Great film

Rating: 7/10 (2 May 2015)

A lovingly made film, Unbroken (as it was called when I saw it on a plane) is an excellent account of Louis Zamperini's incredible life. Jack O'Connell is perfectly cast as the athletic, charismatic young man whose chance to win gold at the Olympics is destroyed when World War II intervenes and he goes through several forms of hell surviving 45 days on a raft when his plane crashes into the sea, and then is singled out for severe treatment, seemingly for years, by a sadistic guard in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The early scenes in which Louis is a juvenile delinquent saved by his brother's encouragement of him to be a runner are simply but movingly portrayed. The scenes in the plane with his air force buddies are incredible. Japanese midget planes, bullets and bombs whiz by from all angles. The guy next to you could be joking with you one moment, and the next shot through the head. The scenes in the life raft are truly gripping, with sharks, storms, the sun and gunfire from a Japanese plane all seemingly determined to kill Louis and his two fellow survivors. The detention camp scenes were very realistically stark and brutal. Uncomfortable viewing, and the Japanese actor playing Louis's sadistic, deluded tormentor 'Bird' is outstanding. I found the ending quite moving. Overall, for a big Hollywood movie, it was very well done.