Flags of Our Fathers

"Flags of Our Fathers" is a very solid movie, told in three layers that include flashbacks within flashbacks. While it is definitely exceptional, it could have been better and doesn't approach the level of "Saving Private Ryan".

The opening scene, set in current time, establishes one segment of "Flags" as an old man has a heart attack and calls out for Iggy. This leads the old man's son on a quest to learn more about his father's past. It turns out that his father was one of the six men photographed raising the American flag over Iwo Jima. He learns this from others who fought with his father, which leads us into the second layer of the story. This piece revolves around what happened to the three remaining soldiers after the picture made every front page of newspaper in the country and they were forced to become spokesmen for the war bond effort. Here we are taken to the third, and best, part of the story which focuses on the actual battle for the island.

Nearly half of the movie focuses on Doc Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), and Native American Ira Hayes (Adam Beach). They are the three surviving soldiers who helped raise the flag, which also raised the spirits of the war-weary American public. They are brought back stateside to a hero's welcome, as they are also told that it's their job to help sell war bonds in order to help the war effort over Japan. While Gagnon is all for the publicity, Hayes wants none of it. This story really becomes his as he continues to drink and lose control of his life as they are carted from one city to another.

Without question, the most spectacular moments of the film are the battle sequences as the Americans fight for Iwo Jima, an island that is nothing to look at but will eventually become a jumping off point for airplanes. Every single scene stands out on its own, whether for its brutality or its heart-breaking pain. Adding to the experience are stellar performances from everyone involved. Definitely "Private Ryan"-esque, and the presence of Barry Pepper as one of the sergeants only reinforces that. I wanted more of this out of "Flags of Our Fathers".

What jars the flow and feeling of the movie are the current day scenes. While I suppose it added a layer of relevance to where the story was coming from, its absence would not have been missed, and would have tightened (and shortened) the story by about thirty minutes.

I was not as emotionally impacted by "Flags of Our Fathers" as I had anticipated being, but it did leave me wanting to know more about the Battle of Iwo Jima. Also, note that I have not read the book so I can't give you a comparison. Director, and composer, Clint Eastwood will certainly be an Oscar contender, as will a number of the actors in supporting roles. All in all, I'm glad I saw it. I give it a B.

"Flags of Our Fathers" is rated R with a running time of 132 minutes.