Bombs away

Rating: 5/10 (30 May 2001)

-Warning-A few spoilers. "Pearl Harbor" isn't a bad movie, but it certainly isn't an epic the likes of "Titanic," which I didn't like either by the way. "Harbor" follows the lives of two childhood friends (Ben Affleck & Josh Harnett) who are enlisted as pilots in the same military divison and everything is going fine. But when Affleck goes to fight in England, he leaves behind his girlfriend (Kate Beckinsale, who gives the only good performance in the movie) who doesn't want him to go. Well when news reaches the states that Affleck died in battle Beckinsale and Harnett get together, after just a month or two of mouring over Affleck's death. But of course Affleck can't be dead, since the movie must be stretched out over the 3 hour+ running time. The 'Pearl Harbor' incident doesn't even occur until halfway through the movie and even that's not the end of the film, there's still a good hour left. This isn't a great movie, most of the performances are either over the top or aren't memorable or both and the attack on Pearl Harbor isn't even that spectacular, which isn't something I would expect from a film with a $150+ budget. ** out of 4 stars.