not exactly wonderful but just about bearable

Rating: Null/10 (31 December 2002)

This didn't exactly enthrall me. I was frequently bored, waiting for something remotely interesting to happen.
There was nowhere near enough action in this film, rather disappointing effects really. There were a few fantastic moments, but these were few and far between. The initial battle sequence is often lumpy and doesn't flow very well in places. The sequence is often unclear and it took what seemed forever before we actually saw a Japanese soldier. This may be because they're meant to be hidden, but unfortunately seems as if the budget didn't allow extras. When the enemy did come into play, the interraction wasn't exactly as tense as would be expected from a warfilm, indeed at times it felt like a social get together rather than a war.
The subplot of one soldiers 'girl back home' was a touching one, and very often true. This was refreshment from the already scant action, and although the romance story doesn't ruin the film, the flashbacks were too long and too many. Also, they maneged a sex scene which in my books should be banned from warfilms forever.
Don't get me wrong, this film isn't bad. It's really not. The cast (apart from perhaps Nick Nolte) are good, in some cases excellent (Dash Mihok comes to mind, though his part was too small) and there are a few gems to be found here.
But don't expect this to be a film that leaves your head reeling and that will leave you thinking for days afterwards. This is no Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers.
It is watchable (just) and only occasionly excruciatingly boring. But it's not wonderful by any means and instantly forgettable.