Enduring Hell

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2014)

There is too much praise going around for films that are trying too hard to be original, whimsical, or creative. There is a big difference between taking on a project and carrying it out to its successful completion. "Birdman" and "Boyhood", have in my opinion fallen short because they look good in paper but are at best boring and/or puzzling. "Unbroken" is based on a real life story, and Ms. Jolie has put together an excellent adaptation of that biographical account.
From its opening scenes, it feels right. She is capable of recreating periods in history, giving them a realistic atmosphere, a tone that remains through the entire film. It treats its subject matter with sympathy and accuracy. We meet Louis Zamperini when he is a troubled and impulsive young man. The young man playing him portrays with fire and frustration. We see how he will eventually change into the man with an iron will that will survive a stay in hell.
I was hoping we'd get more of the flashback scenes because they convey the sense of loyalty and support a family gives. I kept thinking how much more I would have liked "The Godfather II" if Coppola hadn't overdone his own flashbacks. There is true affection here but not over-sentimentality. It transitions well to the scenes where Zamperini is shown with his air force buddies. He is a strong man who believes in being loyal but has a hard core. Jolie understand this very important part of his character, and that is what makes the most difficult part of the film watchable and has us rooting for Louis's success.
The movie is a bit long, but it moves well, and it engages us, as we see Louis grow into a more confident man, a man who just won't quit while trying to achieve his personal goals, and who will probably dry trying to protect his point of view and his loyalty for his country. The time he spends in Japan is like living in hell, and facing his Japanese counterpart is hypnotic and scary. Here is a man who hates with conviction, with his own share of negative baggage, and we know that something is wrong with his personality, with his beliefs. That is not a matter of politics or loyalty. His personal attacks on Zamperini feel focused, personal, originating from some internal demon that propels him forward. We are curious to find out what is happening inside his head, and we know he might eventually kill Zamperini if he is allowed to do so.
Jolie has proved himself a winning director, giving us another perspective of what it was like to live through this kind of torture. It is not meant to be explained, and with the help of some excellent writers, she has taken us inside a man's soul, his exposure to horrible evils, and his inner desire to survive and never stop. Yes, it would have been interesting to learn more about what allowed him to forgive in the end, but it is still a rich experience, enough to show us what he had to endure and how he managed to surpass it.
A winning film.