Today’s quick review: Flags of Our Fathers. After the Battle of Iwo Jima, a photograph of six American troops raising a flag takes the nation by storm. To capitalize on the publicity, the surviving men from the photo—John “Doc” Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach)—are shipped back home to raise money for the war effort. Amid fanfare and accolades, the men struggle to cope with what they truly went through.
Flags of Our Fathers is a war drama from director Clint Eastwood. Flags of Our Fathers tells the true story of the famous photo taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima, including the impact it had on the American public and on the lives of the men involved. The movie is a sober look at the nature of heroism and the lengths the United States had to go to during World War II. Strong subject matter and thoughtful presentation make the film an effective drama.
Flags of Our Fathers splits its time between the Battle of Iwo Jima and the press tour that followed. The battle scenes are visceral and disorienting, following a few troops out of thousands as they fight to take the island. But the heart of the film is the aftermath. Doc, Rene, and Ira are forced to go on a press tour for the good of the nation, but they’re tormented both by the friends they lost and the act they have to put on for the public.
The catch is that Flags of Our Fathers is not a conventional war movie. There’s no specific plot, just a collection of meaningful moments stitched together to form a pattern. The film only shows portions of the battle, and even those are scattered. Flags of Our Fathers does have the same visceral impact as other big-budget war films, but it channels it in a different direction, opting to focus on the aftermath as much as the war itself.
Flags of Our Fathers is a solid pick for anyone with an interest in the history of World War II. The movie does not have as much to offer viewers whose main interest is in plot and combat, but it manages to capture the magnitude of a pivotal battle while painting a very human picture of the men involved.
For a Clint Eastwood movie about the same battle from the Japanese perspective, watch Letters from Iwo Jima. For a more focused story about World War II, try Saving Private Ryan.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid craftsmanship and historical significance.