Boys-own stuff

Rating: 7/10 (7 June 2001)

I did not know what i was going to make of this film at first, it's competing against a truly great film in 'Tora, Tora, Tora', and it certainly did not reach those heights, of the three principal leads only Mr Affleck and Miss Beckinsale were known to myself. Whilst mr Affleck indulged in his usual all-American super-hero persona (surely he needs to expand his range at some point), Miss Beckinsale was a real disappointment. No depth to the performance, and no empathy with the time or location, not that the script helped, some of the lines made me grind my teeth with horror.
"I'll give my heart to ..., but i'll never look at another sunset without thinking of you"?!?!
A line i think you'd agree that would have had the pesky japs running for cover if it had been uttered on Honolulu radio on the night of the 6th December 1941. What this film lack in depth it made up for in spades in the action sequences which are some of the best and most kenetic i have ever seen. A real scholar of the war would have had few quibbles most of the ships destroyed seemed to have been of a distinctly modern vintage, for a film that threw money about like it was going out of fashion, i don't understand why they did not hire some World War 2 era U.S. ships off a third world navy. Still this was minor, the aerial combat sequences especially those done with the Spitfires and ME109's were fantastic, the special effects team should be a shoo in for an oscar nomination at the very least. I think this film when it reaches dvd is going to find its real audience. I'll certainly be purchasing it, and i suppose at the end of the day this is the real acid test.