Breach

As the tagline states: inspired by the true story of the greatest breach in US history. Seemed interesting at the outset, but all that we get is an insipid spy movie. A fairly impotent script that tells the story, but with less than half the intensity of the documentary that I had seen on the subject.

Rating: * +

Flags of our Fathers

These days when I see the words - 'A CLINT EASTWOOD FILM' - I shut the laptop and head to the nearest queue for cinema tickets. And when its based on a WWII incident, I am found missing from office for the rest of the day.

Its about the Battle of Iwo Jima; one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific; and specifically, the legendary flag raising photo and the heroes that it creates accidentally. However, the real truth behind the picture has emerged only slowly and thats what the movie centres on. It also shows how one of the largest and most highly promoted capital market bond roadshow was conducted - very interesting. It was instrumental on how WWII eventually turned out.

The timing of the film couldnt have been more appropriate - it shows nothing has really changed. Nothing that we see today about Bush/Iraq/Weapons of Mass Manipulation is new. Its been happening for a long long while and will continue to happen for a long long time to come.

The movie is a long one, and captures a lot through substantial 'to&fro' switching between the past & the future. Theres no real continuous motion of events and therefore quite different from other war movies. From purely a 'war' prespective, it would rank lower than 'The Thin Red Line' - arguably the best war movie out there.

Despite the inappropriateness of the underlying theme at this present moment & no real quality performances to talk about, it should be a front runner for the the Academy Awards.

Rating: * * *

Apparently, Clint Eastwood is also directing a complementary film on the battle from the Japanese viewpoint. Its titled Letters from Iwo Jima, and will star Ken Watanabe.