FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS: PERSONAL LOOK AT WWII’S HEROES
Flags of our Fathers is Clint Eastwood’s look at the raising of the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima. But the famous photo is not what it seems. War heroes were used for propaganda during WWII. Three men in the photo who survived are followed. It is sad how these men are exploited after they served their country.
Marines Rene (Jesse Bradford), “Doc” (Ryan Phillipe), and Ira (Adam Beach) fought at The Battle of Iwo Jima. Rene is a runner whose sergeant doesn’t have a lot of confidence in. “Doc” is a corpsman who the men rely on not just for medical but also for haircuts. Ira is referred to “Chief” due to his Indian heritage. All three are sent home after they are identified in the raising of the flag photo. They go on a national tour to promote war bonds. Rene tries to use it to his advantage. Doc reluctantly goes along while trying to keep Ira in line. Ira drinks to try and forget the horrors he has seen.
The focus on these three men puts faces to the photo and this battle. It shows that victory isn’t always what it seems. The government used these men for their gain. But these “heroes”don’t see themselves as heroes. It is heart wrenching how these men are treated. Phillipe is understated as Doc. He just wanted to serve his country and be there for his men. Beach is emotional as the Indian who still faces racism, even as a war hero. Bradford does well with his role as the shallow Marine who tries to use his status to get ahead. There are some haunting scenes during battle and on the bond tour. The men discover a cave where some of the Japanese soldiers have resorted to blowing themselves up with grenades. The graphic nature will make you look away. At a dinner for the three men they are served a dessert in the form of the flag raising photo. When the waiter pours strawberry syrup over the dessert, you don’t know if you can become more disgusted.
Some of the violence shown during battle sometimes bordered on cartoonish. One example is a soldier’s head being blown off. It almost looks like something you could buy at a Halloween store.
During war, being a hero comes at a price. A fine job is done by the young male cast. Evocative scenes showcase the exploitive nature of the government and its desperation to keep up the country’s moral.
Report Card:
Story-B
Acting-B
Visuals-C+
Originality/Innovation-B
Enjoyability Grade–B
DVD Extras-N/A
Overall Grade-B
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