A massive disappointment being that the true story is so remarkable.

Rating: Null/10 (20 January 2015)

I don't like to bash someone that appeared to try so hard but, as director, Angelina Jolie delivered a huge rambling misfire.
This was like making a movie about Wyatt Earp and fixating on his time in Dodge City by focusing on bouts of diarrhea, illness and tough times while ignoring his exploits as sheriff, his Tombstone years and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Spending scene after scene watching Louis Zamperini being tortured and suffering just wears thin. Instead of placing any focus on his faith or his time after the war the movie spends far too much time adrift. Literally, a major portion of the film is spent watching three men trying to survive on a life raft in the middle of the ocean. The final words before the credits and the real life scenes of him at age 80 were more interesting than the entire third act itself. THAT is what I would have liked to have seen. Cut down all that repetitive ocean and prisoner camp tediousness and there would have been ample room to tell the story right and with emotional impact. This man's amazing story deserved that at the least.