Flags of Our Fathers

I don't usually go to see war films, but as part of my policy of seeing at least one film a week I went to see this Clint Eastwood epic. How different this is from the old John Wayne movies I usually see on a Saturday afternoon on BBC2. This ia graphic film - the colour is used to enormous effect with a great deal of blood. I imagine this is closer to the reality of the experience of war than 'In Which We Serve'.

The film is the story of the photograph taken of a group of soldiers raising the flag over Iwo Jima - the first part of Japan to be taken by American forces. In truth the flag was not raised once but twice, and the photograph of the original raising was lost. Only three of the men featuring in the famous photograph survived the battle. These 'heroes', Doc, Rene and Chief were used in a fund raising campaign across the United States. The movie is a study of heroism - Doc keeps saying over and over again that the three of them are not the heroes, those left behind on the island are the heroes. Chief - a native American - is treated with total disrespect, both in the army and back in the United States. He didn't want to go on the tour of the US and his life is real tragedy, rapidly declining into drunkeness and depression. Rene is an accidental hero (his commanding officer insists he is used as a runner because he believes he is more of a liability than an asset). He loves the fame and is disillusioned to discover that after the war his actions and fame are forgotten - the modern equivalent of fifteen minutes of fame!

This is an interesting and powerful film - but I think Mr Eastwood missed the target. Powerful photography cannot make up for poor characterisation. It is extremely difficult to tell who is who, the characters are not developed - so the viewer fails to be moved by their plight, or to understand the comradeship and interdependence of the fighting unit. I wasn't truly gripped by their fate. In the end it is slightly sentimental, and this reduces the impact.

Spectacular, but not an outstanding movie. He'll probably get the Oscar though. Rating: 6/10