Overly Criticized

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2009)

While reading just a few of the comments, I experienced great anguish at the "armchair warriors," or, those I regard as "warriors," criticizing this film. It is a compelling story yes, and maybe only 5-10-15% of the depictions were a complete re-creation, accurate in every detail. The idea was entertainment, and I give the makers of this film a very big hand. First of all, this happened one December morning I either remember parts of while visiting (as folks did back in 1941) or that I revere very highly among all of the other actual recollections in my life. I treasure seeing this and other historically founded films. The producers of this piece tell that many depictions are composites of actual events for sake of placing diverse events and important results into a deserved perspective.
I want to start by saying that I am surprised the Navy even gave Doris "Dorrie" Miller the decoration he received; the Navy Cross. This was 1941 and a segregated military was still the national model. It seems likely that if this happened after 1990 or 2000, that he might have been awarded the Medal of Honor. On the face of it, others who remained at their station and who performed similar gallantry did receive the Medal of Honor. No doubt they deserved theirs, and I see that this is not a solitary view as this is the view of a writer at encyclopedia.com. I hope the President and members of Congress see fit to upgrade this award for him.
I was astonished at the details covered by this film. The amount of work to just do the flames and explosions is beyond belief.
There is a large effort apparent by the stunt persons who acted in the production. Mentioned are the feet of primer cord, dynamite and gasoline used in the film. The arsenal and ordinance expenditure used in this film I feel sure, exceed the GNP of small provinces and it all had to be paid for on the gamble that it would be shown enough to just come out even. That it was overlooked for Oscar® nomination or award receiving only the "Best Sound Content" award seems very surprising.
Having been a training flight instructor I have even greater respect for the men (and perhaps women) who flew their aircraft between actual ships just feet above the water where any minor miscalculation would not have been survived. The scene where tho two childhood pals, Rafe and Danny played chicken does not look like a computer generated piece. Maybe parts of it were manipulated, but undoubtedly the actual head-on closing speed of what must have been 400+ mph is real as well as the maneuver to first roll one direction and suddenly change to the opposite direction and then do this clear of each other. I am sure the slightest mistake would have erased two men's lives and retired two old war birds. A big hand for the pilots and certainly for their bravery and for whatever they were paid to do this. It must have required many rehearsals and many spine-tingling moments-to-hours expended by the pilots and undoubtedly, backup crews were also used in order to insure the shooting schedule.
A lot of ingenuity is apparent when seeing the battle scenes and later viewing the special effects section on the second disk. While others have been critical of this film to extremes, it receives my highest regard and respect. Gor another similar topic to come to the screen soon is very unlikely. unlikely.