I thoroughly enjoyed this eminently watchable (though flawed) film. It’s funny, dramatic, heart-felt, and inspirational without being cloying. It is amazing to me that Tom Cruise, as popular as he is, never seems to get the respect he’s owed for his acting and bravery. This man always throws his whole soul into whatever he’s doing, and whether it’s a home run (Jerry McGuire, Minority Report), a noble attempt (Vanilla Sky), or an I’m-not-sure-what-the-hell-to-think (Eyes Wide Shut), Cruise always gives a bravura performance. Here’s hoping that poor bastard wins an acting trophy one day.
My only complaint, after thinking about it for awhile, is the ending. I shan’t go into details in case you see it, but I thought they sold out. It may be what ultimately kept this film from getting the Best Picture and Actor nods. Still a hell of a film, though, and worth the time.
Suspension of Disbelief Index: 4. The premise stretches plausibility a little bit, but not very much. They tried very hard to get the historical details as accurate as they could, right down to the Japanese writing on the maps (at least according to my friend who was translating for me).
Genre Grade: Historical Epic; B+. Right with Lawrence of Arabia and Glory.
Pantheon Percentile: 85. A great film that will be relevant for decades to come.
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