A Mixed bag, but not nearly as bad as most here say.....

Rating: 6/10 (7 May 2005)

I'm sure there are flaws in the movie here, lemme see if I noticed a few...: *Japanese WWII soldiers in Saipan fighting in a WWI Battle of the Marne trench warfare set-up. Uhhhh, no.
*Saipan made out to look like it was fought right behind MASH 4077th. No....not California Desert. Try a Volcanic Pacific Island w/ some jungle.
*Couldn't tell the two blonde GI's apart. The Redneck looked like the guy who gives the little girl candy.
*Adam Beach looked like Lou Diamond Phillips. Roger Willie was more convincing as a Navajo. Just saying--maybe I'm way off? *Cage was basically channeling John Wayne from 'Sands of Iwo Jima' save for the fact that Wayne as Sgt Stryker was 1000 times more believable. You know, ala the Duke and Rambo, never misses what he shoots at, a gazillion rounds miss him, etc.
*CGI planes were goofy.
*Shelling was stupidly accurate.
*Japanese guys couldn't hit the broadside of a barn at 4 feet.
*Leb from Armageddon didn't really cut it as Gunny, though I thought Christian Slater was better, before he lost his head. That was--well sick and weird.
*Banzai charge in daylight from strong uphill positions--somehow I don't think the Japanese were that stupid.
*Filmers missed the chance to tell us about the Navajo code-breakers.
What was good? *Two Navajo guys. I liked Roger Willie the best.
*Cage was alright, quit complaining. Same part he played in the Rock and whatever.
*Overkill violence-well 'Private Ryan' had it along w/ 'Black Hawk Down'. It's just the cliché now. If you don't put it in, you will be accused of whitewashing combat. Woo was in a no win game there. I admit his 'Face off' techniques got real old in a hurry in this one.
*I liked the cardboard cross being knocked over--a Plan 9 From Outer Space nod, ya think? No? Whatever they left that in....
*Tears of the Sun was a lot worse.
**1/2 outta **** for trying though I think they missed the boat on it, yes. It ain't terrible though.