It's what was left out that doesn't do history justice.

Rating: Null/10 (31 May 2001)

If this movie was about a fictional attack by some anonymous rogue nation, then I would say the movie was entertaining and leave it at that. But the subject matter is about one of the most important events in the history of the United States and it demands better treatment. To explain the attack in terms of the oil embargo alone without an explanation as to why the United States placed the embargo is really ludicrous. The embargo was placed because the Japanese had invaded China, committed barbarous atrocities against the Chinese people and were determined to occupy Indo-China and all of Asia. The United States would have lifted the embargo if the Japanese had withdrawn from China and left Indo-China alone. Also, the movie left out the main inhabitants of the island of Oahu, namely the people native to Hawaii. Where were they? The love story did not require 130 minutes of the 170 minute running time. The attack scenes were done very well but seem empty when history is distorted as it was in this film.