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Flags of Our Fathers (2006) 7.1
Ratings:
7.1/10 from 73,332 users
Metascore: 79/100
Reviews: 400 user | 277 critic | 39 from Metacritic.com The life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII. Director:Clint Eastwood |
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Title: Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Ryan Phillippe | ... | ||
| Jesse Bradford | ... | ||
| Adam Beach | ... | ||
| John Benjamin Hickey | ... | ||
| John Slattery | ... | ||
| Barry Pepper | ... | ||
| Jamie Bell | ... | ||
| Paul Walker | ... | ||
| Robert Patrick | ... | ||
| Neal McDonough | ... | ||
| Melanie Lynskey | ... | ||
| Thomas McCarthy | ... |
James Bradley
(as Tom McCarthy)
|
|
| Chris Bauer | ... | ||
| Judith Ivey | ... | ||
| Myra Turley | ... | ||
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
In 1945, the Marines attack twelve thousand Japaneses protecting the twenty square kilometers of the sacred Iwo Jima island in a very violent battle. When they reach the Mount Suribachi and six soldiers raise their flag on the top, the picture becomes a symbol in a post Great Depression America. The government brings the three survivors to America to raise funds for war, bringing hope to desolate people, and making the three men heroes of the war. However, the traumatized trio has difficulty dealing with the image built by their superiors, sharing the heroism with their mates. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Taglines:
The real heroes are the ones left on the island. See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
20 October 2006 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
La conquista del honor See more »Filming Locations:
Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA See more »Box Office
Budget:
$53,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£97,765 (UK) (22 December 2006)Gross:
£366,722 (UK) (29 December 2006)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Soldiers: Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! For God sakes, corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman!
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
'Flags of Our Fathers' cost $55 million although it was originally budgeted at $80 million. In a 2006 interview Paul Haggis stated that Clint Eastwood had shot the movie in just over 50 days, or nearly half the original shooting schedule. Variety subsequently downgraded the price-tag to $55 million. The budget for the companion piece Letters from Iwo Jima was officially credited at $20 million but again, according to Variety, the actual cost was "under $70 million" for both movies combined (this would place the cost of 'Letters' as $15 million). It is possible that WB inflated the budget as part of its campaign when it became evident that 'Letters' had Academy Award potential (the same thing happened in 2004 with 'Million Dollar Baby'). As of April 2007 'Flags' and 'Letters' had a combined worldwide theatrical gross of $135 million, with 'Flags' having performed, according to Variety, "very strongly" in its home video bow. See more »Goofs
When Ira throws up outside Soldier Field, the lighting on the wall behind him changes between shots from very bright to heavily shadowed. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Soldiers: Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! For God sakes, corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman!
See more »
I've always felt that when you fictionalize a story about war, you dishonor the memory of so many people who have a compelling story to tell by choosing to make something up instead *cough*privateryan*cough*.
The problem with war movies about real people is that you have to deal with complexities of character and plot that the genre simply doesn't lend itself easily to.
So when the story at hand aims to pose questions like "what does it mean to do the wrong things for the right reasons" and tries to debunk the popular myth of herodom, there's very little margin for error.
Enter Clint Eastwood. Never one to shy away from challenging stories, this is a much bigger effort than his usual understated character dramas. On the one hand, it doesn't "feel" like a Clint Eastwood movie, but on the other, it feels at home in his themes of used-up heroes -- the person behind the larger than life persona. These are complex characters in very difficult situations, and he presents them in a way that's straightforward and non-judgmental, so we're left to decide the answers to the film's central conflicts ourselves.
To a person, the cast is up to the challenge. It's hard not to admire Ryan Phillippe for a restrained and thoughtful performance, but the real kudos go to Adam Beach. Almost every aspect of Beach's character is cliché, with one minor exception - that's really the way Ira Hayes was. So the challenge was to portray Hayes as a real person despite the cliché, and the result is one of the most heartbreaking and troubling performances in the film. Here's a guy who is portrayed as a hero, who really has no answers at all.
There's a lot not to like about the film. It's not "entertaining" per se, in the same way that any war memorial in DC is not entertaining. Nor is it a particularly approachable film. What it lacks in popcorn-munching entertainment value, it replaces with gravitas. This is an important film, about an important time. It's status as a valuable history lesson is secondary to it's reflections on human nature and our society. As such, it deserves to be seen, and contemplated, and appreciated.
I can't wait for Letters From Iwo Jima (the companion piece, also from Clint Eastwood, told from the Japanese point of view.) Taken together, the scope of this project is breathtaking.