Letters from Iwo Jima

"Letters from Iwo Jima" was an engrossing, and poignant film about Japanese soldiers facing the ultimate fight-or-flight situation on the strategic island of Iwo Jima when the Allies were determined to take the island to maintain a base of operation in that combat theater in WWII. Director Clint Eastwood is again at the top of his game with this film, the deft subtlety of the film's primal themes (of honor and sacrifice in wartime) displayed is both admirable and engaging.

Ken Watanabe is perfectly cast as General Kuriyabashi, the one with the thankless task of getting the troops ready for the coming onslaught by the Allies, with no other military support, and having to use the island's geography to elicit as many advantages as possible in the face of overwhelming odds. Kazunari Ninomiya as Saigo, is just as effective as the everyman soldier who just wants to be back home with his wife, but the call of honor and duty represented huge obstacles for such a simple desire for normalcy and living in a time when the war waged on, and only honorable death being the most likely of outcomes for him.

The pace of the film felt suitable for the subject matter at hand, at no time did I feel the need to look at my watch, my attention was totally glued to the screen by the power of the film's story and the performances. Eastwood simply has an impeccable sense in pacing a film that never lingers too long within scenes, and always keeps the narrative pushing forward.

The cinematography was top-notch, utilizing a subdued grey-blue tint, with lighting within the caves that captured stark facial shadows, making them another character within the drama and revealing the gamut of emotions that ran through the soldiers from desperation and fear to bravery and dogged determination.

The score was not all intrusive, existing to support the unfolding drama without calling attention to itself. Again, a very subtle, but effective choice.

All in all, a very impressive cinematic tour de force, and more than worthy companion piece to "Flags of Our Fathers", in fact, it's a superior film, but they both buoy one another in this unflinching look back at the tumultuous battle at Iwo Jima from 2 sides of the same coin.

I give it 4 stars, or a grade of A.