A story to admire

Rating: 7/10 (19 January 2015)

When I first heard about this film, I got really excited about the story but the mix reviews had me walking into the theater ready to nitpick.
Some people might not agree with me but the film was masterfully directed. It showcases the war, in all its aspects battles, death, starvation, and torture without inflaming the audience. I've seen documentaries that left me wanting vengeance for the oppressed. Unbroken is about Louie's forgiveness, his resilience despite what was done to him and the film does just that. It's sturdy and infused with darkness, shows the gruesome and the brutality but it does not make you angry, hopping for Japan to burn for what they did to him. On the contrary you hope for Louie to stand strong and stick it out.
Watching the movie there's an implied understanding for both sides, you won't like that Louie's brutalized and mentally tortured but at the same time you're not hating the guys brutalizing him. It helps to know how it'll end, which also explains the lack of emotional involvement, but it's about Louie during WWII. Louie is not depicted as a victim but as a person. I know the general consensus would be to almost break him down in order to build him back up but that would have been like blowing things up like a Michael Bay movie.
The performances throughout the cast was good, Angelina Jolie got the what she needed from the cast to tell this story in this particular way. The pace of the film fits to the story, the rhythm matches its narrative structure because it all flows together, it kind of sucks you in and bring you along for the ride. The side stories flows well in the overall narrative structure of the film. It's very easy to watch with its amazing array of beautiful colors and shots. There is a lot of potential in Angelina Jolie as a director.
Unbroken is a beautiful movie all around, the shots are mesmerizing, even the CGI ones, and the cast is on point. The story is inspiring and feels real. It's a big studio movie but it manages to feel intimate like an indie.
Tweet me @wornoutspines