Wallace's overheated script is a little too jingoistic in places (co-star Alec Baldwin is much given to speechifying in this regard), but the friendship between Affleck and Hartnett is depicted with great tenderness and affection, and while their dispute over Beckinsale is probably the least engaging aspect of the entire production, the pay-off still packs quite an emotional wallop. The supporting cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr., Mako and Dan Aykroyd, with Jon Voight as President Roosevelt (his speech to Congress on 8 December 1941 remains as powerful today as it ever was). Try to see the R-rated director's cut, which offers a slightly more graphic - and therefore more honest - depiction of the death and destruction inflicted on American servicemen (and women) during the Pearl Harbor disaster.