Not a great movie, yet with merit

Rating: 6/10 (5 July 2001)

I'll get to the point.
Things that were good about this movie include the marvelous battle scenes (though the whole "jiggly camera" thing is getting a bit overdone), the cinematography, the acting (pretty good overall), especially considering that the leads were cast more for their appearance than anything. Don't get me wrong - they don't stink...they just aren't at the top of the list in terms of bards of the stage.
The single worst thing about this film was the script (not even the most marvelous acting can overcome silly, corny dialogue). At one point Jimmy Doolitle (Alec Baldwin) was commenting on the American spirit, and I was expecting Grandma to walk up to him with an apple pie, and for the local high school band to march across the air craft carrier deck playing "Stars and Stripes Forever", batons flying.
Yes, the storyline was convoluted and unlikely. And yes, it included some significant historical inaccuracies - though not quite as many as lots of war movies. Still, the mere fact that it's generating an increased interest in WWII - and the incalcuable sacrifices made by so many during the war - gives it some inherent value. How else will Mall Rats ever even conceive how grateful they should be to live in this country? Granted, this movie alone won't do it. Yet it perhaps may help.