A stock tale let down by directorial inexperience

Rating: 5/10 (22 August 2017)

UNBROKEN is a WW2 movie that once again has the hook of being based on a true story. This one's about an Olympic runner who becomes a bomber pilot and who ends up in a life raft in the middle of the Pacific after his plane develops a mechanical fault. This occupies the first half of the running time; the second half moves into prisoner of war territory. This film received a lot of attention for being directed by Angelina Jolie, but it feels very much like she's copying Clint Eastwood's style; he, of course, directed her in CHANGELING, so it's a basic imitation more than anything else.
Sadly, Jolie makes some novice mistakes here; the story goes on far too long at times, and ends up being full of sappy, cheesy stuff at the climax, stuff that had me wincing in embarrassment; it was so gritty earlier on, too. Jack O'Connell gives a fine performance as the lead, but this does feel too derivative of the likes of LIFE OF PI and in particular MERRY Christmas, MR. LAWRENCE.