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World War 2, Iwo Jima, Japan 1944 - in the midst of battle against the Japanese, a group of
soldiers decide to hoist the American flag to boost the tired and weary American soldiers. However, a superior orders them to replace the real flag to prevent its becoming a
trophy of the enemy. Another unit hoists a dummy flag and has their photograph taken. This image is published in the front pages of the American newspapers and instantly becomes
the symbol of hope, courage and victory for the American efforts. The government quickly orders the surviving men of that unit transported to America where they are welcomed as
the greatest heroes of the war. Unknown to the public, the photo was staged and the three surviving men John "Doc" Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), and Ira
Hayes (Adam Beach) battle within themselves the guilt, horror and stress of becoming an instant celebrity. The picture overtook their lives. They could never accept the mythology
that the propaganda for the image created in their lives.
Most war films today immerse audiences in violence. The brutal nature of conflict is depicted in
ultra-realistic fashion, with little or no attention paid to how the war has been interpreted at home. Clint Eastwood's masterful Flags of our Fathers
is an all encompassing story of war, approached in a brilliant and poetic manner. The shift from one time to another ceases to be confusing and allows the audience to sink in the emotional drama as the narrative beautifully unfolds. Beach particularly stands out as he brings such depths as a tormented and guilt-ridden Native American soldier. Clint Eastwood's strength as a director lies in his uncanny ability to capture subtlety emphasized in this epic. There are huge battle scenes, sweeping vistas, state-of-the-art special effects, everything you expect to see in a film of this magnitude. But the grandeur of these scenes pales in comparison to the subtlety and emotional wallop of the smaller, more interpersonal scenes. The cinematography is spectacular and the scoring almost haunting. Moreover, Eastwood knows how to direct actors. The scenes between the men, the establishing of camaraderie, the heartbreak of loss; these are the moments that make
Flags of Our Fathers a great film.
This film shows not only the horrors of war but more the horrors of exploitation of people who
capitalize on a good deed or an inspiring moment. The three protagonists fought for a cause that was just. But what happened to them, and the way they were exploited, is a
disgrace. Ira Hayes was an American hero. There's a line in the film that refers to him as 'more American than any of us'. His country failed him after the war. That is a fact.
Flags of our Fathers
is a tribute to the honor and sacrifice of these men, but is also a sharp rebuke to the way they were treated. Flags of Our Fathers also talks about heroism. How a real hero at heart prefers to be at the frontline sweating and fighting for a cause he believes in rather than enjoying the pomp and pageantry to raise funds and raise the political ratings of propagandists. The film emphasizes courage honor and honesty and serves as a wakeup call for people who like to take advantage of charitable works and heroic deeds and turn these into a self-serving public relations campaigns. We should realize that heroism is not about the medals, banners and cheers but the innate desire of man to serve and lay down his life for the love of another person.
(Date Reviewed: 10 November 2006)
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