Pearl Harbor

January 16, 2005

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 183 min Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Michael Bay is a man’s director. With titles like Bad Boys, The Rock and Armageddon under his belt, there is no question that he has high levels of testosterone flowing through his veins. So when I heard that he was at the helm of a movie about the attack on Pearl Harbor, I was high-fiving everyone I met for several days afterwards. Now, after having just seen the movie, I am happy to report that he has delivered the goods once again. I do have *one* little question though.

Pearl Harbor

WHAT IN THE HECK WAS ALL THAT ROMANCE CRAP?!?

I had read before going in that the movie was heavily weighted towards the romantic relationship between Affleck, Beckinsale and Hartnett, and so, naturally, I was a bit apprehensive as I sat down in my seat. The movie starts off well enough and with nary a female in sight thanks to some obligatory recaps of the two boys’ childhoods and their adventures during air combat training but, unfortunately, that didn’t last. I have to be honest and admit that the romantic dreck quotient (RDQ) wasn’t as high as I was expecting but to even be worrying about it at all in a MICHAEL-FREAKING-BAY movie is a bit of a sad statement all by itself.

There’s no point in diving too deep into the romantic aspects of the movie except to say there is enough romance to satisfy any girlfriends or wives who might normally have to be dragged kicking and screaming to see an action movie. The only other point to make is that Beckinsale is a darn good looking woman and it’s a damn shame she didn’t get nekkid somewhere between the opening and closing credits.

Now, as for the battle sequences, you will find few movies that can rival this one in scope and grandeur. I was skeptical that Bay & Co., as talented as they are, would be able to pull off a 40 minute battle sequence of such a large scale and area of coverage without it becoming confusing or muddled in some way. But I must tip my hat to them and their efforts. The attack on Pearl Harbor was great as was the drama that played out just before the attack occurred. Granted, historical accuracy had a few liberties taken with it but it wasn’t outright raped as it was in U-571. For the sake of some great flying action, I can live with a few omissions and inconsistencies.

As a bonus, we get other battles, too! The Nazis couldn’t be left out and so we are treated to some nice aerial dogfighting between the Eagle Squadron, a group of US pilots flying for the Brits in Spitfires, and the Luftwaffe’s finest over the English Channel. Also, as you might have gleaned from the previews, the end of the movie covers the famous Doolittle raid on Tokyo. I must say that seeing a stripped down B-25 bomber taking off in only 467 feet from a WWII aircraft carrier is an amazing sight.

All in all, I was quite happy with the movie so don’t let the fear of getting lost in the Bermuda Love Triangle keep you from taking in the action here.

Posted by Alex | Filed Under 4 Stars, Action, Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, Cuba Gooding Jr., DVD, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, PG-13