How can this film be so boring?

Rating: 4/10 (26 May 2001)

This movie's centerpiece is a sneak attack that begins a war, and that scene -- the attack on Pearl Harbor itself -- is fabulous. That said, it is only 30 minutes of the movie's 3-hours-plus running time, and it occurs more than 2 hours in. What is the rest of this film stuffed with? Tons and tons of overlit, slow-motion shots of beautiful people either (a) staring glassily at each other or (b) walking in large groups on a runway or down a hall. That's all they do -- look pretty in slow motion. No characters have the slightest traces of individuality, humor or even personality. There are no memorable lines spoken by any characters at any time, unless you count FDR's "day which will live in infamy" speech, which of course was written by somebody besides this screenwriter. This movie is blander than bland, and though it is very pretty to look at, it will not satisfy people who want an action movie (there's not enough action) or a love story (the romances are so superficial as to be laughable). Stay far away.