Nothing special (SPOILERS)

Rating: 3/10 (10 June 2001)

This film was organised all wrong. They could have done without the *whole* Tokyo attack, and probably large sections of the Pearl Harbour attack. The SFX were amazing, but after an hour of relentless action and destruction, it gets too much, and I could see people in the cinema fidgeting and getting restless. The Cuba Gooding Jnr character was interesting but utterly pointless, just a token black character.
The love triangle had potential, but they made the fatal mistake of making Danny seem nicer than Rafe, and I ended up rooting for the wrong couple although it was painfully obvious what was going to happen. Evelyn and Rafe seemed to fall in love for no reason, whereas Danny and Evelyn had a basis to their relationship. Aside from anything else, Rafe was cocky and arrogant and fairly unlikeable next to Danny.
From a British perspectice, I must admit that it was a lot fairer to the British soldiers and victims of the Blitz when compared to fiercely patriotic and propagana-ish films like U5771 or Saving Private Ryan. I must admit that I chuckled during the final sick-making "God Bless America and all who sail in her" speech which, ironically, was delivered by a British actress.