"December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy..."

PEARL HARBOR (PG-13)

Reviewed June 2, 2001 - Check out the Pearl Harbor Website.

Studio Synopsis: On a sleepy Sunday morning in December, as children played and families prayed, squadrons of Japanese warplanes screamed across the skies of a Hawaiian paradise and launched a surprise attack on the U.S. armed forces at Pearl Harbor. The infamous day that jolted America from peaceful isolationism to total war and altered the course of world history is relived in this epic tale of patriotism, passion and romance from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, producer/director Michael Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace.

"Pearl Harbor" focuses on the life-changing events surrounding December 7, 1941, and the war's devastating impact on two daring young pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a beautiful, dedicated nurse (Kate Beckinsale). It is a tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, personal courage and overwhelming love set against a stunning backdrop of spectacular wartime action.

Fuzzydog Review: One half period romance and one half action-packed war picture, Pearl Harbor is filled with more than its share of unforgettable images and beautiful cinematography.  The word "epic" comes to mind, both in subject matter and in scale of production, and at over three hours in runtime, Bay and Bruckheimer definitely give you the time to enjoy the view.  Yes, there's a lot to like in this $140 million blockbuster from Disney, and you can tell that it's a film that's spared no expense to achieve some measure of authenticity.  Unfortunately, experiencing the great moments that do exist in Pearl Harbor will require some patience, as the picture itself often gets bogged down in excess exposition and embarrassingly weak dialog.  Cliches, cliches, everywhere to be found.  Where's a ruthless editor when you need one?  :P

All in all, Pearl Harbor offers a "hit and miss" kind of epic moviegoing experience.  It's beautiful, it's glossy, it's very, very expensive...it's a good film that could have been much more, but one that no doubt plays better on a big screen than on a small TV set.  You decide if you want to see it now or wait for the video...  :)

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

gateofheart@yahoo.com gives this movie  stars: "For me, I like the movie especially the stars. But it is a little boring cuse it is too long but I really like it, is is even my favorite Thanks!" (10/11/01)

bsbgrl1242@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "i thought that the movie was excellent! i loved josh hartnett. he was so hott. it is a typical teen love story and i liked it alot! <peace>" (7/3/01)

littleklima@yahoo.com gives this movie  stars: "i thought this mvie rocked! hott guys, cool theme....what ese do you need plus it was romantic! josh hartnett stole my heart in this movie...i cried like 3 times and i ahve seen it 2 times! it never fails...every time i see it i cry more! i just want ever1 to go out and see this movie and if you like it support those hott giuys and buy this great movie!" (6/24/01)

geeneyes_4444@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "I loved this movie, it is my favorite movie just because Josh Hartnett is in this movie. Also Ben Affleck." (6/19/01)

katezdababez@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "Even though the critics said this film isn't good, it is!! It is a mixture of action and romance. It will definately make u ave tears in ur eyez!" (6/16/01)

timhixson@juno.com gives this movie  stars: "You could have easily carved thirty minutes from this film without detracting from it. Even so, it was an incredible three hours; especially the actual attack on Pearl Harbor. It left out the gore found in Saving Private Ryan, relying instead on edge of your seat thrills and fantastic special effects. The film did bog down at points but for overall entertainment value, it was very, very good." (6/15/01)

darth_davo@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "Pearl Harbour is a movie with one great scene and then other sh***y little storylines worked around it. The romance and first hour of the film is totally dull, and the end hour is pointless also. There are these three hours - three different storylines - three paths that never ever link. They all get thrown away and there isn't really any point! The film also verges into wank territory with the epilogue at the end - WOW - I love America - It doesnt matter if they lost Pearl Harbour but at least they won the war. Can this be any more of a go-USA movie? It is topped off by the awful performances and the wasted acting talents of some of the supporting cast. All in all, it has one spectacular action scene that has already been fizzed by a lack-lustre romance and an American resurrection that made the entire audience cringe. I mean, that scene with the American flag floating in the water in slow-motion, was the icing on the cake." (6/9/01)